TS55 w/MFT, which side can make a better cut

[woodpicker]

Hi,

With TS55 and MFT, which side can produce a better cut? The up side or down? Also, the left side of the cut or the right?

I am using the blade which come with the saw. The green plastic splinterguard is installed.

Thanks.
Woodpicker

 

[Steve Jones]

Tough question, I have found that with something tricky like melamine, I get a slightly better cut on the bottom (I still get some chipping on the top surface, even with the splinter guard), generally (except for some chinese plywood, sorry guys, I tried not to mention it again) the cut is excellent either side.

 

[Daviddubya]

With ANY circular saw, the bottom side will be the best cut.  That's why the splinter guards are on the top.  Even with the green plastic splinter guard in place and lowered onto the surface of the material, I think the rubber strip on the guide rail will produce a better cut - so the left side of the cut is better in my experience.

 

[Spike]

With ANY circular saw, the bottom side will be the best cut.  That's why the splinter guards are on the top.  Even with the green plastic splinter guuard in place and lowered onto the surface of the material, I think the rubber strip on the guide rail will produce a better cut - so the left side of the cut is better in my experience.

Agreed.

 

[semenza]

Hi,

       The bottom side should be the side with less splintering because the teeth of the blade are entering the wood.  On the top side the teeth are exiting, pulling the wood up and causing more splintering. However most of the time the guide rail and saw splinter guards do such a good job that it doesn't matter much in my experience. Just the other day though I had a piece of plywood that had some noticable splintering on the bottom side with a cross cut. It might be time to get the blade sharpened.

Seth

 

[woodpicker]

If we do a plunge cut a small piece of wood, the result will be reversed?

 

[bruegf]

I've had trouble w/ melamine chipping as well, but recently discovered that the problem is w/ the cheap particle core melamine I've been buying from Menards.  I'm just finishing some garage cabinets made from mdf core melamine and did not have any chipping at all - zero chips.

Fred

 

[Daviddubya]

If we do a plunge cut a small piece of wood, the result will be reversed?

The chipping will be on the top side, but only at the start of the plunge cut.

 

[Dave Rudy]

John Lucas did an extensive series on chip-free cutting melamine a while back, and it is worth taking a look.  I must say that except when I have done a double cut (essentially a scoring pass first followed by full depth), I too still get some chipping on the top.

 

[sandy]

I've had good luck placing a strip of blue tape over the melamine surface (which should be face down) and then cutting through both the tape and melamine, and I've had better luck with the blue tape completely encircling the cut (top and bottom).  I think the tension of the tape considerably helps prevent any chipping.

 

[Dave Ronyak]

I've had trouble w/ melamine chipping as well, but recently discovered that the problem is w/ the cheap particle core melamine I've been buying from Menards.   I'm just finishing some garage cabinets made from mdf core melamine and did not have any chipping at all - zero chips.

Fred

OK, I'm jealous.  Where do you find MDF core melamine?  All I can locate near my NE Ohio home that is available to the amateur hobbyist is particle core junk, so I have resigned myself to using Chinese birch ply from HD for non-critical applications including most shop cabinets, and European manufactured baltic birch for structurally critical applications.  The nearest Menard's is about 75 mi. from my home.

Dave R.