Issue cutting laminate

[egyhenger]

Hello Everyone,

I am having problems cutting Egger sheets (laminate/chip board).

I am using tracksaw (TS-60K) with a Fine Cut (42 teeth) blade. Even with new blade, new splinter guard and using max rpm, the bottom part chips heavily. The top part under the splinter guard is almost perfect.

What can be the issue here? Does anyone have some advice?

(Taping the bottom part and/or putting mdf sheet underneath did not help either)

 

[Fourmi]

How deep are you setting the plunge?.. sounds like it's not deep enough to me.

 

[Packard]

I have had good luck with melamine clad particle board by scoring first, then making the cut.

1. Clamp securely the track to the board.
2. Set the blade depth to about 1/8”
3. Set the saw on the track and pull the saw the backwards (the wrong way) to score a shallow groove in the melamine.
4. Set the saw to a full cut depth.
5. Make a conventional cut.

This seems to work better than placing masking tape over the line to be cut.

 

[tjbnwi]

I read the issue he is having is the bottom surface is where the chipping is occurring.

Tom

 

[Packard]

I read the issue he is having is the bottom surface is where the chipping is occurring.

Tom

That seems odd as the bottom laminate is fully supported during the cut.

I agree with Fourmi:

However, if the blade is set too shallow, then it is cutting the bottom laminate as it goes forward and not on the up-spin. I would adjust the blade so that the gullet is just fully exposed at the bottom and give that a try.

 

[woodbutcherbower]

I have had good luck with melamine clad particle board by scoring first, then making the cut.

1. Clamp securely the track to the board.
2. Set the blade depth to about 1/8”
3. Set the saw on the track and pull the saw the backwards (the wrong way) to score a shallow groove in the melamine.
4. Set the saw to a full cut depth.
5. Make a conventional cut.

This seems to work better than placing masking tape over the line to be cut.

This ^^^^^^^^^^^

I've been doing this since forever and it works great. Both sides of the cut look like they've been done with a laser.

 

[Packard]

I also made a cutoff fixture when I was doing some vinyl soffit work. The fixture accommodated my conventional circular saw.

I mounted a very inexpensive (under $10.00 at the time) all steel plywood blade in the saw. I mounted it backwards. The cuts in the vinyl were so clean that they looked like factory sheared cuts. Not only did it make nice cuts, it was very easy to use and efficient. I see the blades are now under $15.00 in many places. Under $20.00 everywhere.

I loaned the fixture and the blade to a friend who never returned either. He now lives in Florida, almost 1,400 miles away, so I will never see either again.

In any case, if you are going to do soffit work or siding work, I recommend making a similar fixture and using a similar cheap blade mounted in reverse.