Miter Saw Blade?

I chopped a piece of scrap crown molding off last night to bring to the store with me today to get the right one. As I cut it, the back side splintered a bit. I have a Dewalt Series 20 DW3126 60 Tooth carbide Blade on the saw. It hasn't seen much use: So far crown & base molding for bedroom, plus a couple dozen cuts in 2X material.

I also cut some PVC pipe with it. I don't think that was such a good idea [img]/forums/images/icons/blush.gif[/img] . It melted the PVC & now the blade has a little white on it. I will try to get it off. Is this causing the splintering? It cut better when I first did the bedroom trim work.

I assume because it is carbide, I have to send it out for sharpening (If it needs it) How long before it should need sharpening? It isn't burning the wood or bogging down on big cuts at all.

Reading the saw manual & browsing around online, it appears that a 80 or even 96 tooth blade is recommended for smooth splinter free cuts. [img]/forums/images/icons/confused.gif[/img] The depot has the two packs with 80tooth and 32 tooth for about $50. worthwhile investment?

Aren't you guys going to be glad when this project is over. [img]/forums/images/icons/tongue.gif[/img]

You could have a little residue left on the blade. Try slowing your speed through the cut down. Is it an ATB (Alternate Top Bevel)? 60 tooth is not a lot considering it's a 12" blade. I use an 80 tooth for fine cuts on my 10" mitre saw.

If it's on the back side of a moulding cut it should'nt really matter.

<font color="purple"> How long before it should need sharpening </font color>

No one single answer to that [img]/forums/images/icons/tongue.gif[/img] as it depends on what it is doing. If you cut aluminum (you can, very easily), it would need sharpening quicker than if you were cutting balsa wood.

In general, during 40 hour a week constant commercial use, ours went out for sharpening every 1-4 months. But most of this was table saw work, which can be harsher than miter box cross-cutting, as many more cuts are long and the blade heats up more.

<font color="blue">Is it an ATB (Alternate Top Bevel)? </font color>

Don't remember. It's at home. Do I want ATB?

Hank, sounds like It shouldn't need sharpening yet. I haven't cut Aluminum on it.

Hazmat,

I would clean it with PVC pipe cleaner to remove the residue. You might have just enough on the tips or edges to cause the breakout.

As to sharpening you should be able to trim a normal sized house plus some before sharpening unless abused.

Carl

I use a 96 tooth Freud on my Dewalt 12" miter saw. I have cut tons of molding w/o any tearout. I don't have the model number handy, but it's pricey... ~$100.

If you just getting tearout on the back side, try using a backer board behind the molding that you're cutting. If you get any tearout, it will be on the backer board and not you piece of molding.

Jim

Jim,

Thanks for the backing board tip. I don't think I'm ready to drop $100 on a new blade yet. I still haven't had a chance to clean the PVC off. The tearout is very minimal, I just rememember it working better when I first got the saw. The two pack of blades cost $60 (not the $50 I had origionally thought)

If there is some splintering all the adjustments may not be properly set.
Keep a cheap throw away blade for the ugly stuff.

Egon

To reduce the splintering try backing the molding up with some other stock. Carbide tips generally are very durable although they are not as sharp initially as steel teeth. For fine molding work I use Forrest blades but they are also in the $100+ range for a 12 inch blade. The DeWalt blade should be OK.

Well I cleaned the PVC residue off the blade (used my new sander). It made a noticable difference.

I took some time to do a little more saw maintainence. I went thru the procedure for squaring up the miter &amp; bevel gauges. The miter was 1/2degree off [img]/forums/images/icons/blush.gif[/img] . I then played around with my new crown molding clamps. Worked well &amp; it was easier for me to tell which "side" of the corner I was working with.

I'm still thinking about the combo blade pack. It would be good to have the 80tooth for molding &amp; the 32 tooth for 2X cutting.