Azek/Procell Cutting Tips?

neolitic

I've got my
first one coming up.
It's got a lot of ends cut on radii.
Round sunken tub in the deck,
herring bones, and a radiused
outside corner.
Tips on saber saw blades?
Router and flush trim better?
40 tooth thin kerf?
All of the Azek trim I've done
was cut on the miter saw, or
from the back with circular saw.
This is gonna have lots of scribes
that will be a PITA if it's all done
on the backside.


Take pity on the old guy now,
let me find new mistakes to make.
TIA!

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andy builds

how big is the radius you have to follow? I have done a few, if its small enough to make a template the flush bit on your router at a low speed works great. If it is larger I have cut with a jigsaw, and followed up with a belt sander to my radius line...

neolitic

Got an 8'Ø tub at the intersection
of 4 herring bones, and a 12'
radius on the flared side of one
of the herring bones.
Lots of fun for everyone!

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RenovatorLLC

I try to avoid jig saws and Azek; the resulting edges always look jagged and require time to dress.
If you cannot mock up templates to use a router/bit (your best option for best results, imho) then maybe try scribing the decking and using a circ saw fitted with a blade meant to cut curves; Arcus, is the one I own, though haven't used, yet. Some sanding will still be required, though perhaps not as much.
And, as a bonus, you get to buy something new and different.

neolitic

Kind of what I thought about the
saber saw.
Probably stick to the flush trim/router,
though it adds the extra step to
the process.

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RenovatorLLC

I'll admit to being slightly jaded against saber saws and Azek. I rebuilt a porch a few years ago using many sheets of the stuff. I had to use the jig saw for some of the cuts, and the up stroke of the blade caused the pvc chips to fly up into my face, and on two separate days I had to go to the eye doc to have a chip removed. And I wear glasses.
Now when I cut Azek with a saber saw, I wear goggles.
Good luck, and post some pics when done, it sounds like an interesting project.

neolitic

Indeed.
"Interesting" is a chinese curse....
May you live in interesting times.

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BuiltByMAC

Here's a thought and I haven't worked with AZEK yet so I haven't tried it but

would an oscillating jigsaw and a blade with down cutting teeth (and high TPI) give decent results?

Maybe try it on an a scrap end that's getting cut off before you pull out the template and router...

Mac

John Hyatt

The old scribe with a sharp knife first trick would probley work. J.

neolitic

Hoping samples will come before we
start so I can play with it first.
Uuuuh, oscillating saber saw?
Still waiting for the old barrel DeWalt
to die.
Think I will look at "down-cuts",
but what I've seen working with the
trim I think it'll still leave it rough.
Why didn't I ever save any
of those scraps?

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redwood

I guess that I won't be using Azek anytime soon. I'm already blind in one eye and can't afford to lose another one. I wear safety glasses as well, but I hate goggles.

Too bad, I went to a Azek hosted breakfast last week and it looked very promising.

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Mark
Los Gatos, CA
www.creative-redwood-designs.com

RenovatorLLC

The pvc ships are really sneaky. I've had some fall out of my hair and onto my eye lash hours after leaving the job site.
I wouldn't swear off the stuff - I use it almost every week - but I do take precautions. When I cut the sheets, I use a Festool guide, and saw, hooked to an extractor. I bought special chemical goggles with foam lining that I use when cutting plaster or pvc. I haven't needed an eye doc in two years.

neolitic

One thing I learned using it for trim,
especially when ripping on the table
saw or routing profile, I blast the hell
out of my face, hair, beard, arms....
with the compressor and air gun!
Then the tools, and ten me again.
I swear that stuff is harder to get rid of
than a stray puppy.

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