Best method to cut chipboard plinths

[dog-man]

I am in the process of finishing my kitchen installation and need to
cut the chipboard plinths to size.

I tried using a fine jigsaw blade but it still chips the plinth
somewhat.

I also tried scoring along the line with a stanley knife and again it
still chips slightly.

Can anyone advise me how I can cut these with clean cuts and no
chipping?

Steve.........

[John Rumm]

Circular saw, with finish face on the underside.

Table saw - finish face on the top.

If its just a trim, then powered plane.

--
Cheers,

John.

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[Dave Liquorice]

On Mon, 21 Mar 2011 05:15:07 -0700 (PDT), dog-man wrote:

> I tried using a fine jigsaw blade but it still chips the plinth
> somewhat.

Try a "worktop" blade.

--
Cheers
Dave.

[Andy Dingley]

On Mar 21, 12:15 pm, dog-man <st...@dog-man.com> wrote:

> I tried using a fine jigsaw blade but it still chips the plinth
> somewhat.

Blades help a lot. Not just small teeth, but anti-chip shaped teeth
(Bosch 101B) and a new, sharp blade. Even better is a "reverse" tooth
blade (Bosch 101BR) that cuts on the downstroke. Make sure any
pendulum action is switched off. If your jigsaw has an anti-plinter
plate (tiny gap round the blade), then use that, although they're not
a great help on chipboard.

Scoring doesn't work too well on chipboard, because it's too hard on
the surface to score easily, and the chips are so fragile they''re
especially prone to chipping. Scoring might help if you can score to
the depth of at least half a chip thickness.

Another trick is to trim with a router, not a jigsaw.

[fred]

Cramp a piece of ply or perhaps chip to the face side. Good and tight.
Then cut through the lot. No pendulum action. Sharp blade, Slowly.
Sometimes masking tape along the cut line is effective but a lot
depends on the quality of the core and the melamine face.

Paul Mc Cann

[Tabby]

On Mar 21, 2:26 pm, fred <tpmcc...@gmail.com> wrote:
> On 21 Mar, 13:35, Andy Dingley <ding...@codesmiths.com> wrote:
>
>
>
> > On Mar 21, 12:15 pm, dog-man <st...@dog-man.com> wrote:
>
> > > I tried using a fine jigsaw blade but it still chips the plinth
> > > somewhat.
>
> > Blades help a lot. Not just small teeth, but anti-chip shaped teeth
> > (Bosch 101B) and a new, sharp blade. Even better is a "reverse" tooth
> > blade (Bosch 101BR) that cuts on the downstroke. Make sure any
> > pendulum action is switched off. If your jigsaw has an anti-plinter
> > plate (tiny gap round the blade), then use that, although they're not
> > a great help on chipboard.
>
> > Scoring doesn't work too well on chipboard, because it's too hard on
> > the surface to score easily, and the chips are so fragile they''re
> > especially prone to chipping. Scoring might help if you can score to
> > the depth of at least half a chip thickness.
>
> > Another trick is to trim with a router, not a jigsaw.
>
> Cramp a piece of ply or perhaps chip to the face side. Good and tight.
> Then cut through the lot.

Thats the most effective method IME, if you're not using a circular
saw with a decent blade that cuts clean.

> No pendulum action. Sharp blade, Slowly.
> Sometimes masking tape along the cut line is effective but a lot
> depends on the quality of the core and the melamine face.
>
> Paul Mc Cann

NT

[The Natural Philosopher]

cut 3mm outside final, finish with high speed router pass.

Or sand to final.

[stuart noble]

The top edge of the plinth doesn't normally show, but that doesn't help
with a sloping floor where you have to cut the bottom edge.

[The Natural Philosopher]

Thats where you put the plastic sealing strip innit?

[Steve Firth]

Andy Dingley <din...@codesmiths.com> wrote:
> On Mar 21, 12:15 pm, dog-man <st...@dog-man.com> wrote:
>
>> I tried using a fine jigsaw blade but it still chips the plinth
>> somewhat.
>
> Blades help a lot. Not just small teeth, but anti-chip shaped teeth
> (Bosch 101B) and a new, sharp blade. Even better is a "reverse" tooth
> blade (Bosch 101BR) that cuts on the downstroke. Make sure any
> pendulum action is switched off. If your jigsaw has an anti-plinter
> plate (tiny gap round the blade), then use that, although they're not
> a great help on chipboard.

[snip]

I prefer to use the blade design that is similar to a pruning saw or one of
the Japanese saws designed for cabinet work. These have no set on the teeth
and produce a clean cut on both sides of the cut. They cut on both the up
and down stroke and create the least splintering that I have seen even in
difficult materials such as chipboard.

http://www.starrett.co.uk/shop/jigsaws/dualcut/

Or similar.

[Man at B&Q]

You only need to cut the bottom edge if the floor is uneven, rather
than merely sloping.

MBQ

[Man at B&Q]

On Mar 21, 3:12 pm, The Natural Philosopher <t...@invalid.invalid>
wrote:

Horrible bodge.

MBQ

[dog-man]

I just took it slowly and it's not too bad. It can't be seen anyway
unless you lay down on the kitchen floor.

The cats will see it but I don't think they will complain! :)

Steve.........

[The Natural Philosopher]

and a melamine chipboard plinth is NOT?

> MBQ

[cynic]

On Mar 21, 12:15 pm, dog-man <st...@dog-man.com> wrote:

Either use a reverse tooth blade or hold the saw with normal blade on
the underside of the material and the surface will not chip.

[Man at B&Q]

On Mar 21, 5:05 pm, The Natural Philosopher <t...@invalid.invalid>

Two wrongs don't make a right.

MBQ