I usually make crosscuts of cabinet grade plywood, which are too large for
my tablesaw, with my 7 ¼" circular saw. To avoid chipping the finished
piece I make the first cut a little long. I also always cover the cut with
masking tape, but still get some chipping. I then cut to the exact size
using a straight cutting bit with my router. Using the router leaves a
perfect cut, but I have a project coming up that doesn't leave any room for
an oversize cut unless I go to a second sheet of plywood.
Does anyone have any suggestions for cross cutting cabinet grade plywood
with a circular saw that eliminates chipping? I have tried different
blades, and cutting heights, but so far the best that I can get is about
95%. That other 5% can be a killer.
Bob McBreen
In article <[email protected]>,
RWM <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>
>I usually make crosscuts of cabinet grade plywood, which are too large for
>my tablesaw, with my 7 ¼" circular saw. To avoid chipping the finished
>piece I make the first cut a little long. I also always cover the cut with
>masking tape, but still get some chipping. I then cut to the exact size
>using a straight cutting bit with my router. Using the router leaves a
>perfect cut, but I have a project coming up that doesn't leave any room for
>an oversize cut unless I go to a second sheet of plywood.
>
>
>
>Does anyone have any suggestions for cross cutting cabinet grade plywood
>with a circular saw that eliminates chipping? I have tried different
>blades, and cutting heights, but so far the best that I can get is about
>95%. That other 5% can be a killer.
Sandwitch it between a couple of sacrifical scrap.
1/4" masonite works fine.
I bolt an half inch plywood to my 7 inch CS and punch the blade
through to make a "zero clearance plate". This plate ride on the
plywood work and hold it from chipping out when cross cutting.
I also use the same plate and a stright edge as the cutting guide.
yy
"RWM" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> I usually make crosscuts of cabinet grade plywood, which are too large for
> my tablesaw, with my 7 ¼" circular saw. To avoid chipping the finished
> piece I make the first cut a little long. I also always cover the cut with
> masking tape, but still get some chipping. I then cut to the exact size
> using a straight cutting bit with my router. Using the router leaves a
> perfect cut, but I have a project coming up that doesn't leave any room for
> an oversize cut unless I go to a second sheet of plywood.
>
>
>
> Does anyone have any suggestions for cross cutting cabinet grade plywood
> with a circular saw that eliminates chipping? I have tried different
> blades, and cutting heights, but so far the best that I can get is about
> 95%. That other 5% can be a killer.
>
>
>
> Bob McBreen
>I usually make crosscuts of cabinet grade plywood, which are too large for
>my tablesaw, with my 7 ¼" circular saw.
The scoring with a razor knife really helps
if you stay to one side of the cut with
your saw, and always cut with the
bottom, or least-visible-in-the-finished-
product face up, because it's the side
the blade tears out of that splinters.
Freud has a 40 tooth carbide 7 1/4" blade that does pretty well.
I use it on a PC saw for cut off's and plywood cuts that I can't make on the
table saw.
Face side down on a circular saw, face side up on the table saw. and score
the veneer with a utility knife.
"RWM" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I usually make crosscuts of cabinet grade plywood, which are too large for
> my tablesaw, with my 7 ¼" circular saw. To avoid chipping the finished
> piece I make the first cut a little long. I also always cover the cut
with
> masking tape, but still get some chipping. I then cut to the exact size
> using a straight cutting bit with my router. Using the router leaves a
> perfect cut, but I have a project coming up that doesn't leave any room
for
> an oversize cut unless I go to a second sheet of plywood.
>
>
>
> Does anyone have any suggestions for cross cutting cabinet grade plywood
> with a circular saw that eliminates chipping? I have tried different
> blades, and cutting heights, but so far the best that I can get is about
> 95%. That other 5% can be a killer.
>
>
>
> Bob McBreen
>
>
I used polyu glue for 1/8" masonite on bottom as zeroclearance. Major
difference.
On Mon, 3 Nov 2003 17:54:27 -0800, "RWM" <[email protected]> wrote:
>Does anyone have any suggestions for cross cutting cabinet grade plywood
>with a circular saw that eliminates chipping?
RWM wrote:
> Does anyone have any suggestions for cross cutting cabinet grade
> plywood with a circular saw that eliminates chipping? I have tried
> different blades, and cutting heights, but so far the best that I can
> get is about 95%. That other 5% can be a killer.
I have read that the Festool saws do well.
http://www.festool-usa.com/portando/index.cfm
Additionally, I've read that cutting first with a utility knife can get rid
of chipout.
Disclaimer: I've never tried either solution.
-- Mark
http://www.taunton.com/finewoodworking/pages/w00035.asp
The article is "A circular saw in the furniture shop"
is worth reading.
RWM wrote:
> I usually make crosscuts of cabinet grade plywood, which are too large for
> my tablesaw, with my 7 ¼" circular saw. To avoid chipping the finished
> piece I make the first cut a little long. I also always cover the cut with
> masking tape, but still get some chipping. I then cut to the exact size
> using a straight cutting bit with my router. Using the router leaves a
> perfect cut, but I have a project coming up that doesn't leave any room for
> an oversize cut unless I go to a second sheet of plywood.
>
>
>
> Does anyone have any suggestions for cross cutting cabinet grade plywood
> with a circular saw that eliminates chipping? I have tried different
> blades, and cutting heights, but so far the best that I can get is about
> 95%. That other 5% can be a killer.
>
>
>
> Bob McBreen
>
>
RWM wrote:
> I usually make crosscuts of cabinet grade plywood, which are too large for
> my tablesaw, with my 7 ¼" circular saw. To avoid chipping the finished
> piece I make the first cut a little long. I also always cover the cut with
> masking tape, but still get some chipping. I then cut to the exact size
> using a straight cutting bit with my router. Using the router leaves a
> perfect cut, but I have a project coming up that doesn't leave any room for
> an oversize cut unless I go to a second sheet of plywood.
>
>
>
> Does anyone have any suggestions for cross cutting cabinet grade plywood
> with a circular saw that eliminates chipping? I have tried different
> blades, and cutting heights, but so far the best that I can get is about
> 95%. That other 5% can be a killer.
>
>
>
> Bob McBreen
>
>
The Festool circular saw works great. Before I got the Festool, I did
what you did, used masking tape and cut long. Also, before cutting, I
wet the cut line with water, which usually helped. If you can set up
your guides *very* accruately, you might try a scoring cut--cut part way
through the sheet--and then flip the sheet over to finish the cut.
> I have read that the Festool saws do well.
> http://www.festool-usa.com/portando/index.cfm
This is correct. The Festool plunge saw and the rail do an excellent job.
You might like to check out some reviews:
http://benchmark.20m.com/tools/Festool/FestoolIndex.html
http://www.cjohnhebert.com/toolreviews.htm
http://www.woodshopdemos.com/men-fes.htm
http://www.thewoodshop.20m.com/festool_atf_55e_part1.htm
Hope this helps,
Christian
I just made 20+ linear feet of cuts on cherry veneer plywood with a Black
and Decker circ saw with a new Oldham 60-tooth carbide-tipped, 7-1/4" blade,
with the good side face-down. The cuts were very clean with virtually no
chip-out. The cuts were good enough to use in my house, I'm not sure how
that translates into "professional use".
-JBB
"RWM" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I usually make crosscuts of cabinet grade plywood, which are too large for
> my tablesaw, with my 7 ¼" circular saw. To avoid chipping the finished
> piece I make the first cut a little long. I also always cover the cut
with
> masking tape, but still get some chipping. I then cut to the exact size
> using a straight cutting bit with my router. Using the router leaves a
> perfect cut, but I have a project coming up that doesn't leave any room
for
> an oversize cut unless I go to a second sheet of plywood.
>
>
>
> Does anyone have any suggestions for cross cutting cabinet grade plywood
> with a circular saw that eliminates chipping? I have tried different
> blades, and cutting heights, but so far the best that I can get is about
> 95%. That other 5% can be a killer.
>
>
>
> Bob McBreen
>
>
I recently posted about using masonite and polyu glue for this. Not
really and insert but another layer on the foot. I notched the
leading edge with respect to blade kerf.
On Tue, 04 Nov 2003 02:06:42 GMT, "Mark Jerde"
<[email protected]> wrote:
>P.S. I also recall reading about "zero-clearance insert" for a circular
>saw.
>
On 8 Nov 2003 12:00:36 -0800, Christian Aufreiter
<[email protected]> wrote:
>> I have read that the Festool saws do well.
>> http://www.festool-usa.com/portando/index.cfm
>
> This is correct. The Festool plunge saw and the rail do an excellent job.
> You might like to check out some reviews:
> http://benchmark.20m.com/tools/Festool/FestoolIndex.html
> http://www.cjohnhebert.com/toolreviews.htm
> http://www.woodshopdemos.com/men-fes.htm
> http://www.thewoodshop.20m.com/festool_atf_55e_part1.htm
>
I made the panel-cutting guide found in Sunset Woodworking (forget the
exact title). After sizing sheet goods with a 9" contractor saw, it was
a revelation.
It uses Borg Birch plywood instead of masonite.
I've been planning to make a smaller version suitable for half and
quarter sheets. After reading the article, I'm now planning to use
masonite for the smaller version.
I'm using the Freud "Finishing" blade (40T ATB, thin kerf) on a PC lefty
circular saw.
With patience, it's more than Good Enough absent a Unisaur or a
dedicated panel slicer.
I have had good luck by making a scoring cut with the saw. I set the cut
to about 1/8" and then run the saw backwards across the plywood. Since, you
are making a very shallow cut, there is very little tendency for the saw to
climb out of control but keep a good grip on it. Then reset the saw for
full depth and make a regular cut.
--
dbchamber at hotmail spam dot com
Remove the spam to reach me
"Pat Barber" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> http://www.taunton.com/finewoodworking/pages/w00035.asp
>
> The article is "A circular saw in the furniture shop"
> is worth reading.
>
>
> RWM wrote:
>
> > I usually make crosscuts of cabinet grade plywood, which are too large
for
> > my tablesaw, with my 7 ¼" circular saw. To avoid chipping the finished
> > piece I make the first cut a little long. I also always cover the cut
with
> > masking tape, but still get some chipping. I then cut to the exact size
> > using a straight cutting bit with my router. Using the router leaves a
> > perfect cut, but I have a project coming up that doesn't leave any room
for
> > an oversize cut unless I go to a second sheet of plywood.
> >
> >
> >
> > Does anyone have any suggestions for cross cutting cabinet grade plywood
> > with a circular saw that eliminates chipping? I have tried different
> > blades, and cutting heights, but so far the best that I can get is about
> > 95%. That other 5% can be a killer.
> >
> >
> >
> > Bob McBreen
> >
> >
>