Melamine Chipping Test

[mikeneron]

I am in the process of building some small cabinets for some extra space and am just using the cheap melamine that I got from one of the big box stores.  The first couple that I made, the cut quality was really bad, so after reading some posts on here about cutting melamine, I figured I would run a few tests to try and get some better quality cuts.

Before I ran these tests, I re-calibrated my saw using Rick's supplemental manual...mainly on page 12 under "Matching the TS 55 to an Existing Guide Rail".  By doing this alone, I already saw improvements in the cuts, so obviously my saw wasn't quite calibrated before.
http://www.waterfront-woods.com/festool/TS_55_EQ_US.pdf

For my tests, I used 5/8" melamine.  I ran the saw at a speed of 6 and used a brand new green splinterguard.  The blade was the one that came with the saw (495377).  My cutting table has a 1/2" MDF backer on it and I tried to make the cuts on areas where there weren't any cutmarks from previous cuts so that the bottom side of the cut was supported.  When I refer to full depth that means 23 on the TS 55 scale and scoring cuts were done at 6 on the TS 55 scale.

Test 1 - One cut made to full depth.
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Test 2 - Two cuts. First cut is a scoring cut. Second cut is made to full depth.
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Test 3 - Three cuts. First cut is a scoring cut on opposite side then flip piece over.  Second cut is a scoring cut.  Third cut is made to full depth.
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Clearly, making the scoring cut really makes the cuts about as good as you can possibly get (at least on the main cut side).  Only problem is obviously having to now make multiple cuts.  Not that big of a deal when making them on just the one side, but having the flip the work piece over to make the additional scoring cut could get annoying if you are making a lot of cuts.  I will have to try these tests with some better quality melamine though to see what the results are.  I figure if I can get decent cuts with this cheap melamine though, anything else I am going to cut should produce some quality cuts.

 

[jmbfestool]

I always score running the saw backwards to achieve better results but find it leaves a small step and from your pictures it looks like your leaving a very small step also.  My mates TS55 leaves a much larger step using the same method which is odd! 

IF you get MDF melamine you will achieve much better results  Chipboard melamine is just horrible due to the larger chips inside flying out while cutting and they catch the edge of the melamine and cause it to chip  which you dont get with MDF.

How I have been cutting chipboard melamine seen as I bloody ordered a few sheets of the crap stuff and need to use it up cant wait till its all used up the crap stuff! 

Any way I cut the sheet 4mm bigger then I want it  then using my OF2200 in my CMS module with the fence set up like a planner by off setting the fence 2mm from the other fence and having a 20mm cutter I run the melamine through the CMS getting chip free edges TOP and BOTTOM  then turning board around and doing the other side  thus reducing the the board my 4mm so its to the actually size I want it.

JMB

 

[harry_]

masking tape can be your friend here

 

[RDMuller]

Most "melamine" sold in big box stores is not the thermal-fused type we associate with commercial furniture.  At best it something to use for garages and laundry rooms.  The stuff chips far more than the melamine purchased from the distributors who sell to the cabinet shop market.  Once you have used the better material, you will never want to go back to the poorer quality material because of chip out.  Also, melamine on mdf is vastly superior to hat on particle board

 

[bionicus]

I get better results on the underside by increasing the plunge depth about 1 cm or so beyond the standard 2-3mm. Of course I still hate the stuff. Hate it so much..

 

[PaulMarcel]

The last 3 replies have the key.  Borg melamine is cold-pressed and chips badly.  The thermal pressed Melamine bonds to the wood directly instead of having a glue layer... and you know how well glue sticks to Melamine... it doesn't!

Bionicus's suggestion for increasing the plunge depth is the key for this chippy board (Harry's tape helps, too; definitely used that before on any chip-prone area).  The reason the increased plunge is beneficial is how the blade strikes the underside: consider the sweep of the blade as it cuts the underside. If it barely protrudes the underside, the tooth is coming at the uncut stock nearly tangent to the surface.  If you increase the plunge depth, the tooth hitting the uncut stock is swinging up and will cut into the stock not along the stock; it uses the bulk of the stock as a backer for the cut.  In the case of a shallow plunge, sure there is the stock as a backer, but as the tooth compresses the surface, part will blow out as it isn't backed.  Tape on the underside helps to fight this, but honestly take the Melamine off your MFT so you can plunge to the point where the cutting tooth hits the stock square to the surface and you'll find a huge difference in the underside cut.

For the surface chipout, you need to make sure the green chip guard is pressed down firmly.  I don't know the minimum plunge depth to engage that guard, but on the TS-75, you need to plunge at least 35mm before the cut is in the guard (unless you modify the guard  [cool]).  Make sure your plunge depth has the teeth fully in the green chip guard or you will definitely get chipout on the offcut top.

 

[KorDes]

I've found setting the depth gauge to 10mm thicker than the material being cut. ie. 16mm board - set to 26, 18mm board - set to 28, 2x16mm board - set to 42.
I get clean cuts on both sides of the board, both coloured and white. Using good quality melamine sheets helps too.

 

[tiralie]

Mike:
Thanks for posting those test cuts.
I am curious, what blade did you use to make those with?
Tim

 

[Deansocial]

that looks terrible,

2 things either use a better sharper blade for the task at hand or use a better quality blade. I have a blade i hit a screw with and has 8-9 chipped teeth and it cuts mealine better than that does, thats because i use egger which is high quality.

 

[greenleaf]

Im using the festool solid surface blade in my ts75. I think its the red one. I have been using a ood bit of melamine and prefinished maple ply. There results are pretty good. Malemine sucks. I will try to stay away, but the price is right.
I have a freund malemine blade on my table saw. I noticed it had a similar tooth configuration to the festool blade.

 

[mikeneron]

Mike:
Thanks for posting those test cuts.
I am curious, what blade did you use to make those with?
Tim

The blade was just the one that came with the saw (495377).  I've been using it for a couple years now so yes it probably does need sharpening.

Dean, I realize that some of cuts look terrible and that was kind of the point.  I know I can get a better cut using better materials, but I am trying to find the best way to make cuts so I can apply these methods to the way I do things going forward with whatever material I am using at that time.

 

[AlexThePalex]

The blade was just the one that came with the saw (495377).  I've been using it for a couple years now so yes it probably does need sharpening.

Lol, if you have the blade for a couple of years, no wonder it cuts so bad in melamine. Melamine can dull a sharp blade in one single afternoon. 

I know I can get a better cut using better materials, but I am trying to find the best way to make cuts so I can apply these methods to the way I do things going forward with whatever material I am using at that time.

Okay, the one size fits all approach is not realy the best thing to do. Every material has it own way of working with it to get the best results. Melamine is particularly difficult, because it's so hard and is made most of the time with particle board. That's why it is cheaper than real wood. Just make sure you have a new or freshly sharpened blade ready.

But if you try to cut melamine with a blade that hasn't been sharpened in years, no method you use will make a difference.
   

 

[jmbfestool]

Chipboard Melamine  blunts festool 48tooth blade RAPIDLY!  I mean RAPIDLY!  I had just picked up my newly sharpened festool blade from my dealer to use for cutting Melamine no joke the blade was blunt and started chipping the Melamine with just doing 6 cuts  8ft long. 

The 6 cuts before where chip free cuts  and the 7th cut I was getting odd chips and every cut after it was jst gettin worse and worse

I have not used/tried the festool Melamine blade but would assume it will last much longer and give you much better results.

 

[tiralie]

The blade was just the one that came with the saw (495377).  I've been using it for a couple years now so yes it probably does need sharpening.

Mike:
Thanks.
As I am sure you have discovered reading the many threads on this forum the  Festool solid Surface and Laminate blade for the TS55 (cat# 496 309) or the Freud  which Freud Blade Item # LU96R006M20 are much better for cutting Melamine even the inconsistent quality of the melamine chip board you buy at the big box stores cuts better with these blades.
The inconvenience of buy a new blade will more than offset the time it take trying to get a good cut with the regular blade.
Tim

I'll get that link right sooner or later....