Hello

What do you guys use for a plywood blade in your circular saw?
I bought a plywood blade to cut some birch plywood and it did a terrible job
with tearout.

I have a bunch of bookcases to make so I would like to improve the initial
cuts.

Thanks

Larry C

Larry C wrote:
Hello

What do you guys use for a plywood blade in your circular saw?
I bought a plywood blade to cut some birch plywood and it did a terrible
job with tearout.

I have a bunch of bookcases to make so I would like to improve the
initial cuts.

You talking a handheld or contractor/table saw?

I've had good luck w/ good quality plywood blades; don't understand
there being much of a problem unless it was just an inexpensive one or
some other alignment problem.

--

"dpb" wrote in message
...
Larry C wrote:
Hello

What do you guys use for a plywood blade in your circular saw?
I bought a plywood blade to cut some birch plywood and it did a terrible
job with tearout.

I have a bunch of bookcases to make so I would like to improve the
initial cuts.

You talking a handheld or contractor/table saw?

I've had good luck w/ good quality plywood blades; don't understand there
being much of a problem unless it was just an inexpensive one or some
other alignment problem.

--

It is a circular saw

Larry C wrote:

"dpb" wrote in message
...
Larry C wrote:
Hello

What do you guys use for a plywood blade in your circular saw?
I bought a plywood blade to cut some birch plywood and it did a
terrible job with tearout.

I have a bunch of bookcases to make so I would like to improve the
initial cuts.

You talking a handheld or contractor/table saw?

I've had good luck w/ good quality plywood blades; don't understand
there being much of a problem unless it was just an inexpensive one or
some other alignment problem.

--

It is a circular saw

gosh, don't overwhelm us w/ verbiage...

What _specific_ blade (manufacturer, no teeth, grind, etc., etc., ...)

I'll take the "circular saw" as skilsaw, not contractors; they all are
"circular".

What particular saw and are you sure the blade is perpendicular to the
shoe plate and are you using a guide or freehanding the cuts? Have you
checked the blade is parallel to the edge of the base plate if using the
straightedge? If it isn't, it's just like the fence on a tablesaw not
being parallel to the blade; it causes the work to run at an angle
against the blade which will cause teeth to drag on one edge or the
other preferentially depending on which way the bias is.

--

"dpb" wrote in message
...
Larry C wrote:

"dpb" wrote in message
...
Larry C wrote:
Hello

What do you guys use for a plywood blade in your circular saw?
I bought a plywood blade to cut some birch plywood and it did a
terrible job with tearout.

I have a bunch of bookcases to make so I would like to improve the
initial cuts.

You talking a handheld or contractor/table saw?

I've had good luck w/ good quality plywood blades; don't understand
there being much of a problem unless it was just an inexpensive one or
some other alignment problem.

--

It is a circular saw

gosh, don't overwhelm us w/ verbiage...

What _specific_ blade (manufacturer, no teeth, grind, etc., etc., ...)

I'll take the "circular saw" as skilsaw, not contractors; they all are
"circular".

What particular saw and are you sure the blade is perpendicular to the
shoe plate and are you using a guide or freehanding the cuts? Have you
checked the blade is parallel to the edge of the base plate if using the
straightedge? If it isn't, it's just like the fence on a tablesaw not
being parallel to the blade; it causes the work to run at an angle against
the blade which will cause teeth to drag on one edge or the other
preferentially depending on which way the bias is.

--

I was trying to do about ten things when I was tanking about this question
and I just replied.

I use a Milwaukee Skill saw and the blade is a 140 tooth. I use a straight
edge as a guide.

I will read the link that someone posted and see if that helps

Thanks

Larry C

I use a Skill Worm drive with diamond hole blades.

The whole trick I think is a thin tooth and sharp. I use carbide.
Carbide stands up better than standard steel.
Martin

Larry C wrote:

"dpb" wrote in message
...
Larry C wrote:

"dpb" wrote in message
...
Larry C wrote:
Hello

What do you guys use for a plywood blade in your circular saw?
I bought a plywood blade to cut some birch plywood and it did a
terrible job with tearout.

I have a bunch of bookcases to make so I would like to improve the
initial cuts.

You talking a handheld or contractor/table saw?

I've had good luck w/ good quality plywood blades; don't understand
there being much of a problem unless it was just an inexpensive one
or some other alignment problem.

--

It is a circular saw

gosh, don't overwhelm us w/ verbiage...

What _specific_ blade (manufacturer, no teeth, grind, etc., etc., ...)

I'll take the "circular saw" as skilsaw, not contractors; they all are
"circular".

What particular saw and are you sure the blade is perpendicular to the
shoe plate and are you using a guide or freehanding the cuts? Have
you checked the blade is parallel to the edge of the base plate if
using the straightedge? If it isn't, it's just like the fence on a
tablesaw not being parallel to the blade; it causes the work to run at
an angle against the blade which will cause teeth to drag on one edge
or the other preferentially depending on which way the bias is.

--

I was trying to do about ten things when I was tanking about this
question and I just replied.

I use a Milwaukee Skill saw and the blade is a 140 tooth. I use a
straight edge as a guide.

I will read the link that someone posted and see if that helps

Thanks

Larry C

"Larry C" wrote in message
...
Hello

What do you guys use for a plywood blade in your circular saw?
I bought a plywood blade to cut some birch plywood and it did a terrible
job with tearout.

I have a bunch of bookcases to make so I would like to improve the initial
cuts.

Thanks

Larry C




This url will take you to a google books extract, which has some information
on cutting ply with a circular saw and ways to minimise tearout.

Scroll down past the two pics to get to the explanatory text.

Hope this helps


http://tinyurl.com/y8hruqj

What do you guys use for a plywood blade in your circular saw?

I've been using an Oldham "Ultra Finishing/Plywood/OSB Industrial
Carbide" blade in a cheap Black and Decker hand-held circular saw.
7-1/4", 60 tooth blade.

Makes CLEAN, FINE cuts on the 3/4" expensive cherry-faced plywood I've
used.

I put the "good side" down, and use a clamped-on fence to guide the
hand-held saw.

Works like a charm for me.

-Zz

Larry C wrote:
Hello

What do you guys use for a plywood blade in your circular saw?
I bought a plywood blade to cut some birch plywood and it did a
terrible job with tearout.

I have a bunch of bookcases to make so I would like to improve the
initial cuts.

Thanks


As a last resort, you can clamp some sacrificial wood to both sides of your
stock.

"Larry C" wrote in message
...
Hello

What do you guys use for a plywood blade in your circular saw?
I bought a plywood blade to cut some birch plywood and it did a terrible
job with tearout.

I have a bunch of bookcases to make so I would like to improve the initial
cuts.

Thanks

Larry C

I use this blade:
http://tinyurl.com/y9yssn6
on a Milwaukee 6390-21
http://tinyurl.com/y8dr249

"good" side down, and I use a 9' straight edge as a guide.

Max

"Larry C" wrote in message
...
Hello

What do you guys use for a plywood blade in your circular saw?
I bought a plywood blade to cut some birch plywood and it did a terrible
job with tearout.

I have a bunch of bookcases to make so I would like to improve the initial
cuts.

Thanks

Larry C



Here is what you need

http://www.festoolusa.com/products/p...aw-561174.html

"Larry C" wrote in
:

Hello

What do you guys use for a plywood blade in your circular saw?
I bought a plywood blade to cut some birch plywood and it did a
terrible job with tearout.

I have a bunch of bookcases to make so I would like to improve the
initial cuts.

Thanks

Larry C



I bought an Irwin Marathon blade at my grandpa's suggestion, and it's yet
to come off the circular saw. It's a standard blade (I don't remember
the number of teeth for 7 1/4" blades), not a plywood blade, but if you
take it easy it cuts through plywood with a minimal amount of tearout.
Last plywood I cut with it was sheathing grade 1/2" stuff, though. You
may have problems with better quality plywood.

Not bad for a $8 blade.

Puckdropper
--
"The potential difference between the top and bottom of a tree is the
reason why all trees have to be grounded..." -- Bored Borg on
rec.woodworking

To email me directly, send a message to puckdropper (at) fastmail.fm

Larry C wrote:
Hello

What do you guys use for a plywood blade in your circular saw?
I bought a plywood blade to cut some birch plywood and it did a
terrible job with tearout.

I have a bunch of bookcases to make so I would like to improve the
initial cuts.

Your biggest problem will be with crosscuts, any decent blade should rip
well. For crosscuts, you could...

1. Use a blade with many tiny teeth. Expensive if carbide, cheap if steel
and steel works well for a while.

2. Apply backer to tearout side. Even masking tape helps.

3. Moisten the wood.

4. Score the wood on tearout side with a knife. Hard to do with a hand held
saw. Scoring can also be done by making a very shallow first cut then
cutting through.

5. Cut a bit oversize and trim with a router.

--

dadiOH
____________________________

dadiOH's dandies v3.06...
....a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico

What do you guys use for a plywood blade in your circular saw?

TWO WORDS:

Masking Tape

Some more words . . .

Good quality, thin kerf, carbide blade with as many teeth as you can
find.

I bought a "plywood" blade from Lowes, found it less than perfect and
took it back for a refund. Bought a thin kerf carbide blade and had
better results. Also, there is something about which side is "up"
that is different (as I recall) when using a "Skill" saw vs a table
saw. I believe the god side is to be down with the former.

Google "Cutting Plywood" don't take my word for it!

Hoosierpopi wrote in news:1b619c7f-a64b-4884-
:

*snip*


I bought a "plywood" blade from Lowes, found it less than perfect and
took it back for a refund. Bought a thin kerf carbide blade and had
better results. Also, there is something about which side is "up"
that is different (as I recall) when using a "Skill" saw vs a table
saw. I believe the god side is to be down with the former.

Google "Cutting Plywood" don't take my word for it!


The blade makes contact with the good side first.

(Of course, you'll want to take more protections to protect the "god
side.")

Puckdropper
--
"The potential difference between the top and bottom of a tree is the
reason why all trees have to be grounded..." -- Bored Borg on
rec.woodworking

To email me directly, send a message to puckdropper (at) fastmail.fm

"Puckdropper" puckdropper(at)yahoo(dot)com wrote in message
...
Hoosierpopi wrote in news:1b619c7f-a64b-4884-
:


The blade makes contact with the good side first.


Actually the blade makes contact with the top side first. You however want
the good side down.

"Leon" wrote in
:


"Puckdropper" puckdropper(at)yahoo(dot)com wrote in message
...
Hoosierpopi wrote in
news:1b619c7f-a64b-4884-
:


The blade makes contact with the good side first.


Actually the blade makes contact with the top side first. You however
want the good side down.


You're right (of course). I might have over simplified things.

In the middle of a cut, for any given tooth, the good side is the one
that the cutting edge of the tooth comes in to contact with first.

I think this is general enough and correct enough to work for any saw.

Puckdropper
--
"The potential difference between the top and bottom of a tree is the
reason why all trees have to be grounded..." -- Bored Borg on
rec.woodworking

To email me directly, send a message to puckdropper (at) fastmail.fm

Hoosierpopi wrote:
....
... Also, there is something about which side is "up"
that is different (as I recall) when using a "Skill" saw vs a table
saw. I believe the go[o]d side is to be down with the former.
....

Yes, the cutting teeth edge enter from the bottom for the skilsaw while
from the top on a table saw. Hence, there tends to be less tearout when
oriented as stated although a quality, sharp blade should leave minimal
either way...but as noted much earlier in the thread (before OP
departed, in fact ) it was noted an alignment of the blade can cause
problems if the trailing drag the cut edge on exit they can wreak havoc
(as well as can the cutting teeth on exit, particularly that's where
dull or poor set or choice of type of blade will cause problems).

--

"dpb" wrote in message
...
Hoosierpopi wrote:
...
... Also, there is something about which side is "up"
that is different (as I recall) when using a "Skill" saw vs a table
saw. I believe the go[o]d side is to be down with the former.
...

Yes, the cutting teeth edge enter from the bottom for the skilsaw while
from the top on a table saw. Hence, there tends to be less tearout when
oriented as stated although a quality, sharp blade should leave minimal
either way...but as noted much earlier in the thread (before OP departed,
in fact ) it was noted an alignment of the blade can cause problems if
the trailing drag the cut edge on exit they can wreak havoc (as well as
can the cutting teeth on exit, particularly that's where dull or poor set
or choice of type of blade will cause problems).

--

Guys

Thanks for all of the suggestions. I think my issue is most likely my
blade.

Sorry about the initial post being somewhat vague. A little spun in circles
these days.

Plus I forgot that Verizon was dumping news groups and sign up to service to
reply to this thread.

Larry C

On Sep 30, 6:11*pm, "Larry C" wrote:
Hello

What do you guys use for a plywood blade in your circular saw?
I bought a plywood blade to cut some birch plywood and it did a terrible job
with tearout.

I have a bunch of bookcases to make so I would like to improve the initial
cuts.

Thanks

Larry C
Larry,

Add a 1/4" piece of wood to the bottom of your circular saw. Run your
saw blade through it to make a zero clearance plate.

Ted