I want to purchase a jigsaw and use it for precise cuts in thin plastic
laminate. Any suggestions on which model provides the least tearout? Any
suggestions on the best technic to use?

Philly

In article t, "philly" wrote:
I want to purchase a jigsaw and use it for precise cuts in thin plastic
laminate. Any suggestions on which model provides the least tearout? Any
suggestions on the best technic to use?

First, let's make sure we're talking about the same thing. When you say
"jigsaw" do you mean the hand-held portable tool often known as a saber saw,
which holds the blade at only one end, or do you mean the stationary tool
formerly called a jigsaw and now usually referred to as a scroll saw, which
holds the blade at both ends?

If the former... forget it. You can't make precise cuts in anything with one
of those.

If the latter... the DeWalt DW788 is kinda pricy, but it does a beautiful job.

Regardless of what you use, the degree of tearout is going to depend more on
the blade you use, than on the saw. You want something with really fine teeth.

Are you cutting just the bare laminate? Or is it laminated onto something
already? And what type of "precise cuts" do you need to make? If you're just
cutting straight lines, a table saw with a good combination blade makes very
clean, smooth cuts.


--
Regards,
Doug Miller (alphageek-at-milmac-dot-com)

Get a copy of my NEW AND IMPROVED TrollFilter for NewsProxy/Nfilter
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"philly" wrote in message:
I want to purchase a jigsaw and use it for precise cuts in thin plastic
laminate. Any suggestions on which model provides the least tearout? Any
suggestions on the best technic to use?

Philly

Hey philly, the up-and-down motion of any reciprocating blade can cause
chipping, whether it be a jigsaw, sawzall, or scroll saw. But you can
sometimes get by with it if you cut slowly. A bandsaw with a piece of
plywood underneath might work better for cutting laminate by itself. I have
been assuming you are talking about cutting curves. (Also cutting solid
surface material with a saw that reciprocates can cause stress cracks in
solid surface material, according to Wilsonart tech people.)

For straight cuts of plain laminate, you can use a table saw. For thinner
cuts, I use a slitter like the one in this pictu
http://www.virutex-tnt.com/catalog/i11.html

Have a good day, woodstuff

I'm referring to a sabre saw. I want to cut 2" strips from a full 8 foot
sheet. The full sheet is too large for my table saw setup.

Philly
"Doug Miller" wrote in message
news
In article t, "philly"
wrote:
I want to purchase a jigsaw and use it for precise cuts in thin plastic
laminate. Any suggestions on which model provides the least tearout?
Any
suggestions on the best technic to use?

First, let's make sure we're talking about the same thing. When you say
"jigsaw" do you mean the hand-held portable tool often known as a saber
saw,
which holds the blade at only one end, or do you mean the stationary tool
formerly called a jigsaw and now usually referred to as a scroll saw,
which
holds the blade at both ends?

If the former... forget it. You can't make precise cuts in anything with
one
of those.

If the latter... the DeWalt DW788 is kinda pricy, but it does a beautiful
job.

Regardless of what you use, the degree of tearout is going to depend more
on
the blade you use, than on the saw. You want something with really fine
teeth.

Are you cutting just the bare laminate? Or is it laminated onto something
already? And what type of "precise cuts" do you need to make? If you're
just
cutting straight lines, a table saw with a good combination blade makes
very
clean, smooth cuts.


--
Regards,
Doug Miller (alphageek-at-milmac-dot-com)

Get a copy of my NEW AND IMPROVED TrollFilter for NewsProxy/Nfilter
by sending email to autoresponder at filterinfo-at-milmac-dot-com
You must use your REAL email address to get a response.

This is not a saber saw.

If you want lots of super accurate strips from sheets of plastic
laminate, you need one of these:

Virutex slitter:
http://www.247shopping-mall.com/univ...tCategories=14


--

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Keep the whole world singing . . . .
DanG (remove the sevens)




"philly" wrote in message
k.net...
I want to purchase a jigsaw and use it for precise cuts in thin
plastic
laminate. Any suggestions on which model provides the least
tearout? Any
suggestions on the best technic to use?

Philly

I have used a router and straight edge to make the cuts you want to make.
There is significant kerf loss, but the cuts were really clean.

In article . net, "philly" wrote:
I'm referring to a sabre saw. I want to cut 2" strips from a full 8 foot
sheet. The full sheet is too large for my table saw setup.

Your chance of making a "precise cut" eight feet long with a saber saw is
exactly zero. Sorry.

In fact, your chance of making *any* kind of cut, precise or otherwise, that
long with a saber saw, without cracking the laminate, is IMHO very close to
zero.

I have a few suggestions:

1) Figure out a way to do it with your table saw. I recently managed to cut
two strips, one 4" and one 1", from a one by twelve foot strip on my table
saw, without a helper. My shop is 16' x 20'. If I can do that, so can you.
Note that it doesn't have to be flat over the entire length of the sheet. It's
sufficient to have it flat on the saw table, and allow it to droop down in
front and behind. I used the rubber-padded pushblocks from my jointer to feed
it through. If you don't have anything like that, you can buy them at any
Rockler or Woodcraft store.

2) Get an eight-foot straightedge, and score and snap it. Unlike cutting glass
or drywall with the score-and-snap method, when doing this to Formica you bend
the sheet *toward* the score line instead of away. Wear ear protection: it
makes a heck of a noise. You'll have better luck with the snapping if you
clamp the straightedge down along the score line, than if you try to hold both
pieces in your hands. Two inches is a bit narrow, though, and you have a
significant chance of breakage. You're really better off figuring out a way to
do it with the table saw.

3) Combine the two approaches: score and snap into, say, three 16-inch strips.
Then run those through the table saw. They'll certainly be easier to handle
than a full sheet.

--
Regards,
Doug Miller (alphageek-at-milmac-dot-com)

Get a copy of my NEW AND IMPROVED TrollFilter for NewsProxy/Nfilter
by sending email to autoresponder at filterinfo-at-milmac-dot-com
You must use your REAL email address to get a response.

In article t,
"philly" wrote:

I want to purchase a jigsaw and use it for precise cuts in thin plastic
laminate. Any suggestions on which model provides the least tearout? Any
suggestions on the best technic to use?

Philly



8', or longer, straight edge and a router with a square base and a small
bit.
1/8" bit will do. Feed sloooowly and support the piece you have just cut
with some thin shims and spring clamps so there is no weight on the
section being cut.

I bought a 12 foot straight edge 15 years ago. I went to an alloy dealer
and had him order me a 1/4" x 6" x 145" and a 1/4"x 6' x 49".
He made me buy a 20' length, because "that's how it comes."
I had him cut it into a 12', a 5' and a 3'.
He charged me by the pound, "that's how aluminum is sold."
Those straight edges, and they were straight enough for me, have allowed
me to do things over the years that paid back plenty times the 75 CAN$ I
paid for them. That's right. SEVENTY-FIVE bucks. Aluminum hasn't gone up
that much over the years.
The 12-footer hangs off the ceiling. It has a "notch" in it, about
midway from some asshole who was careless with his guide-bushing and the
router, which was riding on top, slipped and nicked the aluminum.. it
almost knocked the router out of my hand, but the bit was okay. When I
use a square router base, it slides right by the 'notch'.
Most of my routers have 1/2" thick Acrylic bases on them. Go to your
local Solid Surface fabricator and ask him for some sink cut-outs. Stuff
cuts on a table saw. Make sure he gives you acrylic, like Wilsonart,
Corian, Staron, Meganite, HiMac, Formstone or Dovae. Stay away from
polyester in that application...just too brittle and stinks when you
work with it.

Rob

"Common sense is NOT common"
(Voltaire)

Try this.

Take 2 peices of 8' MDF - sandwich the laminate between the 2 peices - take
your router w/ a flush bit and cut it .
It will leave a great surface for you.
You can also try the score and snap method.

"philly" wrote in message
k.net...
I want to purchase a jigsaw and use it for precise cuts in thin plastic
laminate. Any suggestions on which model provides the least tearout? Any
suggestions on the best technic to use?

Philly

On Sat, 18 Dec 2004 12:59:45 GMT, "philly"
wrote:

I want to purchase a jigsaw and use it for precise cuts in thin plastic
laminate. Any suggestions on which model provides the least tearout? Any
suggestions on the best technic to use?

Philly


A somewhat vague description, but my first thought is a bandsaw
especially if you have curves to cut. I have used my tablesaw to cut
laminate using a specialized blade and raised to the highest
height--the cut was very clean (and razor sharp). Use adequate
ventilation!