Blade for cutting Corian?

[Kev Godwin]

I want to try some experiments with cutting slots and grooves in Corian and filling the slots with colored epoxy for highlights. (Then sand to smooth the top.)

I've cut a modest amount of Corain in the past but not much.

Should I use my triple-chip blade in my tablesaw for this? Or another tooth configuration? Thanks Creekers.
Kev

[Mike Henderson]

I took a solid surface class and they recommended a negative rake blade for cutting the material.

Mike

[Kev Godwin]

Mike,
A negative rake like the blades I mostly use on the miter saw? Is that to prevent possible edge chip-out? Thx.
Kev

[Mike Henderson]

I don't know the theory behind it, I just remember that's what they recommended. Maybe it's to prevent the material from being "pulled" into the blade. I'm pretty sure the original recommendation came from the manufacturers.

I didn't care for solid surface fabrication so I kind of forgot much of what was taught. That stuff is heavy and dirty when cutting, drilling and sanding.

Mike

[Karl Brogger]

Mike,
A negative rake like the blades I mostly use on the miter saw? Is that to prevent possible edge chip-out? Thx.
Kev


Yep, Negative hook is to help keep it from chipping out. Solid surface cuts pretty well, but pretty slowly. Any 80T melamine blade would be a good choice. In fact I'm not sure that there is any difference in the blades. Been a long time since I worked for the only company where I was exposed to it.


Wear a dust mask. That crap is bad for you. I believe neurological issues is how its worded in the MSDS.

[Gary Muto]

I'm no expert but I have brochure from Freud. They make two blades for cutting solid surface material; LU95R and LU95M. Both have 72 teeth, triple chip grind and zero degree hook angle. AFAIK the R has a red coating and the M has a silver coating. There may be other differences that the brochure does not state. HTH.

[Howard Acheson]

Corian was developed to be machined with carbide tipped tooling. Use whatever carbide blades you have. I'd use the highest tooth blades you have.

I've cut a bit of Corian with a 60 tooth saw blade and a high tooth count saber saw blade.

[Glen Butler]

I bought my table saw from a solid surface contractor. He used a 30 tooth found here. http://www.freudtools.com/p-34-glue-line-rippingbr-nbsp.aspx

But freud makes a specific solid surface blade found here http://www.freudtools.com/p-42-solid-surfacebr-nbsp.aspx

[Brian Gumpper]

[QUOTE=Karl Brogger;1275323]Any 80T melamine blade would be a good choice. In fact I'm not sure that there is any difference in the blades. Been a long time since I worked for the only company where I was exposed to it.[QUOTE]

I never cut corian but I'm sure a TCG blade is recommended because it's harder than wood and the TCG is the most durable and longest wearing grind. Many of the 80T melamine blades today are H-ATB which is the quickest dulling blade due to the sharp side bevel but do cut the cleanest which is why they are good for cabinet grade plywood.

So, if you get a melamine blade, make sure it's a TCG and not H-ATB.

[Gerry Grzadzinski]

Regardless of the blade, you should cut it face down, as it will usually chip on the top side, opposite of wood.

[Keith Outten]

Slots and grooves for Corian inlay work are best cut with a router bit rather than a saw blade. A router bit always leaves a pristine edge so sharp it will cut your fingers so be careful when handling Corian.

I haven't had good luck cutting Corian on my table saw, there is always a bit of edge chiping no matter what blade I have used. Surprisingly when I use an edge guide and my circular saw the cut is almost as good as routing, even with a very cheap OEM blade.
.

[John A langley]

Kev- You can do all your rough cutting with a carbide blade in a table saw or skill saw. Do all your finish cuts with top mounted bearing router bit and templates and straight edges If you some for reason you cannot get clamps on the template you can always hot-melt glue the template to the solid surface and as stated before, be real careful with the edges. Break them with a fine piece of sandpaper. Most of the manufacturers of solid surfaces recommend final cut with a router bit and if you want to drill holes in it they recommend that you use only a good quality hole saw. You can download a manual for Hi-Mac.

[Blake-Kagen]

For Solid Surface we use "sharp" 60 tooth TCG " blades and very seldom get any chip out on the edges. We do Corian, Gibraltar, High Macs and Avonite brands. Our best cutting TCG blade is made by Amada and cost us about $39.00 w/s. We sharpen them one time and then the 3rd time we use them for plywood and melamine. You can also score the bottom of the material before you do a final cut and have the same results as you get on the top side.
Difficult to think about that when you're moving a 30" x 144" piece across a table saw that weighs about 5 lbs. per square foot but we do it. We also keep the saw top and the infeed and outfeed tables waxed daily when we're running the solid materials. The blade that we use is also a thin kerf blade. Two blades usually last us a year before we have to switch them out. We use Whiteside router bits but any good carbide bit will do just fine. We're usually running at least one top a week and sometimes more.

[Kev Godwin]

Thanks for those comments and recommendations about blades and techniques.

I won't be cutting grooves in very large pieces. I think I'll try it on the tablesaw as well as the router table. Thanks for that suggestion!:)

Creekers Rock!
Kev

[Jim O'Dell]

I'm a little late to the party here because of internet delivery problems (:mad::mad::mad:). I've cut a little bit of Corian, not much, but used a Systimatic 60 tooth blade for plastics. It is a triple chip blade, and did a great job. Jim.

[Ken Dolph]

The best blade that I use for Corian is the Forrest Solid Surface Planer. It is a Triple chip Blade. It sounds like it is cuting chocolate. A very important tip regardless of the blade is to cut slowly. About 30 inches per minute is best. You will get less fine dust and your cut will be straighter. When we slowed down here our blades lasted 11 times as long between sharpenings.

Do not use a blade with more than 60 teeth on a 10 inch blade.

Keith is right making slots with a router is best.

Hope this helps
Ken