Fiberglass cutting - Carvex - preferred blade?

[dpetrzelka]

We're laying up a fiberglass body for an upcoming soap-box car project - I'll be sure to share photos - its going to be nuts.

There will be several sections we need to cut from the one-piece body, and I'm hoping to use the Carvex. The blade selection guide has several that could work, but wondering what you're preference would be.

This will be thin fiberglass layup - likely 1 layer 6oz cloth, 1 layer 3/4oz mat with epoxy resin.

Which of these would be the better choice?

490178 HS 75/2.5 bi
486562 R 54G
486561 HM 75/4.5 (I'm leaning toward this one based on what I've read so far)

thanks all

 

[semenza]

Have you seen this?  Maybe it will help?

http://www.festoolusa.com/jigsaw-blades

Seth

 

[dpetrzelka]

Yes, thank you Seth. That gives general guidelines leading me to the blades I listed. I'm hoping for first-hand experience from a FOG member to take it the rest of the way.

 

[w802h]

I've always gotten a lot of tearout from most blades in fiberglass.  For clean cuts in factory produced 1/8" FRP sheet goods or Sequentia roofing panels I've used my red and green handle snips only taking small bites at a time.  I'm curious if the splinterguard would make a big difference. 

 

[dpetrzelka]

Tear-out is exactly what I'm hoping to avoid. Snips would work on all of the outside cuts, but I have a number of tight inside radii that would be much easier if there is a jigsaw blade that will work.

486562 R 54G with the carbide grit might help avoid chipping/tearing, as it has an abrasive action vs traditional chipping/cutting.

If no one else has first hand experience cutting fiberglass with Festool blades, I may need to document this to share back with the group.

I've always gotten a lot of tearout from most blades in fiberglass.  For clean cuts in factory produced 1/8" FRP sheet goods or Sequentia roofing panels I've used my red and green handle snips only taking small bites at a time.  I'm curious if the splinterguard would make a big difference.

 

[GPowers]

have not done it, but a rotary Dremel blade might reduce tearout

 

[Administrator_JSVN]

Would using the splinterguard with the jigsaw not prevent tear out?