I'm new to FOG and just bought the TS 55 EQ, my first Festool. I've just cut some cvg fir plywood and am amazed at the crosscut I was able to get with the blade that came with the saw. Anyway, I have a kitchen cabinet job coming up and am going to use a 3/4" plywood which comes both sides covered in white laminate. I know I should use a triple chip blade, because I'll be using a tape on the edges. Any suggestions and has anyone used the saw on laminate covered ply? Thanks
Cutting laminate covered plywood
- Thread starter woodstock
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Hi woodstock,
Welcome to the FOG ! [smile]
I have used the Fine blade that comes on the TS55 several times for laminate. Some cuts on premade counter tops (particle board) , and some on laminate that I did myself on particle board. Including several different laminate surface textures. The cuts came out great , no trouble with chipping. I do not think that plywood instead of particle board would change the cut quality.
Seth
Welcome to the FOG ! [smile]
I have used the Fine blade that comes on the TS55 several times for laminate. Some cuts on premade counter tops (particle board) , and some on laminate that I did myself on particle board. Including several different laminate surface textures. The cuts came out great , no trouble with chipping. I do not think that plywood instead of particle board would change the cut quality.
Seth
Sparktrician
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I'm going to suggest that to get truly clean cuts consistently on both sides of the material, you might consider getting a sheet of closed-cell foam insulation board and putting the material to be cut on top of that before cutting. You'll get less wear on the blade teeth long-term, and the foam will help prevent chipping. Be sure that you use the splinterguard that comes with the saw.
[smile]
[smile]
Thanks for the suggestions, I made a cutting table with a piece of 2" blue foam as a top. Unfortunately I made the table out of 2x4 on edge for strength/rigidity and with the 2" foam I can't use the clamps that I bought for my track. So far the track seems to stay put on the shorter cross cuts I've made on the cvg fir plywood. Haven't gotten my laminate covered plywood yet for the kitchen. I had considered using my table saw for the long rips, but have decided to buy the 118" track and use the TS 55 instead.
Sparktrician
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woodstock said:
If you cut a couple of 6" x 6" pads of 1/2" plywood and hot glue them to the pads of your clamps, you should be able to get enough of a grip to keep the track from wandering and keep from crushing the rigid foam board.
[smile]
Corwin
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woodstock said:
Welcome to the forum, neighbor! Can you modify your 2x4 base to make it a little smaller? My sheet-goods cutting table also has a 2x4 base, but sized more like 3'-6" x 7'-6" with a 4'x8' sheet of 1/2" covering the supporting frame and lastly a foam topper. That way there is a few inches around the perimeter that I can clamp to.
On Edit: Correction, my frame is sized 40"x88" for a 4" overhang around the perimeter. Here's an old picture:
Welcome to the forum, neighbor! Can you modify your 2x4 base to make it a little smaller? My sheet-goods cutting table also has a 2x4 base, but sized more like 3'-6" x 7'-6" with a 4'x8' sheet of 1/2" covering the supporting frame and lastly a foam topper. That way there is a few inches around the perimeter that I can clamp to.
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I've done similar to Corwin. Because of tight shop space for storing a large table, I cut a piece of 1" foam cut into 3 pieces 32"x48". I then screwed these to 3 pieces of 1/2" ply for rigidity. I set these on a pair of folding horses with a pair of 2"x4"x8' between the horses and foam top. Works well for me and is a lot easier to store and no problem with clamping.
[/quote]
I've done similar to Corwin. Because of tight shop space for storing a large table, I cut a piece of 1" foam cut into 3 pieces 32"x48". I then screwed these to 3 pieces of 1/2" ply for rigidity. I set these on a pair of folding horses with a pair of 2"x4"x8' between the horses and foam top. Works well for me and is a lot easier to store and no problem with clamping.
Thanks Corwin, I had made my table 4x8 to completely support the foam, but will take your suggestion and cut it down easily. I'm trying to picture exactly where your house is, it looks like Skyline. I'm across from the ferry. I started my business, general contractor, the first of April and have been slowly gaining jobs, small, but allows me to ride the Harley when I like. I just ordered a 118" guide to rip the plywood, which I originally started this thread on. I'm also getting a set of parallel gudes and will be figuring out how to use them or find great advice on this forum.
Sparktrician
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Corwin,
I'm really curious about the stands you use for your cutting table. Who makes them?
[smile]
I'm really curious about the stands you use for your cutting table. Who makes them?
[smile]
Corwin
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Sparktrician said:
Those are the Triton MultiStands. I showed these some time back in my Triton MultiStand Cutting Table thread. And here is a review; OnlineToolReview: Triton Multi Stand Review. These stands are great IF they are manufactured correctly. I purchased two and liked them very much so I then purchased some more. Only later did I discover that there were two issues that were a problem; some of the head units didn't allow for a full 90 degree travel making it impossible to achieve a level stance, and some of the brackets for the legs to hinge on were welded out of alignment thus making the vertical tube out of plumb, and again making it impossible to achieve a level stance. So, a great idea that was poorly implemented by the manufacturer. And really poor service to boot.
Sparktrician
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Corwin said:
Thanks for the in-fill. I'll have to check them out. If they're as shoddily manufactured as the ones you experienced, they're going back. Great idea, though.
[smile]
I joined two of the MFT1080's together and made them dead flat. Then I use a good sheet of 3/4" MDF as a sacrifice sheet because it's dense enough to reduce chipping.. My first top cut is set 2mm deep and I pull the saw backwardfs so it acts like a scoring blade. (I lap and polish my rail guides so they are perfect with no slop.) I carefully tap the rail so it cuts a little (.75mm?) to the left, leaving the right side clear of the veneer or laminate surface. It's tedious but with laminate. VG Fir, White Oak you can't recut your errora with out the grain pattern looking funny.
My 3/4 " laminate covered ply arrived yesterday but I've been to excited and busy with my new CT22 and parallel guide rails to start cutting that ply. I also received a 48 tooth triple chip laminate blade and will try that first. I'm sure your method would work great, but on a complete kitchen cabinet job I'm doing I don't think I could afford the time for the back scoring like you suggested. I will be starting this next week cutting and post my results. Thanks for suggestions, and a special thanks to Corwin for giving a new FOG member a great deal.
