How to cut laminated chipboard without chipping
So, I collected a sufficient amount of material and decided to write another analytical note. This time the topic is sawing laminated chipboard without chipping .
There is a fairly fair opinion that it is possible to cleanly saw laminated chipboard only using professional equipment (that is, a format-cutting machine).
The whole highlight of this machine is that it has two saw blades, located strictly on the same axis. The first one cuts the chipboard, the second one cuts it right through.
The cost of this unit is about 700,000 - 1,000,000 rubles (of course, there are more expensive ones))). NOT VERY ACCEPTABLE FOR AN Amateur.
Of course, if you decide to make a cabinet with your own hands. then it’s better to order a sheet cut (five square meters piece) in the workshop, and then calmly assemble it. BUT WHAT TO DO IF YOU MAKE A MISTAKE IN THE CALCULATIONS AND YOU NEED TO CUT A PIECE OFF. I don’t want to drag myself back to the workshop, but I need to cut.
This article aims to answer this question. The review of options will go from simple to complex. Unfortunately, not all methods will be illustrated (please forgive me in advance), I will try to compensate for this shortcoming with text????
Method 1 - Scratch
The old-fashioned way. Previously it was used for sawing Soviet laminated chipboard coated with a thick layer of varnish. Nowadays it is rarely used. Using a ruler, use an awl or a simple nail to scratch a marking line to the thickness of the decorative coating.
After this, we saw along the line, trying to ensure that the edges of the saw teeth fall exactly into the scratch and not go past it. You can cut with either a jigsaw or a hand saw.
In principle, in the photo on the right you can see that all the chips remained on the piece without a scratch, and they did not go beyond the scratched line.
Detailed tutorial on this method 
The cut is much cleaner than when sawing without a scratch, but chips do occur. It is difficult to keep the tool strictly along the line. So slow.
Short cuts of acceptable quality can be made with a simple jigsaw. To do this, several conditions must be met. 
Firstly, the file must be with minimum size teeth (that is, for metal) and a new one. In this case, on one side (where the teeth enter the material) the cut will be almost clean. On the opposite side, there will be chips, but relatively few.
Secondly, the tool must be fed smoothly, without pressure. The speed should not be set to maximum (slightly above average.
The disadvantage of the method is that it is quite difficult to maintain the strict straightness of the cut, as well as the presence small quantity chipped
Method 3 - Circular saw
To work with a circular saw, we need a “finishing” saw blade (again, with small tooth). It is more convenient to make long straight cuts with circular saws than with a jigsaw. But in this case, much more chips are formed (the side where the teeth cut into the material (top) is usually clean. Pieces break off from the opposite side (bottom)).
You can cut like a free-flying saw (it’s quite difficult to guide exactly along the line). It is difficult to cut several identical parts - there is a lot of hassle with markings. 
Same with a saw fixed to the table. When using guides, sawing is much more convenient. Both hands are free. You can use a guide, which will increase the cutting accuracy and allow you to stamp identical parts.
Even if you use a finishing disc, there will be a lot of chips on one side.
Method 4 - Sawing with trimming
This is a modification of working with circular saw. Ideally, this will require a plunge-cut saw. but, in principle, you can get by with an ordinary circular saw. To work, we need a ruler (tire), which is fixed to the workpiece with clamps. It can be purchased or homemade (in the photo there is a simple circular with a homemade tire). 
The whole trick is to, by analogy with a cutting machine, make two cuts strictly along the same line.
Cutting along a tire (long ruler) will help us with this. The tire is placed according to marking line, after which we first make the first cut, trimming the laminate, with a depth of about 6-10 mm. In this case, the teeth run almost parallel to the surface of the laminate, without tearing out pieces of it. 
If you enlarge the photo it will look something like this
The second cut is through. At the same time, as we remember, no chips are formed at the point where the tooth enters the material. And at the exit point, the laminate has already been cut off and there is nothing to prick.
This is a good way to trim incorrectly marked parts, but you can’t cut the entire cabinet this way. Chips, of course, are present, but in an amount quite comparable to the formatter (it also, secretly, leaves a small number of small chips). A lot of hassle with markings. Only straight cuts can be made.
Provides the cleanest possible edge to the workpiece, the quality is no different from the formatter, often even better.
With it, we first saw the workpiece with a jigsaw, retreating 2-3 mm from the marking line, and then align the line according to the template (I usually use a second piece of laminated chipboard, sawed on a format saw, of a suitable size). The cutter must be copying, that is, with a bearing. 
Very clean cut. The ability to carry out curved cuts, that is, the production of many radius parts. including several completely identical ones. Disadvantages - a lot of hassle: the need for precise marking, preliminary filing of workpieces, setting a template or tire for the router, that is, it is not very suitable for mass use.
http://ruki-zolotye.ru
In general, I have already considered this in a review article, which was devoted to without the use of a format-cutting machine.
Today I decided to dwell in more detail on a method that is accessible to most DIYers - sawing with a jigsaw, since this tool is very widespread. In this lesson I used a household jigsaw Skill 4581LA, by the way, a very good machine.
For the highest quality cut, the following conditions must be met:
- the file should be fine-toothed (a metal file is optimal)
- sawing is carried out at medium speed
In addition, for a cleaner cut, we will use a modification called “scratch” sawing. Its essence lies in the fact that the laminate is scratched to its full depth and its pieces, torn out by the saw teeth, do not extend beyond the scratch boundary. For clarity, here are a few photos.
You need to scratch along the ruler (with any sharp object - I used a perk drill, or you can even use a self-tapping screw.) To prevent the ruler from moving during the scratching process, I additionally secured it with a clamp - maybe a couple.
We scratch to the full depth of the laminate, that is, until sawdust appears in the scratch. 
Then we take the jigsaw and move it so that the file goes as close as possible to the edge of the scratch, without going beyond this border. 
Thus, chips are formed only on the unnecessary side, without going beyond our marking line 
Once again the same cut upon completion. It can be seen that minimal chips still remain, although they can also be found on professional equipment. But the evenness of the cut leaves much to be desired. 
Of course, there are unique people who can cut quite smoothly with a jigsaw. I'm not one of those people. Of course, the class of the tool itself also plays a significant role. As a rule, the file of inexpensive tools is not as stable as in professional models. Due to this, it is pulled towards the sawing.
All in all, this method has a right to exist, but I wouldn’t recommend putting it on stream.
The file must be placed close to the cutting line. The guide is compressed with the platform side. After this, they begin cutting.
The tool moves forward smoothly and the platform is carefully controlled. The platform and guide must move closer to each other so that nothing moves. The sawn-off part must be carefully held with a few centimeters remaining to the end. Then the part will not break off.
What to do if you have problems with accuracy
- The main requirement is reliable fastening of the material for which processing is required. In addition, cutting should be convenient for the person himself.
- It is better to use guides if there are serious doubts that a person will cope with the work. For example, wooden block will be an excellent guide for straight cuts. It is simply secured along the markings. It is much more difficult when the shape of the future product is quite complex. Then the use of patterns is recommended. Otherwise, the speed of work will have to be reduced so that the result is more accurate.
- Problems with the saw are one of the most common problems during cutting. There is a possibility of chipping and dullness. It is better to inspect it if it is noticeable that the instrument is moving strongly to the side.
- If there are jerks, there is a possibility that the cut will move to the side. Other failures in the instrument also lead to a decrease in accuracy. It is recommended to begin eliminating such problems immediately, on the spot.
- The skill of the performer himself also affects the accuracy of the final work.
Professional secrets
It is necessary to check how firmly the canvas is fastened.
This mechanism may have its own characteristics depending on the manufacturer.
To work with any cutting tools, the fastening of the blade, its general position, is really important.
A useful device will be one that is responsible for removing sawdust. Its operating principle is very simple. There is a flow of air from the fan cooling the motor.
It is used to remove debris. The removal system makes the cut line more visible to the master's eye.
The drill can be easily changed when cutting holes using a technique called "pocketing". To do this, just tilt the jigsaw forward, then the rounded tips will rest on the surface being cut.
The blade should be positioned above the future cutting line with maximum precision. You need to lower the support saw horizontally, and then continue to practice.
For such work, marks are first made inside the material, and then, following them, the tool itself is drawn. If the shape is square or rectangular, the blade is pulled back slightly before the craftsman moves the tool to the next side. And so all four are processed.
The use of plunge cutting is permissible if it is impossible to create holes of the required dimensions. To do this, the jigsaw tilts forward until the file reaches the workpiece. Gradually during this process a through hole appears.
What else you need to know about working with a jigsaw
At its core, this device- This is an ordinary saw, only equipped with an electric motor. It is recommended to take it for carpentry work if it is necessary to cut surfaces with wide, smooth sides.
In this case, the instrument itself remains in place. Movement is organized only by the material that needs processing.
The cut is made from the back side, then its characteristics will please you.
- Machine oil for lubrication is needed if you are working with metal or tiles.
- Cold water should cool the cut line when processing metal.
- Personal protection cannot be provided without glasses and gloves.
- Plastic is processed with a jigsaw only from the rear, otherwise it is impossible to obtain an even cut.
A special plate is attached to the support sole of the jigsaw; it allows for greater accuracy. This makes the saw blades move smoother over the surface. Any will be cut evenly.
About the types of instruments
First of all, they can be professional or household. Professional means that the device will have more power. It is usually 580-720 W. But for household ones it is less, from only 320 watts. But this is quite enough for a small amount of work at home.
The higher the power of the tool, the thicker the material it can handle without problems.
Any type of tool can handle creating holes up to 15 mm. But we must take into account that jigsaws, which have the lowest speed of 1000 rpm, cannot even cope with plastic.
Jigsaws are sometimes divided into groups depending on how the saw is mounted on them. For example, for a shank with a hole, smooth or cross-shaped. The last two types have become the most common because they are best suited for home tools.
Design and its features
Each jigsaw has a so-called support sole. It always rests on the part that needs to be sawed. Due to this, the accuracy of work is noticeably increased.
The soleplate can be easily rotated to make bevel cuts. Some manufacturers produce in which the main tool is fixed only at a certain angle.
The file acts as the main cutting tool. Tooth spacing, sharpening method, size, shape, materials - literally every model has its own. 75, 85 and 100 millimeters are the most suitable lengths if you need to cut materials of low density. The saw step size also becomes a fairly important parameter.
- Metal requires a pitch of 12 millimeters.
- U wooden products it is from 2.5 to 4.
About additional accessories
No special effort is required to obtain maximum results. The tool can work as a separate device, without any additions. But there are parts that can improve the performance of a regular jigsaw.
You can learn how to cut with a jigsaw without chipping from the video:
So, I collected a sufficient amount of material and decided to write another analytical note. This time the topic is sawing laminated chipboard without chipping.
There is a fairly fair opinion that it is possible to cleanly saw laminated chipboard only using professional equipment (that is, a format-cutting machine).
The whole highlight of this machine is that it has two saw blades located strictly on the same axis. The first one cuts the chipboard, the second one cuts it right through.
The cost of this unit is about 700,000 - 1,000,000 rubles (of course, there are more expensive ones))). NOT VERY ACCEPTABLE FOR AN Amateur.
This is a good way to trim incorrectly marked parts, but you can’t cut the entire cabinet this way. Chips, of course, are present, but in an amount quite comparable to the formatter (it also, secretly, leaves a small number of small chips). A lot of hassle with markings. Only straight cuts can be made.
Method 5 - Fraser
Provides the cleanest possible edge to the workpiece, the quality is no different from the formatter, often even better.
With it, we first saw the workpiece with a jigsaw, retreating 2-3 mm from the marking line, and then align the line according to the template (I usually use a second piece of laminated chipboard, sawed on a format saw, of a suitable size). must be copying, that is, with a bearing.
Very clean cut. The possibility of making curved cuts, that is, making many, including several completely identical ones. Disadvantages - a lot of hassle: the need for precise marking, preliminary filing of workpieces, setting a template or tire for the router, that is, it is not very suitable for mass use.
