Advice on circular saw

[Gogs]

I am looking to buy a circular saw, I need to cut back some kitchen units and cut laminate worktop.

What would be a good model to go for, it wont be used that often so not looking to spend crazy money.

Is this one any good or do you need one with a bigger blade/deeper cut ideally :

I have seen TCT blades with 100teeth, is this what you would need for cutting laminates to avoid chipping or will one with less teeth do.

Thanks

[meow2222]

if you dont mind a rough cut edge, any new circ will do, except the power devil. If you want a nice clean cut you'll need something of good quality, with a good blade fitted.

So the answer is: have you got a plane?

NT

[Andy Dingley]

Oh, just get anything. But change that blade ! Standard fitment is a bad compromise that's little real good for any task.

For the best all-round "circular saw" then look at the Skil "Legend" or "Classic". However they're not cheap and they're heavy too. What many people (certainly myself) only ever use a circular saw for is ripping big sheets of plywood down into small sheets of plywood we can then work with on a bench. For this you don't need much power and lighter weight is well worth having.

The bargain-bucket stuff is of course just that. As a "tenner for one job" then it might do the trick, but it won't be lovely and it won't last.

[david lang]

domestic use, although cheaper machines would also work.

For cutting kitchen units, presumably melamine coated chipboard & laminates, you want the finest toothed blade you can get to fit the saw - 40 tooth + IMO.

Google the group for advice on cutting worktops and make up one of these;

[Gogs]

I dont own a plane, I would expect a circular saw to give a pretty decent cut, I can achieve this with a jigsaw but its way too slow.

What like is that Bosch one I put the link in for and what amount of teeth are you looking at for a decent cut.

I have heard of people doing worktops with circulars and getting good results, just by turning the workpiece over, using a blade with more teeth than the one they give you with the saw and puting tape on the surface.

This is what I want to achieve but not sure what size of saw is best and what blade exactly.

[Bob Eager]

being too heavy, and is fine for cutting worktop (that's one of the things I bought it for). I did change the blade, though....

Blades for that size seem to be more difficult to find, but I went to a good local tool shop and got what I wanted.

[Gogs]

Hi there,

Thanks for that info, thats one of the things I am finding, was searching for blades but not coming back with much in the way of 40 teeth and so on.

What blade did you get in the end, take it was actually made by Bosch was it.

Is there a benefit using a larger saw when doing worktop or is it better to have one that just cuts through it and not much more.

[david lang]

The bigger the blade the faster the edge speed and generally the cleaner the cut. You want to adjust it so that the 'gullet' of the teeth just clears.

Might be worth a trip to a B&Q Warehouse. They sell cheapish to expensive saws and a wide variety of blades to fit them.

Dave

[Chris Bacon]

I bought a cheapie circular saw, 20mmx200mm blade, 2 blades with it, 25 quid - and another two blades for about 7 quid, can't remember how many teeth but they're about every 10mm on the circumference, from memory. Made in China, I'd lay odds - however, your genuine Bosch blades come from there too as far as I know (Hangzhou).

Bigger is better, within reason.

[Bob Eager]

Don't have the saw here, but I think it was 30 teeth. It wasn't a Bosch blade, but it was fine - the right size, and it did the job. One thing I found was to cut the worktop as you stated, but start at the 'nose', not at the back, or the end of the cut lifted the laminate off the 'nose'.

[Nick H]

Ive got a 190mm Skil classic and use it for pretty much everything from kitchen fitting to large cut roofs. I seldom need anything bigge but I would be very reluctant to use anything smaller. With a 24 toot TCT blade, cutting along a straight edge from the underside and with bit of care, its fairly easy to get a very good cut. You need to b particularly carefull when near the edges and an extra set of hand helps

-- Nick H

[John Rumm]

purpose saw.

More teeth will give finer (but slower) cuts. Cutting from the underside will prevent chipping of the laminate. The very fine blades will also tend to clog on rip cuts.

For background see:

[John Rumm]

Not tried them yet, but an interesting link I bookmarked was these folks:

have some very fine toothed blades at reasonable prices.

[Chris Bacon]

I bought a couple from Lidl, - 40T & 60T ISTR - they were £6.99 (for the two) - also Chinese like the one in your URL.

[Chris Bacon]

30mmx210 in fact.