recommend me a saw blade for melamine shelving

[N8N]

Hi all,

Trying to put together a HT upgrade for GF on the cheap. I think I've got most of it figured out but her TV stand is missing a shelf. I was just goi ng to get a black melamine shelf to replace it but it is not a standard siz e, I'd need to cut it in two dimensions. I have your typical worm drive Sk il circular saw, what blade should I buy? Preferably something available l ocally and inexpensively. I could also do it on a table saw if necessary b ut I'm pretty sure I don't have a suitable blade for that either. Any tips or tricks to keep it from chipping would be appreciated, as while I'm doin g this quick 'n' dirty I'd also like it to look professional.

thanks!

nate

[Mayayana]

I usually just use a 60 or 80-tooth carbide blade for everything. It's powerful but still cuts a smooth line on hardwood plywood without chipping. Your other option would be a fine-tooth, non-carbide plywood blade. For a smooth cut I'd want to use the table saw. Blades are not terribly expensive. It sounds like it's time to buy one, anyway. A table saw is not worth much if you can't make smooth cuts with it.

Remember that a table saw cuts the smoothest edge on top, while a circular saw will cut the smoothest edge on the bottom, due to the direction of spin.

Trying to put together a HT upgrade for GF on the cheap. I think I've got most of it figured out but her TV stand is missing a shelf. I was just going to get a black melamine shelf to replace it but it is not a standard size, I'd need to cut it in two dimensions. I have your typical worm drive Skil circular saw, what blade should I buy? Preferably something available locally and inexpensively. I could also do it on a table saw if necessary but I'm pretty sure I don't have a suitable blade for that either. Any tips or tricks to keep it from chipping would be appreciated, as while I'm doing this quick 'n' dirty I'd also like it to look professional.

thanks!

nate

[philoÂÂ]

Here's the little secret

If you need to go out and buy any tools though, it would probably be cheaper to just have a lumber yard cut a piece of pine to the exact dimensions you need

[RobertMacy]

ask the experts:

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TAP Plastics [phone]

1212 The Alameda San Jose, CA 95125

TAP Plastics Inc [phone]

1008 Blossom Hill Rd # F San Jose, CA 95123

TAP Plastics Inc [phone]

312 Castro St Mtn View, CA 94041

[RobertMacy]

Great URL, thanks!

What came to mind is that for ONE board, you could use a new matting knife blade and just 'have at it' til through the material. Takes some time, but makes cuts that are super clean. Done that in critical locations, slow but nice results.

[N8N]

got most of it figured out but her TV stand is missing a shelf. I was just going to get a black melamine shelf to replace it but it is not a standard size, I'd need to cut it in two dimensions. I have your typical worm driv e Skil circular saw, what blade should I buy? Preferably something availab le locally and inexpensively. I could also do it on a table saw if necessa ry but I'm pretty sure I don't have a suitable blade for that either. Any tips or tricks to keep it from chipping would be appreciated, as while I'm doing this quick 'n' dirty I'd also like it to look professional.

Nice link, I might try that.

And maybe it would be cheaper to have pine cut... or I could easily do it m yself... but then I'd need to either veneer it or paint it black, so there' s that.

nate

[philoÂÂ]

BTW: Since I'm not a perfectionist I've often cut it with a fine blade saw and ended up with "pretty good" results.

[nestork]

Nate: It's not what kind of blade you use, but how you do the cut.

I would:

1. Have any carbide tooth blade for your table saw professionally sharpened,

1. Apply two layers of masking tape to your fence,

2. Tape the kerf line with masking tape on both sides of the shelf,

1. Set the saw blade height to just cut through the melamine by 1/16 inch or so,

2. Turn the melamine over and cut through the melamine on the other side of the shelf

1. Now remove the masking tape from the fence, raise the saw blade and cut right through the shelf.

You need to remember that chipping is caused by the blade teeth exiting the melamine at a near 90 degree angle to the shelf. If you can have the teeth entering and leaving the shelf at much shallower angle, you very much reduce the amount of chipping.

[JAS]

A piece of masking tape along cut lines [ both sides ] makes for a smoother cut.

[RobertMacy]

I used to 'sandwich' boards together with a clamp to prevent splintering. Seems that kind of perpendicular pressure applied by the extra piece has to be stronger than masking tape ontop the cut.

[micky]

Whatever you use, test it on a scrap area first. Maybe several times until you get the technique right. I always do a great job the first time, a good job the second, and I start making mistakes the third time.

[philoÂÂ]

Excellent idea ...

If using a circle saw, might as well apply masking tape to the entire area where the saw would make contact with the board in order to avoid a dark line.

[Tekkie®]

N8N posted for all of us...

? What is a HT upgrade?