Thread: First cut

Originally Posted by masoth

I'm about to use a circular saw for the first time on 'small' work - a sheet of 6mm ply with many glued glass-bead attached.
I'm certain the universal/standard/common 20 teeth fitted blade IS NOT the right one to use.
Would anyone please confirm that, and advise me of what I should use - by the way, this is the first of many light-wood structures so I will buy extra blades, if needed.

You are correct. For plywood you want as many teeth as possible, and make sure you get an alternate top bevel on the teeth.

the glass beads might be a problem.

echnidna - not sure we are on the same wave-length and I apologize if I have confused. The 'glass-bead' I'm using is half round wood, not glass beads.
Thanks for answering.

soth

Originally Posted by bat

You are correct. For plywood you want as many teeth as possible, and make sure you get an alternate top bevel on the teeth.

Have the face side uppermost, and put masking tape where the cut is to be made on the obverse side; this will help minimise (not eliminate!) tear out. It also helps to score the cut line first with a marking knife.

Originally Posted by Auld Bassoon

Have the face side uppermost, and put masking tape where the cut is to be made on the obverse side; this will help minimise (not eliminate!) tear out. It also helps to score the cut line first with a marking knife.

You can also minimize tear out on the top side if you set your blade just deep enough to score the wood, then take another pass at it with the blade all of the way down.

Sounds like the perfect excuse to buy a jig saw, but still use the masking tape.



Rgds

Originally Posted by Ashore

Sounds like the perfect excuse to buy a jig saw, but still use the masking tape.



Rgds

Masking tape is okay, but it isn't really all that effective, and can also pull out the grain when it is removed. A better way is to back up the grain with a sacraficial piece of wood.

I don't see how a jigsaw would be of assistance in this scenario. Unless an excuse to buy more tools. The circular saw is the right tool for the job.

A jigsaw, especially with a Bosch fine-cut blade (or similar) will give a much smoother cut than a circular saw. Not as fast of course, but for smaller work it should give a nicer finish / less tearout

Ian

Originally Posted by Ianab

A jigsaw, especially with a Bosch fine-cut blade (or similar) will give a much smoother cut than a circular saw. Not as fast of course, but for smaller work it should give a nicer finish / less tearout

Ian

No. A circular saw from the backside will give a near flawless, and perfectly straight cut (assuming a straightedge is used). Jigsaws are for rough cuttin only.

We will probably have to agree to disagree...
A nice jigsaw with the right blades is a very versatile tool, I use mine much more than my circular saw. But then I've also roughed out table tops with a chainsaw so what do I know

Not sure exactly what the original poster is doing, but he could use a circular saw, a jigsaw, a bandsaw, a tablesaw, a handsaw or a chainsaw, all with varying degrees of success.

Cheers

Ian

Originally Posted by Ianab

We will probably have to agree to disagree...
A nice jigsaw with the right blades is a very versatile tool, I use mine much more than my circular saw. But then I've also roughed out table tops with a chainsaw so what do I know

Not sure exactly what the original poster is doing, but he could use a circular saw, a jigsaw, a bandsaw, a handsaw or a chainsaw, all with varying degrees of success.

Cheers

Ian

A jigsaw is good, but will not produce a good square cutout. A circular saw or a tablesaw is the only way to get a straight cutout.

I agree with Bat, it dosnt matter how good the jig-saw or the blade is, they are just for rough work

Originally Posted by Lignum

I agree with Bat, it dosnt matter how good the jig-saw or the blade is, they are just for rough work

You are soooo going to get flamed.........

No flames from here. A guided circular saw will give a squarer cut.
The original problem was about tearout, not cutting the stuff square. Now if he's trying to cut out a floating panel, then his cut wandering 1 mm offline isn't an issue, getting a 10mm tearout is.

Bat is correct about using the right blade and making a scoring cut, that will improve the way the circle saw cuts. All I'm saying is it 'could' be done with a different tool too.

Cheers

Ian