Finally found a use for my mft/3 fence

[WarnerConstCo.]

As some know, I really do not like anything about the whole fence and rail crap on the mft/3's.  It has never seemed faster, easier or smarter to me, I have the opposite experience with it. 

Well, today I finally got around to using my fence and rail thingy on my table, only had it for 4 years.

It worked great for cutting a bunch of expensive aluminum hidden vent soffit. 

I had sold my old delta saw buck several years ago and always just cut the stuff by hand, but you would ruin this soffit cutting with snips.

My 55r left me perfect cuts doing it this way. 

 

[Integrity_Construction]

That's a sweet idea !! It would of never crossed my mind....now I have a use for the fence system .....

Thanks

 

[MrToolJunkie]

Sorry if I am ignorant on this, but can you elaborate on how you used it to cut this material?  Just having a hard time visualizing it, but again, not a contractor so maybe it is obvious to the experienced folks here.

Thanks,

Scot

 

[tjbnwi]

How I would do it, (pretty sure this is what Darcy did).

Cut the panels as you would any other panel or board with the fence and rail.

Tom

 

[MrToolJunkie]

Thanks -- and since this is thin and sharped edged material it helps secure it and keeps it square, correct?

Scot

 

[tjbnwi]

The one thing I know (info from anther forum) I do differently than Darcy, is I reverse to 48 tooth blade. Sorry forgot to mention that tidbit.

I have not seen the panels, my guess is he was able to stack 4-6 panels at a time. The cut edge is surprisingly smooth and clean.

When I found out he didn't use the rail and fence due to the lift slide, I suggested he cover the grip strips with low tack masking tape. No more lift slide, just draw the saw back and slide the material.

Tom

 

[WarnerConstCo.]

I am only cutting one at a time. I turned the blade around and all that did was make ribbons of aluminum. Going the right direction there were just little aluminum chips.

I will make myself a note to take my camera with me tomorrow.

 

[WarnerConstCo.]

Here are the hidden soffit panels I am using.

http://www.qualityedge.com/hidden-vent-soffit

 

[skids]

As some know, I really do not like anything about the whole fence and rail crap on the mft/3's.  It has never seemed faster, easier or smarter to me, I have the opposite experience with it. 

Well, today I finally got around to using my fence and rail thingy on my table, only had it for 4 years.

It worked great for cutting a bunch of expensive aluminum hidden vent soffit. 

I had sold my old delta saw buck several years ago and always just cut the stuff by hand, but you would ruin this soffit cutting with snips.

My 55r left me perfect cuts doing it this way. 

I know I saw you using the fence in the Festool video. And you looked very happy.  [wink]

 

[WarnerConstCo.]

As some know, I really do not like anything about the whole fence and rail crap on the mft/3's.  It has never seemed faster, easier or smarter to me, I have the opposite experience with it. 

Well, today I finally got around to using my fence and rail thingy on my table, only had it for 4 years.

It worked great for cutting a bunch of expensive aluminum hidden vent soffit. 

I had sold my old delta saw buck several years ago and always just cut the stuff by hand, but you would ruin this soffit cutting with snips.

My 55r left me perfect cuts doing it this way. 

I know I saw you using the fence in the Festool video. And you looked very happy.  [wink]

It took me two days to find all the parts.
I remember doing a fair amount of cursing fiddling around with the fence that day.

 

[tbellemare]

Are you serious about cutting with the back of the teeth or is this a joke that I missed?

Tom

 

[WarnerConstCo.]

Are you serious about cutting with the back of the teeth or is this a joke that I missed?

Tom

You never turned a blade around to cut vinyl or aluminum with a circular saw or miter saw?

 

[Integrity_Construction]

Darcy, I used your method today on some Rolex Stealth Soffit.....and it worked awesome !!! Thanks for the idea !!

Dave

 

[tjbnwi]

It is very thin aluminum Tom. Same way you cut vinyl siding blade backwards.

I've never had the ribbon issue Darcy is experiencing, could be depth adjustment or to fine of a blade.

I also cut through a stack of panels. Take an average of 12' of soffit, cut 1/4" short. A lot less climbing up and down.

Tom

 

[WarnerConstCo.]

This place has 3' overhangs and I can get about 5 prices that are the same length then it might change 1/2".

I went back to the blade the right way and it cuts better. I am using my oldest 48t fine blade.

 

[Rick Christopherson]

Turning the blade around backward is an old wive's tale that unfortunately won't die. It comes about from using the wrong blade on miter saws, but it has morphed into always doing it for all vinyl and aluminum siding regardless what type of saw or blade is used. It gets repeated without proper application, and that is what is so dangerous about it.

You should never turn a carbide tipped blade backward for any reason. In the event you feel the need to turn any blade backward, it is an absolute sign that you are using the wrong blade for the task. It is effectively turning a positive hook angle blade into the more proper negative hook angle blade that should be used. It is also a sign that your blade depth is too deep. That's why it originally began with mitersaws, because they don't have the effective hold-down that a circular saw has between the workpiece and the center of the blade. The aggressiveness of a positive hook blade will pull a thin workpiece toward the center of the blade, and for a mitersaw this will result in a sudden explosion of the workpiece as it gets grabbed and pulled upward.

As for circular saws, it should never be necessary....Ever. Even when using the wrong blade, it means your blade depth is too deep.

It should also never be done with carbide tipped blades. That is just asking for a projectile to come loose.

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[WarnerConstCo.]

I am a professional when it comes to doing dumb stuff.

Cuts better the right way anyways.

 

[Rick Christopherson]

I am a professional when it comes to doing dumb stuff.

Cuts better the right way anyways.

Thank you. This happens to be one of those topics that doesn't come up very often on the internet, but propagates from job-site to job-site without correction. It needs to go away, but it stays in the shadows and never gets publicly discussed very often.

 

[skids]

I am a professional when it comes to doing dumb stuff.

Cuts better the right way anyways.

Thank you. This happens to be one of those topics that doesn't come up very often on the internet, but propagates from job-site to job-site without correction. It needs to go away, but it stays in the shadows and never gets publicly discussed very often.

I have done an entire houses' siding (vinyl) with a backwards-turned blade on a miter saw, no issues. Not disputing your points from an engineers perspective, or defending this as a safe practice. But from a guy in the fields perspective trying to be practical about investing in specific blades for a task they rarely take on, I suppose it makes some sense if it works for them.

I think I spent more time trying to figure out why someone would want that crap on their house and less time about the blade quite honestly.

 

[Jaybolishes]

Having ripped thousands of feet of 24 gauge and 26 gauge steel for metal roofing, I found backwards blade works great, not best.  The idea is the ferrous metal will round and deform the blade if its used straight, backwards doesn't deform as much.   Also the slots in the blade dont want to catch like it does straight, backwards gives the blade a continual smoother glide to the blade.  Now I use auto shears for straight cuts, backward blade for diagonals.  Aluminum is very soft and easy to cut, so using the blade in normal fashion is preferred. I am talking from experience, not hearsay.