I usually make crosscuts of cabinet grade plywood, which are too large for
my tablesaw, with my 7 ¼" circular saw. To avoid chipping the finished
piece I make the first cut a little long. I also always cover the cut with
masking tape, but still get some chipping. I then cut to the exact size
using a straight cutting bit with my router. Using the router leaves a
perfect cut, but I have a project coming up that doesn't leave any room for
an oversize cut unless I go to a second sheet of plywood.



Does anyone have any suggestions for cross cutting cabinet grade plywood
with a circular saw that eliminates chipping? I have tried different
blades, and cutting heights, but so far the best that I can get is about
95%. That other 5% can be a killer.



Bob McBreen

RWM wrote:

Does anyone have any suggestions for cross cutting cabinet grade
plywood with a circular saw that eliminates chipping? I have tried
different blades, and cutting heights, but so far the best that I can
get is about 95%. That other 5% can be a killer.

I have read that the Festool saws do well.
http://www.festool-usa.com/portando/index.cfm

Additionally, I've read that cutting first with a utility knife can get rid
of chipout.

Disclaimer: I've never tried either solution.

-- Mark

P.S. I also recall reading about "zero-clearance insert" for a circular
saw.

I just made 20+ linear feet of cuts on cherry veneer plywood with a Black
and Decker circ saw with a new Oldham 60-tooth carbide-tipped, 7-1/4" blade,
with the good side face-down. The cuts were very clean with virtually no
chip-out. The cuts were good enough to use in my house, I'm not sure how
that translates into "professional use".

-JBB

"RWM" wrote in message
...
I usually make crosscuts of cabinet grade plywood, which are too large for
my tablesaw, with my 7 ¼" circular saw. To avoid chipping the finished
piece I make the first cut a little long. I also always cover the cut
with
masking tape, but still get some chipping. I then cut to the exact size
using a straight cutting bit with my router. Using the router leaves a
perfect cut, but I have a project coming up that doesn't leave any room
for
an oversize cut unless I go to a second sheet of plywood.



Does anyone have any suggestions for cross cutting cabinet grade plywood
with a circular saw that eliminates chipping? I have tried different
blades, and cutting heights, but so far the best that I can get is about
95%. That other 5% can be a killer.



Bob McBreen

In article ,
RWM wrote:


I usually make crosscuts of cabinet grade plywood, which are too large for
my tablesaw, with my 7 ¼" circular saw. To avoid chipping the finished
piece I make the first cut a little long. I also always cover the cut with
masking tape, but still get some chipping. I then cut to the exact size
using a straight cutting bit with my router. Using the router leaves a
perfect cut, but I have a project coming up that doesn't leave any room for
an oversize cut unless I go to a second sheet of plywood.



Does anyone have any suggestions for cross cutting cabinet grade plywood
with a circular saw that eliminates chipping? I have tried different
blades, and cutting heights, but so far the best that I can get is about
95%. That other 5% can be a killer.

Sandwitch it between a couple of sacrifical scrap.

1/4" masonite works fine.

RWM wrote:
I usually make crosscuts of cabinet grade plywood, which are too large for
my tablesaw, with my 7 ¼" circular saw. To avoid chipping the finished
piece I make the first cut a little long. I also always cover the cut with
masking tape, but still get some chipping. I then cut to the exact size
using a straight cutting bit with my router. Using the router leaves a
perfect cut, but I have a project coming up that doesn't leave any room for
an oversize cut unless I go to a second sheet of plywood.



Does anyone have any suggestions for cross cutting cabinet grade plywood
with a circular saw that eliminates chipping? I have tried different
blades, and cutting heights, but so far the best that I can get is about
95%. That other 5% can be a killer.



Bob McBreen


The Festool circular saw works great. Before I got the Festool, I did
what you did, used masking tape and cut long. Also, before cutting, I
wet the cut line with water, which usually helped. If you can set up
your guides *very* accruately, you might try a scoring cut--cut part way
through the sheet--and then flip the sheet over to finish the cut.

I usually make crosscuts of cabinet grade plywood, which are too large for
my tablesaw, with my 7 ¼" circular saw.

The scoring with a razor knife really helps
if you stay to one side of the cut with
your saw, and always cut with the
bottom, or least-visible-in-the-finished-
product face up, because it's the side
the blade tears out of that splinters.

I used polyu glue for 1/8" masonite on bottom as zeroclearance. Major
difference.

On Mon, 3 Nov 2003 17:54:27 -0800, "RWM" wrote:

Does anyone have any suggestions for cross cutting cabinet grade plywood
with a circular saw that eliminates chipping?

Freud has a 40 tooth carbide 7 1/4" blade that does pretty well.
I use it on a PC saw for cut off's and plywood cuts that I can't make on the
table saw.
Face side down on a circular saw, face side up on the table saw. and score
the veneer with a utility knife.

"RWM" wrote in message
...
I usually make crosscuts of cabinet grade plywood, which are too large for
my tablesaw, with my 7 ¼" circular saw. To avoid chipping the finished
piece I make the first cut a little long. I also always cover the cut
with
masking tape, but still get some chipping. I then cut to the exact size
using a straight cutting bit with my router. Using the router leaves a
perfect cut, but I have a project coming up that doesn't leave any room
for
an oversize cut unless I go to a second sheet of plywood.



Does anyone have any suggestions for cross cutting cabinet grade plywood
with a circular saw that eliminates chipping? I have tried different
blades, and cutting heights, but so far the best that I can get is about
95%. That other 5% can be a killer.



Bob McBreen

http://www.taunton.com/finewoodworking/pages/w00035.asp

The article is "A circular saw in the furniture shop"
is worth reading.


RWM wrote:

I usually make crosscuts of cabinet grade plywood, which are too large for
my tablesaw, with my 7 ¼" circular saw. To avoid chipping the finished
piece I make the first cut a little long. I also always cover the cut with
masking tape, but still get some chipping. I then cut to the exact size
using a straight cutting bit with my router. Using the router leaves a
perfect cut, but I have a project coming up that doesn't leave any room for
an oversize cut unless I go to a second sheet of plywood.



Does anyone have any suggestions for cross cutting cabinet grade plywood
with a circular saw that eliminates chipping? I have tried different
blades, and cutting heights, but so far the best that I can get is about
95%. That other 5% can be a killer.



Bob McBreen

I have had good luck by making a scoring cut with the saw. I set the cut
to about 1/8" and then run the saw backwards across the plywood. Since, you
are making a very shallow cut, there is very little tendency for the saw to
climb out of control but keep a good grip on it. Then reset the saw for
full depth and make a regular cut.

--
dbchamber at hotmail spam dot com

Remove the spam to reach me


"Pat Barber" wrote in message
...
http://www.taunton.com/finewoodworking/pages/w00035.asp

The article is "A circular saw in the furniture shop"
is worth reading.


RWM wrote:

I usually make crosscuts of cabinet grade plywood, which are too large
for
my tablesaw, with my 7 ¼" circular saw. To avoid chipping the finished
piece I make the first cut a little long. I also always cover the cut
with
masking tape, but still get some chipping. I then cut to the exact size
using a straight cutting bit with my router. Using the router leaves a
perfect cut, but I have a project coming up that doesn't leave any room
for
an oversize cut unless I go to a second sheet of plywood.



Does anyone have any suggestions for cross cutting cabinet grade plywood
with a circular saw that eliminates chipping? I have tried different
blades, and cutting heights, but so far the best that I can get is about
95%. That other 5% can be a killer.



Bob McBreen

I recently posted about using masonite and polyu glue for this. Not
really and insert but another layer on the foot. I notched the
leading edge with respect to blade kerf.

On Tue, 04 Nov 2003 02:06:42 GMT, "Mark Jerde"
wrote:

P.S. I also recall reading about "zero-clearance insert" for a circular
saw.

I have read that the Festool saws do well.
http://www.festool-usa.com/portando/index.cfm

This is correct. The Festool plunge saw and the rail do an excellent job.
You might like to check out some reviews:
http://benchmark.20m.com/tools/Festo...toolIndex.html
http://www.cjohnhebert.com/toolreviews.htm
http://www.woodshopdemos.com/men-fes.htm
http://www.thewoodshop.20m.com/festo..._55e_part1.htm

Hope this helps,

Christian

I bolt an half inch plywood to my 7 inch CS and punch the blade
through to make a "zero clearance plate". This plate ride on the
plywood work and hold it from chipping out when cross cutting.

I also use the same plate and a stright edge as the cutting guide.

yy

"RWM" wrote in message ...
I usually make crosscuts of cabinet grade plywood, which are too large for
my tablesaw, with my 7 ¼" circular saw. To avoid chipping the finished
piece I make the first cut a little long. I also always cover the cut with
masking tape, but still get some chipping. I then cut to the exact size
using a straight cutting bit with my router. Using the router leaves a
perfect cut, but I have a project coming up that doesn't leave any room for
an oversize cut unless I go to a second sheet of plywood.



Does anyone have any suggestions for cross cutting cabinet grade plywood
with a circular saw that eliminates chipping? I have tried different
blades, and cutting heights, but so far the best that I can get is about
95%. That other 5% can be a killer.



Bob McBreen

On 8 Nov 2003 12:00:36 -0800, Christian Aufreiter
wrote:
I have read that the Festool saws do well.
http://www.festool-usa.com/portando/index.cfm

This is correct. The Festool plunge saw and the rail do an excellent job.
You might like to check out some reviews:
http://benchmark.20m.com/tools/Festo...toolIndex.html
http://www.cjohnhebert.com/toolreviews.htm
http://www.woodshopdemos.com/men-fes.htm
http://www.thewoodshop.20m.com/festo..._55e_part1.htm


I made the panel-cutting guide found in Sunset Woodworking (forget the
exact title). After sizing sheet goods with a 9" contractor saw, it was
a revelation.

It uses Borg Birch plywood instead of masonite.

I've been planning to make a smaller version suitable for half and
quarter sheets. After reading the article, I'm now planning to use
masonite for the smaller version.

I'm using the Freud "Finishing" blade (40T ATB, thin kerf) on a PC lefty
circular saw.

With patience, it's more than Good Enough absent a Unisaur or a
dedicated panel slicer.