Cutting a melamine board and getting a smooth finish and chip free cut is one struggle encountered by many manufacturers. Melamine board is usually made up of manufactured wood chips, sawdust, scraps of wood materials, sawmill shavings, and a synthetic resin. This type of board is used primarily as a substitute for conventional wood and plywood.
How to cut Melamine Board
Cutting melamine is somehow a delicate procedure for improper cutting process may lead to chipping that may cause health problems. If cutting melamine is not done properly, not only will it cause chipping but also cause breaking out of the surface. When you are cutting melamine boards, you have to ensure that there is no movement in the cutting action. Wobbling blade would likely cause a rough surface since the tooth are not hitting the board smoothly and does not have an equal cutting action. The workpiece must be firmly bedded in the saw bench or on the table.
Best Blades for Melamine Board
When it comes to selecting a blade, one blade that can accommodate cutting this kind of material would be a Triple Chip Carbide blade with at least 72-80 tooth. This will give you a consistently smooth cut providing smoother finish. This blade also has a longer blade life. Another blade that can be used for cutting melamine boards is a hollow ground or a hollow tooth blade. This type of blade produces excellent top and bottom cut. The disadvantage of this blade is it’s costly to sharpen, though blade life is better, but the blade tends to perform poorly once the teeth starts to worn out.
Another blade that can be used for cutting melamine board is the negative 80 Hook tooth. This type of blade is offered both in carbide and in alternate top bevel. The triple chip carbide negative hook blades can cut clean top and bottom. Proper machine maintenance is required when using a triple chip carbide blade to avoid problems during any cutting operation. Alternate top bevel on the other hand has severe tooth angles resulting to a sharp blade teeth that provides excellent job of shearing the wood fibres.
Cutting melamine board may be easy just by looking at it, but it possesses hazardous effects to one’s health. The dust and particles released when the material is machined causes serious problems to a person. When melamines are machined, it can release various chemicals such as carbon monoxide, hydrogen cyanide, formaldehyde and phenol. It is best to use the correct procedures to ensure your and your employees health.
