What Blade do you use for Laminate Flooring? - Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum

dayspring · 01-16-2007, 05:42 AM

I'm looking for suggestions on a good blade for laminate flooring. I've been using 60 tooth carbide blade on my 12" miter saw. The stuff dulls them almost immediately. Any suggestions?

RYANINMICHIGAN · 01-16-2007, 09:24 PM

a new one??

mdshunk · 01-16-2007, 09:28 PM

I've seen guys using a manual shear tool, sorta like a VCT chopper, but made for laminate flooring.

mdshunk · 01-16-2007, 09:31 PM

Ah... here's the one I've seen in use:
http://www.tools4flooring.com/bullet...ear-p-332.html

But here's a cheaper one I ran across while I was looking for it:
http://cgi.ebay.com/WOW-LAMINATE-SCI...QQcmdZViewItem

dayspring · 01-17-2007, 05:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RYANINMICHIGAN

a new one??

I'm sure.

My point in the matter is this stuff dulls the blades very fast. I like to keep sharp blades on all of my saws.

Just didn't know if there was a better type blade available or not.

Thanks md for the links!

I found this blade http://www.toolmarts.com/LU806L.html

Anyone familiar with it?

PrecisionFloors · 01-18-2007, 10:42 AM

Your blades are dulling quickly because of the method used. A chop saw forces the blade down into the boards through a very tough melamine and aluminum oxide surface...effectively metal. Do this experiment. Make a few cuts in a darkened room, you will see sparks fly off of your blade. The way around this is to use a table saw or slcms, that way you are cutting through the boards horizontally. A cheap table saw will last you about a year on average as the laminate dust eats up the bearings pretty good. It also gets in the switches and gums up the contacs. Blowing all of your tools down with air every so often will help. As far as blades go, once you get a table saw just use cheap circular saw blades.

I also own a Magnum Shear and highly suggest it if you do alot of laminates and engineered wood. It saves me a TON of time, especially if the job is upstairs. Bullet also makes a bucket saw that is on my list. with those two tools you can make 99% of your cuts inside the work area and create virtually no dust.

dayspring · 01-19-2007, 12:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PrecisionFloors

Your blades are dulling quickly because of the method used. A chop saw forces the blade down into the boards through a very tough melamine and aluminum oxide surface...effectively metal. Do this experiment. Make a few cuts in a darkened room, you will see sparks fly off of your blade. The way around this is to use a table saw or slcms, that way you are cutting through the boards horizontally. A cheap table saw will last you about a year on average as the laminate dust eats up the bearings pretty good. It also gets in the switches and gums up the contacs. Blowing all of your tools down with air every so often will help. As far as blades go, once you get a table saw just use cheap circular saw blades.

I also own a Magnum Shear and highly suggest it if you do alot of laminates and engineered wood. It saves me a TON of time, especially if the job is upstairs. Bullet also makes a bucket saw that is on my list. with those two tools you can make 99% of your cuts inside the work area and create virtually no dust.

That is very interesting, I bought a Freud 80 tooth thin-kerf blade (described in link above) today for my 10" SCMS, I plan to try it out this coming week.

Chris G · 01-21-2007, 09:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PrecisionFloors

Your blades are dulling quickly because of the method used. A chop saw forces the blade down into the boards through a very tough melamine and aluminum oxide surface...effectively metal. Do this experiment. Make a few cuts in a darkened room, you will see sparks fly off of your blade. The way around this is to use a table saw or slcms, that way you are cutting through the boards horizontally. A cheap table saw will last you about a year on average as the laminate dust eats up the bearings pretty good. It also gets in the switches and gums up the contacs. Blowing all of your tools down with air every so often will help. As far as blades go, once you get a table saw just use cheap circular saw blades.

I also own a Magnum Shear and highly suggest it if you do alot of laminates and engineered wood. It saves me a TON of time, especially if the job is upstairs. Bullet also makes a bucket saw that is on my list. with those two tools you can make 99% of your cuts inside the work area and create virtually no dust.

Wickedly good post by the way.

PrecisionFloors · 01-21-2007, 02:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dayspring

That is very interesting, I bought a Freud 80 tooth thin-kerf blade (described in link above) today for my 10" SCMS, I plan to try it out this coming week.

Cool, let us know how you like that blade.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris G

Wickedly good post by the way.

Thanks...I learn 100 times more stuff on this site than I am able to give back. There are some guys here that blow my mind with the experience and knowledge levels they have attained.