Replies

1. 
   RalphWicklund | Jan 17, 2005 09:01am | #1

   Not really. If you'll notice, most of the tear out you see is at the fence side of the piece. When the blade moves through the material it is actually cutting upward from the bottom, cutting and pulling the fibers into the wood until the blade exits at the fence and then the fibers are pushed into the air.

   If you are seeing an excess of tearout then I would suspect a dull blade.

   I'm assuming you meant an LS1013.

   If you meant a straight chop saw then I would qualify the answer and say that the plastic inserts could help with tearout but only if you started with a solid plastic piece and kerfed your own zero clearance insert.

   The blade on a straight chopsaw style cuts into the material on the downstroke and exits pulling the fibers downward out of the material. There may be more noticable tear out on the bottom as well as the fence side of the material because of this. Again, a dull blade can make a mess of your work.

   When I'm using my LS1013 I prefer to fix the head if possible and use it as a chopsaw (width of the material permitting) because I get a better face cut that way. Pushing the slider through the workpiece, if you look closely, pulls the fibers UP through the face of the workpiece. I'm always fussy about the sharpening of my blades for just that reason.

1. 
   Sphere | Jan 17, 2005 04:12pm | #2

   The job I am curently on (I am roofing it) the trimmer dude was installing a 1x6 T&G cherry cieling. Useing a Hitachi slider he would score the face (face up cutting) by lightly making a forward cut, then plunge full cut pushing back through the score.I did not see a noticeable advantage till I saw how DULL his blade was..LOL..he HAD to do that to keep the cut from looking like a chainsaw cut.Blades make all diference in quality and speed. 

   Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks

   Watch out for the edges, it's really fast out there...

    

    

2. 
   capecodda | Jan 17, 2005 07:39pm | #3

   I use a 90+ toothed fiish blade on my 12 in. slide,and when it's sharp there's not too much tear out, but when it gets dull I choose the side of the wood that will be least visible and put it up against the fence. If tear-out is not an option, I use a long, straight piece of scrap to sister the cutting piece against the fence. This way their is no void to blow out the back of your working piece.

1. 
   fossil | Jan 18, 2005 08:41pm | #4

   I guess it's partly a cheap blade, one of those trade in shelving blades that you pay $35 for the first time and return it and pay $12.  I can't seem to find a blade as good as the original LS 1013 when I need it.

   I had it sharpened once, for $25 and that was good for awhile, but it seemed to dull quickly, probably from the hardened finish being filed off.

   I was recycling a lot of old school  rough cut fir and removing as many nails as I could see, but sometimes a sawsall hides those beefy nails.  Nothing like hitting one of those big nails buried in the wood with a $100 plus blade.

   So if I go to Tool Crib and buy a blade in advance for mostly trim work and some recycled 2x, which one is the do all for paint grade finish work.  I know you all have your opinions, but a good all around choice.

   If the plastic inserts are chipped no big deal then?  Thanks for the advice