I need to rip a sheet of hardie board into strips. I do not want to buy a sawblade. This is a one time deal. I’d rather use one of my old cheap blades. What kind of old saw blade should I use? A high tooth count or low tooth count?
[OP]
Contributor
I need to rip a sheet of hardie board into strips. I do not want to buy a sawblade. This is a one time deal. I’d rather use one of my old cheap blades. What kind of old saw blade should I use? A high tooth count or low tooth count?
Member
Ben definitely the lower count blade. I just purchased a blade for my skilsaw (7 1/4") the other day, it only has four teeth.
Member
Yep, less teeth is better. I think I used a 24 tooth on my tablesaw as it was an old blade and it worked fine. 18 or less would be even better.
Wear a good mask, that stuff is terrible for you.
Contributor
The last time I did it I bought one of those cut off wheels for cement that fit a circular saw for dirt cheap at the local hardware store. I used a circular saw that I had kicking around forever and I wetted the sheet down with water and it was still like a cloud of dust. I came to the conclusion that all I needed to do was cut one side just deep enough to cut the fiberglass and then it can be snapped like sheetrock, but that was cement board. I think with Hardie board you'll need to cut all the way through. I did try with an old carbide blade but the small pieces of cement were flying everywhere. Maybe Hardie board will cut better with an old saw blade.
Contributor
You cut fiber cement board on a table saw? That can't be good for the trunion or elevation gears!Originally Posted by Jamie Hoskins
Member
It was 3 rips about 3' long each. I wanted them to be exact. I have also cut aluminum using a non-ferrous blade. I don't know if it will cause issues or not, but I don't do enough of it to get too worried about it.
Contributor
Aluminum is way different than cement board. Not much dust to get in the gears and trunion grooves with aluminum.
Member
I cut hardie backer with a 4.5" angle grinder running a $8 diamond blade.
Contributor
Don't forget to wear a mask. You don't want to inhale that dust !
Contributor
Utility knife...score several times and snap off. The dust is not as big factor. Use a table top edge as a fulcrum when snapping. Maybe this is n/a for your application.
Member
Get a shear. No dust, fast and accurate.
[OP]
Contributor
Well, fudge. That didn’t work. Used an old non carbide combination blade on the cabinet saw. Apparently was smaller than the riving knife. Removed the riving knife. Seems like the blade got hot and quit cutting. Quit feeding. Teeth were turning red. Dust collection was great, though. Made one rip with the skill saw. It cut, but was way too dusty for the garage shop. I’m done with this little experiment. Just gonna go my some cheap trim boards for my deer stand. Thought I could trim it out and make it last longer for a $50 sheet of hardie board. Live and learn.
Contributor
I use a little HF 4" skilsaw with a water hookup. The slurry quickly flows and hides any lines you try to follow. I did make a few outlet box cuts with a router in a template so I did not have to see what I did. Clouds of dust and a shower after. The 4x8 sheets were the closest I could match to 70's masonite pannels that was all going to be painted anyway?
Bill D.
After I was done I realized I should have set up a sprinkler downwind to bring down the blowing dust.
Moderator
I had to put a 4" hole thorough our Hardiboard siding a year or so ago to relocate a dryer vent. I went through two hole saws before resorting to my Festool Jigsaw and several additional blades. That's for a cut of just the circumference of a 4" circle through about 1/4" of material. Nasty stuff to cut...you really need tooling appropriate for cement board. And no way would I do this on my table saw for the reasons already mentioned.
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The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...
Member
The saw blades made for it use industrial diamond teeth.
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