Thread: Blade for Melamine

Are you using a Panel Saw with main blade and scriber? If you are using a Bench Saw with single blade you need to use at least an 80 tooth blade on a 10" machine. The finer the tooth count the crisper the cut but you will still have chipping on the under side of the cut. To keep the project looking good you need to make sure those chipped faces won't be seen when looking into the cupboard. What I usually do is take the arris off the back with say an 80# sand paper on a block.

I don't know if you are aware that to join the components use AV 56 glue. It is the best glue in this situation. Ordinary PVA will not stick successfully to the melamine

Originally Posted by garfield

Hoping to start ripping down some sheets to start the cabinets for the wife's laundry this weekend and looking for some advice on what type of blade I should be looking at for my table saw please. I'm thinking 80T in whatever brand I choose but should I be looking at Carbide tip blades or something else that anyone has used with great results?

I hope the melamine board you are using is moisture resistant.

I don't have my saw blade index book to hand, but if your table saw doesn't have a scribing blade, you may find that a high angle ATB 80+ tooth (for a 10" saw) is where you should be looking. I know that Freud and CMT blades come with high angle ATB teeth, however, I'm not sure Diablo blades do.

Diablo Ultra Finish D1080X, high ATB thin kerf 80 teeth OR Freud Ultimate Plywood and Melamine LU79R010, high ATB thin kerf 80 teeth. Pretty sure the only difference between these two is that the Freud branded product has larger teeth, so can be sharpened more times. That's assuming you're looking for a 5/8" arbor.

What ever blade you decide to use, you will only need about 35mm of blade above the table. This will give you a low angle to do the cutting, it will also give you a bit less chipping on the back side of the board

My best results have been from an aluminium cutting blade, they have a negative rake and are triple chip so take smaller bites meaning less chipping. Also as mentioned, only have the blade far enough out of the material so as not to chip the top face and the bottom will be acceptable. A niew blade should cut almost chip free when set properly.
I only use an old masport saw that is almost as old as I am.

Originally Posted by garfield

Hi all,

Hoping to start ripping down some sheets to start the cabinets for the wife's laundry this weekend and looking for some advice on what type of blade I should be looking at for my table saw please.

You don't say which table saw you have, I'll take a stab it's a 10" blade. If you need a 30mm arbour, a saw blade service can change this for you.

My choice of blade, assuming you want double-sided melamine cut cleanly: LU97R010 | Saw Blades | Plywood/Laminate/Melamine | Double Sided Laminate/Melamine - Freud Tools

If you have a track saw you could make a 'scoring cut' first before finishing it off with a full depth cut, David Stanton shows this process well on his youtube channel with great results on melamine.

I have the 80T Freud plywood/melamine blade it's great on high grade veneered plywood but I haven't used it on melamine.

Thanks for the replies.

Sorry yes I am looking for a 10" blade as I am using a Makita MLT100 to do the cutting with. I plan to break down to a manageable size with the new track saw I just bought.

Has anyone any idea roughly how much it cost to have a 10" blade resharpened please? I'm a bit hesitant to fork out huge money for a blade if it's life isn't worth it and if it cost a fortune to have it resharpened.
Thanks

I pay $25 to have my Diablo 10" 60 tooth blades sharpened

Originally Posted by garfield

Thanks for the replies.

Sorry yes I am looking for a 10" blade as I am using a Makita MLT100 to do the cutting with. I plan to break down to a manageable size with the new track saw I just bought.

Has anyone any idea roughly how much it cost to have a 10" blade resharpened please? I'm a bit hesitant to fork out huge money for a blade if it's life isn't worth it and if it cost a fortune to have it resharpened.

If you have a decent track saw, have you looked at getting the track saw's blade reshaped to a high ATB profile and cutting the sheets to exact size with the track saw?

Hi G, this is what I bought for cutting Melamine on my tablesaw

CMT Industrial Fine Cut-Off Blade - 250mm - 80 Tooth | Carbatec

I also got my local tool sharpening mob to grind the same steep bevel on the teeth of the blades I use on my track saw, when I am cutting up Melamine sheets. I get virtually no chipping on the tablesaw (in part because I also made zero clearance inserts). You will need to beef up the insert on the Makita saw, they are pretty flimsy. The track saw cuts are the best I have been able to achieve (very, very minor chipping)

Originally Posted by hurcorh

If you have a track saw you could make a 'scoring cut' first before finishing it off with a full depth cut, David Stanton shows this process well on his youtube channel with great results on melamine.

saw melamine | no chip | woodworking | dave stanton | how to basics - YouTube

OP, this is indeed the way to do it.

If you are using a track saw, I did a write up some time back on it, but essentially set the plunge to only 2mm and draw the saw BACKWARDS first, then forwards with a deep full cut.

The first back-cut scores the top. It is the same as what Dave does in the first cut on table saw.

The tracksaw will give you a ppeerrffeecctt cut both sides if you draw it backwards first.