First time trying Solid Surface

[IADE]

Hi All,

I've got a sheet of (Minerva) Solid Surface on its way for some bathroom countertops (at home) to go over some boxed-in sections such as the cistern and the sink area. No joining is needed. No apertures need to be cut. I was originally planning on specifically buying the solid surface blade for this task but these 4 or 5 cuts will only amount to about 3.5m of cutting length and will be the only cuts I ever plan to do in Solid Surface; but the blade is £50-£60 making it harder for me to justify the purchase.

My first question is can I 'get away' with the 28T or 48T blade that I already have in this one instance and will that blade be compromised to any extent by this material (which is 25mm thick).

My second question is, I only have the OF1010 for trimming the edge clean post-TS55R. I read that stability/vibration is key rather than power but I haven't read of anyone using an OF1010 to trim Solid Surface and all the instructional videos show the 1400 or 2200. Will the 1010 be up to this small job (the clean edge will only amount to less than 2m of routing)?

Thanks,
Ian

 

[tjbnwi]

48 tooth blade only. Should get the proper one.

150 minimum sand all cut edges.

1010 if you take very very light cuts with a small bit.

Tom

 

[Peter_C]

Are you planning on a backsplash? If so here is the best practice, with limited tools, to come up with a nice coved backsplash. Since it takes a very substantial bit a larger router would be in order. You could farm the pass off to a shop, borrow a router, or buy the bit and a router.http://solidsurface.com/countertop-fundamentals/backsplash-coved

Most folks also create a lip on the front edges to make it appear the top is 1.5" thick. Once glued up, you trim the excess off with a router for which the 1010 would be perfect.

Just review the entire article.http://solidsurface.com/countertop-fundamentals/templating-and-sheet-layout

FWIW I like making templates out of 3" wide ABS as it is easy to glue.

 

[webpp]

Are you planning on a backsplash? If so here is the best practice, with limited tools, to come up with a nice coved backsplash. Since it takes a very substantial bit a larger router would be in order. You could farm the pass off to a shop, borrow a router, or buy the bit and a router.http://solidsurface.com/countertop-fundamentals/backsplash-coved

Most folks also create a lip on the front edges to make it appear the top is 1.5" thick. Once glued up, you trim the excess off with a router for which the 1010 would be perfect.

Just review the entire article.http://solidsurface.com/countertop-fundamentals/templating-and-sheet-layout

FWIW I like making templates out of 3" wide ABS as it is easy to glue.

That's a good read, Peter. Thanks.

 

[IADE]

Thanks for the info chaps. I'll order the special blade.

I wasn't planning on doing a coved backsplash, however, very useful to know Peter should I ever do more with Solid Surface in the future. I did consider a thinner sheet with a lip to make it appear that the material is thicker but I have a veined, marble-like pattern (Minerva Carrara White) and wasn't sure how well this would work in terms of looking seamless with no obvious joint so went for the 25mm sheet.

 

[joiner1970]

Its worth having the special blade. Slightly different but I bought the blade for cutting acrylic splashbacks only used it once but Im glad I got the right blade for the job.

 

[Festhooligan]

Hi Guys, just saw this thread and thought I would give you my experience of cutting Minerva solid surfaces.  I’ve been fitting these tops for about five years, at first I used the special Festool blade it cost  a fortune so started using standard Festool 48 tooth blades still quite a cost but found they cut just as well then started to experiment with various cheap line blades. Top and bottom of it the blades I use every week as standard are the Trend 48t. Craft pro triple pack at £29.99  Amazon
I get 2 - 4  jobs (depending on size of kitchen )usually out of each blade after that you can really tell they are going dull and can feel it affecting my ts55 performance
All my tops usually need the whole back edge taken off as they are supplied 650mm then cut down in lengths , hob/ sink  cutouts , back panels for cladding then cuts prepping before routing joints.
All in all for me it’s a no brainier
I never get these blades re sharpened as it costs more than the blade. Just as a side note I have done a direct comparison with these blades and the Festool special blade and can honestly say I can  produce the same results with the trend blades. Hope this helps.

 

[Crazyraceguy]

The part that is "special" about blades intended for solid surface is the tooth profile. They are a triple-chip design (TCG) with a zero rake. This makes them less grabby and it leaves the cut edges in better condition. The real bonus though is what happens to the teeth themselves. The really sharp points of the typical ATB are not friendly to solid surface and it is not nice to them either. Sure, it will cut the stuff, but the "sharpness" that makes an ATB work like it does is diminished almost instantly. You have hurt its performance for the jobs you expect it to handle.
With light enough cuts, just about any router can handle solid surface. I would however use 8 mm shank bits, since your OF1010 can handle them.

 

[woodbutcherbower]

Hi Guys, just saw this thread and thought I would give you my experience of cutting Minerva solid surfaces.  I’ve been fitting these tops for about five years, at first I used the special Festool blade it cost  a fortune so started using standard Festool 48 tooth blades still quite a cost but found they cut just as well then started to experiment with various cheap line blades. Top and bottom of it the blades I use every week as standard are the Trend 48t. Craft pro triple pack at £29.99  Amazon
I get 2 - 4  jobs (depending on size of kitchen )usually out of each blade after that you can really tell they are going dull and can feel it affecting my ts55 performance
All my tops usually need the whole back edge taken off as they are supplied 650mm then cut down in lengths , hob/ sink  cutouts , back panels for cladding then cuts prepping before routing joints.
All in all for me it’s a no brainier
I never get these blades re sharpened as it costs more than the blade. Just as a side note I have done a direct comparison with these blades and the Festool special blade and can honestly say I can  produce the same results with the trend blades. Hope this helps.

+1 on the Trend blades. I’ve recommended them to everyone I know and I can’t believe how good they are for the price - easily up there with the OEM blade as you say. I also don’t bother getting them sharpened (£8 a pop) so instead, save up a pile of 15-20 and give them to the local scrap metal guy to be recycled. Just waiting for Trend to put out some blades for the new TS60 I just bought.

 

[Crazyraceguy]

For whatever reason, the saw blades are not available here? The Trend USA website has a lot more products than they used to, but absolutely zero saw blades?

 

[waho6o9]

Maybe an Oshlun 48T

HTH
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[Festhooligan]

Have you used the ts60 on Minerva? It sounds a great machine! I’m debating whether to buy a TS75 or if I can find a demo maybe even a hk85 My Ts 55 is ready for upgrade so anyone with experience who could give me a heads up. Thanks Guys!

 

[Crazyraceguy]

I have never used my TS75 for anything but thick solid wood. The TS55 with a Leitz blade that is specifically intended for solid surface, does a nice job.
It can actually cut glue-ready seams.