DIYbanter - View Single Post - Another "Me 2" track saw, from some one we know about

-MIKE-

On 5/29/13 9:35 AM, wrote:
On May 28, 3:47 pm, -MIKE- wrote:

The other thing they don't show is the actual cut. How clean is it?
Yes, "standard" sized blades are great... unless you can't find a good
one. The good thing about Festool proprietary blades is you know they
will produce a perfect cut every time.

That of course, is why you buy FT. On the other hand, if you are
breaking down product for later cutting or easier handling at the
table saw, you could keep track of the waste side pretty easily.
Since the comparable FT system is about 3 times as much, price and
specific use would certainly be a factor in purchasing for me.

After seeing the cuts Karl made with his FT arrangement, in all
complete honesty, I wouldn't have trouble building cabinets with that
system, using that track saw for my final cuts.

To me, this would be the litmus test.
When you start getting above $500, the thing better cut a
ready-to-assemble edge.

That being said, Mike you should try the line of Freud Diablo circular
saw blades. Most tearout from using a circular saw comes from the saw
not being parallel to the cut, whether the saw and the shoe are not
parallel to each other, or someone is trying to freehand a cut.

I think blade flex has something to do with it, too. Those circ-saw
blade are so thin, presumably because so many circ-saws are underpowered
these days. I wish some company would make a line of great, thick kerf
circ-saw blade.

With the micro thin finish veneers on modern plywoods, I have found it
next to impossible to get a clean cross cut on many sheets, with a
circ-saw. This, like most plywoods (of course), will also vary from
sheet to sheet. Rip cuts are usually clean as a whistle.

I bought a Freud blade for my circular saw and used it with my new (at
that time) Makita saw with a clamped guide when making a quick fixture
for a client. NO tear out, no chipping, and no saw marks on the
plywood! No one was more astonished than me. I have used that setup
and that blade from them several times since, and those red blades are
the real stuff. I haven't bought anything for wood work but those
blades for the last several years.

Before I sent the Triton back I would put one of those Freud blades in
the machine to see how it did.

Robert

I am a Freud fan and I think they get a bad rap because of their Diablo
consumer big-box blades, being used by low-skill, low-information users
in low-quality, poorly set-up (non-parallel, etc) saws. If you happened
to have a model number for the Freud blade you use, I'd be curious to
know which specific blade you use.

After working with bamboo plywood, I have developed techniques for razor
clean cross-cutting. The stuff is unforgiving. Before ordering an
expensive blade for the table saw, like a Forrest, I went to Lowes to
see if they had something I could buy and use that day.

I found a 10" Irwin Marples cross cut blade, that has very aggressive,
pointy, teeth. I was skeptical and fully expected to be returning it.
It's not thin, but not thick, so I used one stabilizer with it. With the
proper height, the cuts were remarkable... extremely clean. On
hardwoods, the cut edges look almost sanded. It cut very nice edges on
the bamboo plywood. I still have to use a zero clearance insert to get
clean cross-cut edges on the bottom of the plyboo, that's just how
unforgiving it it.

--

-MIKE-

"Playing is not something I do at night, it's my function in life"
--Elvin Jones (1927-2004)
--
http://mikedrums.com

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