Best Melamine Saw Blade

[Steve Gojevic]

I am going to cut a lot of 3/4" and 1/2" PB melamine (both sides) for kitchen cabinets.

What 10" table saw blades have you used for this task?

Should I get a thin kerf blade? According to one blade guide, a thin kerf blade will leave rougher edges than a standard thickness blade.

I am looking at the Freud LU96r010 ($70) thin-kerf and the Freud LU80R010 ($90) standard-kerf.

Steve

[Larry Edgerton]

I bought one from FS Tool made specifically for Melamine and it was so good that I dropped the scoring blade down and the cuts were still chip free.

Larry

[Steve Gojevic]

Thanks for the suggestion.

I checked their web site and their tools look impressive.

Can I ask how much the blade cost?

Thanks
Steve

[Steve Wurster]

I'm pretty sure I have the LU80R010 and it's awesome. I don't remember if I used it to cut melamine, but I know I've cut plywood with it with no problems. Might have had some very minor tearout with the plywood cross-grain, but for my case those pieces are getting painted. I've also used that blade for general crosscutting of solid wood (birch) and the results were fantastic.

[Doug Richardson]

I have and use a Forrest melamine blade and have only good things to say about it. Well except for the cost, maybe.....
I am assuming that is is a DH10807125 Duraline 10-Inch blade, not at home to actually look at it.....

[Jeff Duncan]

The Freud melamine blades are pretty good, but the Forrest HI-AT blade is a bit better, or maybe I should say, longer lasting, in my experience. Can't remember what I paid, but they are not inexpensive:o

I'm not a fan of thin kerf blades in general unless you have an underpowered saw. Even so for melamine cuts you don;t need a lot of power, so I'd stick with the full kerf.

good luck,
JeffD

[Rod Sheridan]

I have an FS Tools 4000 series TCG blade for melamine, it works extremely well............Rod.

[Harvey Melvin Richards]

I used to make a lot of melamine cabinets and shelving. Any chip out was a failure for me. I tried melamine specific blades and I also had an add on scoring blade for my Unisaw. The most reliable solution for me was to oversize 1/16" and then joint 1/16" off with a carbide bit on my router table.

[Erik Loza]

I've used a bunch of brands over the years. Basically, never found a "bad" melamine blade as long as you are sticking with the premium brands (Forrest, Amana, Freud, etc.) versus the el-cheapo ones from the big-box retail places. "Triple-chip" is the grind you want. Agreed with Jeff: Thin-kerf is for hand-held or chop saws. For an actual table saw, I would go with the heavier blade. Best of luck,

Erik Loza
Minimax USA

[Loren Woirhaye]

An appropriate blade is important. I have a Forrest Hi-AT but it doesn't fit my current saw and I haven't got round to getting it re-bored. The steep alternate bevel grinds are dramatic and the tips can wear, but when they are sharp they score that brittle melamine. Consistent feed is important, so infeed and outfeed support should be considered. Another factor is the quality of the melamine. There are different cores and coating styles available. The stuff at the home centers you can expect to be bottom-rung. A better melamine will be designed for more consistent machining. Call your local plywood specialty warehouse and a salesperson should be able to advise you.

[Peter Quinn]

I've used a bunch of brands over the years. Basically, never found a "bad" melamine blade as long as you are sticking with the premium brands (Forrest, Amana, Freud, etc.) versus the el-cheapo ones from the big-box retail places. "Triple-chip" is the grind you want. Agreed with Jeff: Thin-kerf is for hand-held or chop saws. For an actual table saw, I would go with the heavier blade. Best of luck,

Erik Loza
Minimax USA

Ditto my experience. I'm using a Dewalt labeled blade from England, not sure who makes it, was a close out/demo type thing my local place sold me for next to nothing, marked $120 originally. The config is 80z High ATB TCG. The very high wings in the ATB tips do the fine scoring while the triple chip teeth do the bulk cutting and keep the skinny teeth from dulling quickly. Good melamine blades are usually some of the more expensive blades given the high teeth and complex grind, so mine only gets used for melamine or fine plywood veneers.

[Bruce Wrenn]

I own three different melamine blades (DeWalt, Amana, and Leitz). Leitz and Amana are HATB, and DeWalt is triple chip. Cuts are about the same. By doing a scoring cut (blade raised about 1'8") first, and then a through cut, I can eliminate almost all chip out.

[Loren Woirhaye]

Bruce, do you have a working method for doing that that consolidates the height setting changes?

[scott spencer]

A Hi-ATB should leave the cleanest cut, but will dull faster than any other grind. A triple chip grind (TCG) will have the longest edge life. A good thin kerf should blade not cause increased tearout, but whether or not to use a TK blade depends on your saw. The Freud LU80, Infinity 010-080, Forrest Duraline, or CMT 210.080.10 should all do well depending on how much you're cutting.

[Curt Harms]

I own three different melamine blades (DeWalt, Amana, and Leitz). Leitz and Amana are HATB, and DeWalt is triple chip. Cuts are about the same. By doing a scoring cut (blade raised about 1'8") first, and then a through cut, I can eliminate almost all chip out.

That's what I've done as well but it'd be pretty slow if you had a lot of cuts to make, running each piece through twice. I thought there might be a 'step' between the passes but I couldn't see or feel any. First pass just to cut through the coating, second pass to cut all the way through.

[Stew Hagerty]

I use a Freud LU96 Thin Kerf Laminate/Melamine blade which is excellent, but I also have used my LU79 (thin kerf version of the LU80) with good results as well. However, the LU96 (LU97 is the standard kerf size) gives a cleaner cut, especially if you are concerned about how the back side looks.

[John TenEyck]

I've used the Freud Melamine blade with good results, but the LM1080 from Popular Tools cuts better. It leaves essentially chip free edges on both sides in one pass. It was around $100, which I thought was reasonable compared to competitive blades.

John

[Jeff Duncan]

I forgot to mention this the first time around. Once you get your blade you also need to play around to set the height correctly. This isn't all that important for most things, but for 2 sided melamine cuts which are arguably the hardest to get completely clean, you have to dial it in a bit. Too low and you'll get some chipping on top, too high and the bottom will start to chip. I find somewhere in the neighborhood of 3/8" - 1/2" above the work is usually the sweet spot.

good luck,
JeffD

[Art Mann]

I have been cutting a lot of Melamine lately and I just use my 90 tooth thin kerf crosscut blade. I get flawless cuts every time but I always apply masking tape over the cut line on both sides of the material. It is more trouble than using a dedicated Melamine blade but I don't use Melamine often enough to justify a blade just for that purpose. The technique might be something to consider.