Looking through the 15 'free' blades that Axminster sent with the Makita, there are some that look about right for chipboard. Great, get one out to fit it, put it in, then notice that the teeth point downwards! All of the other blades sent (and those I have with the Powercraft) have teeth angled upwards. Before I get a faceful of jigsaw, are these blades OK to use?
They cut on the downward stroke and are supposed to stop laminate breaking up as it does with a jigsaw cutting upwards. They probably reduce the accuracy, etc. but YMMV. Its preferable to cut from the other side or use a handsaw that cuts on the down stroke.
They will be designed for a good finish on the top surface but don't use them with pendulum mode!
Bob
Bob Minchin wibbled on Thursday 24 June 2010 12:46
Or any other mode...
Last time i tried one of these blades, it was nearly impossible to stop it throwing the machine back at me. I was cutting thinner material - might be alright on a worktop where you could put your weight on it.
I think, for a worktop, I'd rather cut from the other side with a decent jigsaw that could manage to keep the blade perpendicular.
I only ever use coarse blades on thicker materials. I think some of the complaints about bevelled cuts are due to using too fine a blade where it isn't necessary
You should aim to have a minimum of three teeth engaged at any time, so thick material allows a coarser toothed blade that gives bigger gullets for swarf clearance. Use too thin a blade on thick material and the gullets clog and the blade just rubs.. Use too coarse a blade on thin material and the material itself slips into the gullet with horrible results.
AWEM
A fine blade won't help but I think a lot is down to very small sideways pressure on the blade. It's not easy to push just along the line of the cut whilst having the blade central in the cut and keep it on line especially freehand...
Makita B11 and B12 blades are fine on chipboard. Go for the more coarse one unless you are after a particularly fine finish.
These are downcut blades designed to cause less tear out on laminate finished boards. Pretty crap IME.
Makita do a blade which has the top 3 teeth pointing down & t'others pointing up - which works a treat. I'd buy some more if I could remember/find the part number.
Starratt do a dual cut blade but with more than three teeth at the top.
...
Yes, discovered that - started on 2 and cutting was poor, went to switch to
3 then realised that the blade was going the 'wrong' way and found that 0 was best.Rather than go straight in and get a kick, I started gently on a tongue. When that seemed OK I carried on.
It does seem to wander a little more than upcutting does, but getting feet covered in dust rather than face...
BTW, I must break the habit of doing all these things in open-toed trekking sandals - they need emptying too often.
These are 14 tpi, so perhaps a bit fine for 18mm chipboard?
Phew! Not many useful hits, but here they are:
Not sure of the spec, but this is the type I aim for.
I perhaps need a wider blade, as I'm having to trim off some odd mm here and there as the components of the loft are a bit random in places.
I found some Makita B10 - 10tpi - and they seem to just right for 18mm chipboard, so you are right about 14tpi being too fine.
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