Blade and splinter guard for new track saw

[sammy.se]

Hi
I just got myself the Lidl parkside track saw, and I've been reading up on the splinter guard trimming on this forum and other places. Just want to confirm my understanding here, and ask for some advice on a specific point:

1) My understanding is that if I use the blade that came with the saw, it's a thicker kerf, and so the splinter guard will be trimmed to that kerf. Therefore, if I use a thinner blade in future, then I a) won't be able to line up the splinter guard to the cut line - and b) - I will risk more splinters since the guard will be shy of the cutting line. Am I correct so far?

2) Advice needed: Should I bother to invest in thinner kerf blades?
I don't especially have a need to use a thinner kerf blade, I was just thinking that whenever I do need to buy precision blades, e.g. 48 teeth, I just make sure they are the same thicker kerf and matches the cut line on the guard. The advice I need is - Is this a wrong decision to just stick with thicker blades?

I need to rip boards for cabinets and will need neat lines. I'll be using oak veneered MDF 19mm board soon.

Thanks!!!

 

[MattRoberts]

Point one is correct, though you're unlikely to see a huge difference between a wider kerf blade and a thinner in terms of splinters, unless you're cutting something very brittle like melamine. You can also buy a new splinter guard strip - the festool one is surprisingly affordable considering its festool.

Point two - of you don't have a need for a thinner kerf blade, why bother?

 

[Eric The Viking]

1. What is the official kerf of the supplied blade? If it's the same as Festool/Makita blades (2.4mm IIRC), you have quality alternatives...

2. You can always move the existing splinter strip out a bit (usually held on with DS tape) and cut a new edge on it.

3. It's a 165/20 blade officially I think, meaning either the correct blades for Makita SP6000K or Festool TS55 will fit it. Both give a superb finish. Note: if you use a 160mm blade (Festool and some Makita blades) it will upset the depth scale by 2.5mm!

4. The blurb says (somewhere) that it will run on Festool and compatible rails, and other forum members say that works. So worst case, get a short Festool rail (1.2 or 1.4m) - then at least you don't need a joiner for cutting sheets on the narrow axis.

I have a friend coming over with one tomorrow, so we'll do some measuring if we have time.

HTH, E.

 

[sammy.se]

The blade supplied with the saw is 165mm / 2.6 /1.5
My callipers agree.

My existing blades which i use in my regular circular saw:
My 42 tooth Bosch blade is 160/2.7/1.8 (the blade is inscribed as 2.5mm kerf but my calipers read 2.7)

Ripping blade, bosch, is 165/2.6/1.7, and my calipers agree.

So my ripping blade is the samw kerf as the supplied blade, but I will be working with veneered mdf.

Too many different sizes!!

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[sammy.se]

Point one is correct, though you're unlikely to see a huge difference between a wider kerf blade and a thinner in terms of splinters, unless you're cutting something very brittle like melamine. You can also buy a new splinter guard strip - the festool one is surprisingly affordable considering its festool.

Point two - of you don't have a need for a thinner kerf blade, why bother?

Thanks Matt. I agree, I don't need a thin blade...
Thanks also regarding the tip about new splinter guards.

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[Doug71]

Remember that the arbour on the saw is in a fixed position relative to the rail so even if you used a blade 10 mm thick the extra thickness is always away from the splinter strip.

What matters is the difference between the tooth thickness and the plate thickness, that is what dictates if it will trim more off the splinter strip.

 

[sammy.se]

Remember that the arbour on the saw is in a fixed position relative to the rail so even if you used a blade 10 mm thick the extra thickness is always away from the splinter strip.

What matters is the difference between the tooth thickness and the plate thickness, that is what dictates if it will trim more off the splinter strip.

Of course! Good point. That means 0.55mm, 0.45 and 0.45 respectively for the blades above. So I'm looking at 0.1mm difference. I think i can live with that!


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[MattRoberts]

Remember that the arbour on the saw is in a fixed position relative to the rail so even if you used a blade 10 mm thick the extra thickness is always away from the splinter strip.

That's not strictly true - the carbide teeth are centred on the blade, so thicker teeth will protrude on both sides

 

[Doug71]

Remember that the arbour on the saw is in a fixed position relative to the rail so even if you used a blade 10 mm thick the extra thickness is always away from the splinter strip.

That's not strictly true - the carbide teeth are centred on the blade, so thicker teeth will protrude on both sides

Yes, as I said in the second part of that post (which you have not quoted) it is the difference between the thickness of the plate and the thickness of the teeth that dictate where the blade cuts. For example a blade with 5 mm thick thick teeth and a 4 mm plate will cut in the same place on splinter strip as a blade with 3 mm teeth and 2 mm plate.

 

[Eric The Viking]

Doug you're right, and unfortunately it does matter:

Ignoring the warning on the reseller's web site about incompatibility , I bought a very cheap rip blade for my SP6000k, as I had some actual, real wood to rip. It was a disaster: the blade had a very thin saw plate, and, although the overall kerf was thinner than the proper blades, it cut into the splinter strip, damaging the edge, because the teeth overhung a lot more than the Makita original. And a rip blade doesn't "trim" the splinter strip very cleanly at all.

Also (but unconnected to the splinter strip thing), the Makita doesn't have a riving knife (the Festool does), so when I persevered, I got binding on the long rip cut, and almost some nasty kickback.

Overall not a good experience, and I won't be doing it again.

 

[Rorschach]

I use a thin kerf blade for rough cutting of things like chipboard flooring, I eyeball the offset and its items where mm accuracy isn't important anyway.
For fine cutting I use the parkside blade for some items and for veneers/mfc materials I have a trend fine tooth blade that is the same kerf as the lidl blade (or within about 0.1mm anyway)

 

[sammy.se]

So basically, a new Festool 1400mm splinter guard is ~£10, and a set of tracks (2x700mm) from Lidl was £15 quid, so I got those instead!

2 packs, (4x700mm) was £30 delivered. Not received them yet.

 

[deema]

A 1mm shim washer works well for me placed between the blade and the saw body. About 50p off an auction site.

 

[sammy.se]

A 1mm shim washer works well for me placed between the blade and the saw body. About 50p off an auction site.

Does using washers comprimise the grip of the blade to the saw body?

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[deema]

It’s just what I do, and again it’s just my opinion, but on such a small diameter of blade it doesn’t affect the clamping pressure......its a big diameter proper shim washer.
I can then rough cut on the line knowing I have circa 1mm of clearance if required.