In general, I have already considered this in a review article, which was devoted to without the use of a panel saw.

Today I decided to dwell in more detail on the method available to most DIYers - this is sawing with a jigsaw, since this tool is very widespread. In this lesson, I used the Skill 4581LA household jigsaw, by the way, a very good machine.

For the highest quality cut, the following conditions must be met

• the file should be fine-toothed (a file for metal is optimal)
• sawing is carried out at medium speed

in addition, for greater cleanliness of the cut, we will use such a modification as "scratch" sawing. Its essence lies in the fact that the laminate is scratched to the full depth and its pieces, pulled out by the saw teeth, do not go beyond the scratch boundary. For clarity, I will give a few photos.

You need to scratch along the ruler (any sharp object- I used a perk drill, but you can even use a self-tapping screw.) To prevent the ruler from moving during the scratching process, I additionally fixed it with a clamp - you can use a couple.

We scratch to the full depth of the laminate, that is, until sawdust appears in the scratch.

Then we take up the jigsaw, and drive it so that the file goes as close as possible to the edge of the scratch, while not going beyond this border.

Thus, chips are formed only on the unnecessary side, without going beyond our marking line.

Once again the same cut after its completion. It can be seen that minimal chips still remain, although they can be found on professional equipment. But the evenness of the cut leaves much to be desired.

Of course, there are unique people who can cut with a jigsaw quite smoothly. I'm not one of those. Of course, the class of the instrument itself also plays a significant role. As a rule, with inexpensive tools, the file is not as stable as in professional models... Due to this, it is taken away to the side of sawing.

In general, this method has a right to exist, but I would not recommend putting it on the stream.

Any home craftsman sooner or later is faced with the need to cut chipboard. It can be making furniture with your own hands or wall cladding. MDF panels or chipboard. As you know, it is not difficult to cut chipboard, but making the cut even and without chips is not an easy task.

Do it yourself or order?

Custom cut will be smoother

High-quality sawing of chipboard is difficult to do manually due to the large size of the sheets. Dimensions (edit) standard plate 2440 × 1200, and this is not the limit. However, if you quite often work with chipboard or MDF, it makes sense to get an expensive tool and work for your own pleasure. If you only need to cut a few sheets, you can go in two ways:

• Cut the slabs yourself using the available hand tool;
• Order sawing chipboard in a specialized workshop.

What to choose is up to you, and we will consider each of these options.

Cutting panels at home

Sawn by hand chipboard sheet or chipboard is quite real. True, in this case you are unlikely to be able to avoid the appearance of chips and burrs, but you can try to reduce their number and size.

There are several rules that should be followed when cutting chipboard panels:

• cutting sheets must be done on a flat, hard surface. Two large tables can be adapted for sawing large panels (their height must be the same!);
• in order to exclude the appearance of chips, stick adhesive tape or good masking tape along the cutting line, which will hold the edges of the laminated layer;
• For sawing with a hand saw, select a blade with a fine tooth. Saw teeth should be well sharpened. You need to drive the saw with slight pressure, under acute angle to the surface, constantly monitoring its position;
• for cutting chipboard and chipboard boards with a jigsaw, the saw line should be scratched or even cut through. It is best to use a sharp knife to cut through the durable layer of the laminate;
• install a file with a fine reverse tooth;
• select the maximum speed of the jigsaw, turn off the "pendulum";
• fasten a flat rail along the saw cut line and move the jigsaw strictly along it;
• the jigsaw should be firmly pressed against the surface to be sawn.

All these recommendations help to properly saw and cut the chipboard, but chips, nevertheless, cannot be completely avoided. Therefore, if it is so important to get perfectly smooth, straight line cut, without chips and saw marks, you should contact specialized workshops, where any figure will be cut out of a chipboard sheet for you for a reasonable fee.

Precision and quality

Precise cutting is the key to success

Panel saws for sawing laminated chipboard and chipboard have a high cut quality, which allows you to reduce the subsequent costs of processing sections (grinding, removing chips and burrs, and so on). That is why on such machines it is possible to cut any complexity and configuration, which means almost inexhaustible possibilities in the production of furniture. Fancy children's furniture, comfortable tabletops computer tables, curly through carved decorations in the doors kitchen facades- all this is possible when using machine tools.

There are two types of panel cutting machines:

• vertical, representing a strong rigid vibration-resistant welded bed (frame), installed vertically with a backward deflection of 50 °, with guides located above and below, along which the saw beam moves. It is a bracket for the saw unit, which moves up and down along the beam, and also rotates 90 °, which allows you to make both vertical and horizontal cuts. The precision of the cut is amazing. For sawing laminated chipboard, as well as hard, corrugated or porous boards, a special scoring unit is used. The saw rotation frequency reaches 15 thousand revolutions per minute;
• horizontal, consisting of a table for a plate, carriages for moving the saw along the sawing mechanism and the sawing mechanism itself, consisting of one or two cutting units. The cutting units themselves are equipped with a main saw and a scoring saw. The principle of operation is simple: the main saw cuts deeply into the chipboard, and the scoring saw precisely and precisely cuts the bottom edge (veneer or laminated surface). The saw unit can also be tilted up to 45 °.

The miter saw is a "domesticated" and heavily scaled-down copy of a horizontal saw. It will not be possible to cut a wide sheet of chipboard or chipboard on it, but with small details she can handle it perfectly.

We saw other types of panels

Cutting MDF is different from cutting chipboard panels. High density material quickly dulls the saw teeth, so it often has to be sharpened or completely changed. You can cut unfinished MDF on a conventional machine, but laminated board requires a machine with an additional bottom saw. This is especially important when sawing slabs with a double-sided finish.

Fibreboard can be cut at home using an electric or hand jigsaw... Of course, the file must be sharp, with a fine tooth; the maximum speed must be set on the jigsaw. Install the fiberboard horizontally on a support that should not interfere with sawing (between two tables or chairs, for example), secure, if necessary, with clamps.

The electric jigsaw should be held with two hands, pressing firmly to the surface, move smoothly, strictly along the line of the marking, without jerking or pressing. The same applies to working with a hand jigsaw.

In the case when it is necessary to cut a lot of sheets of material, it is more convenient to contact a specialized company. This will save you time and effort.

Video on sawing chipboard using a circular saw

It is not always easy to cut a chipboard beautifully and without chips. See how to do it right:

V this material we will touch upon such a topical issue for the garages, who deal with laminated chipboard furniture, how to cut chipboard without chips. In fact, the question is quite topical, because professional equipment(panel saw) which is used for cutting in furniture shops, costs about a million rubles, which is not affordable for everyone, and the area for its placement should be slightly larger than the standard 18 sq. meters. A feature of such machines is the presence of two saw blades (the first is a small scoring and the second is the main one, which follows exactly after it). What can replace such a machine in an amateur workshop?

The most optimal, in my opinion, replacement is submersible a circular saw complete with guide rail. We’ll talk about it today.

Personally, I use an Elitech plunge-cut saw - this is a domestic budget model, which, despite its simplicity, allows you to achieve good results.

Professional models (for example, Festool saws, saw even better, but also cost 5 times more).

So, how is a plunge-cut circular saw different from a conventional circular saw? Firstly, with its spring-loaded working part with a depth stop. Due to this, it is very easy to set and change the depth of cut, in addition, the "head" returns to its original position on its own in the absence of operator pressure. Secondly, these are the obligatory grooves on the sole for integration with the guide rail. Thirdly, it is a rigid structure that excludes backlash (the cut takes place strictly in one place).

The tire itself is equipped with an anti-splinter tape (as a rule, it is a tape made of hard rubber - the black strip on the right)

The tape presses the laminate flooring, preventing pieces of it from coming off at the points where the teeth of the saw blade exit. The tire also has grooves for fixing on the workpiece with clamps and tapes for easier sliding (red stripes).

By the way, the Festool saw is equipped with anti-splinters on the side opposite to the tire, which makes the cut clean on both sides of the blade.

The tire itself is rigidly attached to the workpiece and does not move. Fixation is carried out with special clamps (their shape is somewhat different from the standard F-shaped ones. The price, by the way, is the same).

All these features allow you to cut in two passes. The first is not deep cuts upper layer laminate. The second one cuts through to the full depth. At the same time, there is no more material at the point of exit of the tooth from the workpiece, therefore there is nothing to pull out, respectively, chips are not formed. This is all in theory. Let's see how this is all done in practice.

The markup is quite traditional. Using a tape measure, mark the start and end points of the cut (you can use a carpenter's square).

We draw a marking line, connecting these risks.

Along the line, set the guide rail so that the edge of the splinter-resistant tape is aligned with the markings.

Please note that the tire lies on the part that should remain (there will be no chips on it - the tape on the tire will help). On a vaulted piece, they are possible due to the absence of an insert on the saw itself.

You can, of course, cut by laying chipboard sheet on the workbench, but this damages the surface of the workbench and you need to use replaceable tabletops (I do not do this, although with large pieces this may be the only correct method).

The bus is fastened to the workpiece with a pair of F-shaped clamps inserted into special grooves on the bus.

We take a saw in our hands and set 11-12 mm on the depth regulator, which corresponds to 5-6 mm of cutting depth (the tire itself "eats" about 5 mm).

We put the saw on the tire, aligning the grooves on the sole with the protrusions on the tire.

We make the first shallow cut. The photo shows that there is a small amount of chips on the part of the workpiece uncovered with the tape.

And one more photo from a different angle.

And close-up

Change the depth to 35-40 mm and make a second through cut without changing the position of the tire.

Having removed the tire, we see a fairly accurate cut that does not require additional processing.

Separately photographed the part after removing the tire from above

And from the bottom side.

By the way, the bottom cut is traditionally "cleaner" because in this place the teeth of the disc only cut into the material, they pull it out at the exit.

I will also note one important fact. Work with sharp discs. The disc used in this lesson is already pretty "tired" and requires editing. I think that with a zero disk, there would be no chips at all.

In addition to the sharpness of the teeth, the cut quality is also strongly influenced by the material being cut. There are more caustic coatings and more durable coatings... In this example, boards of 16 mm laminated chipboard Lamarty were used - one of the best domestic boards. Chipboard Egger or Kronospan are much more susceptible to chipping, and I would most likely not have had such a result with this disc.

All these moments come with experience, it's up to you to get a divorce to buy this device.

In principle, it is possible to cut in "two passes" and with ordinary circulars with homemade guide rails, the main thing is that the sole does not dangle, but it is less convenient to do this than with plunge saws, primarily due to the inconvenience of rearranging the cutting depth.

Everyone knows that laminated chipboard is our chipboard, which is covered with a paper-resin film. The lamination process is in progress special conditions: pressure 25-28 MPa, temperature 140-210 ° C. The surface is solid, smooth and beautiful. Chipboard coating is very resistant to mechanical stress and thermal stress. Because of these qualities, laminated chipboard has become simply necessary for furniture production and for interior decoration.

Some craftsmen like to make furniture on their own. They acquire Chipboard good quality from manufacturers or in special hardware stores. Since the color gamut of laminated chipboard is very rich, you can easily choose required material. Chipboard surface also has the most varied structure, since it is smooth, imitate wood different breeds or stone.

To make special furniture or unique interior with your own hands, it's not enough just to buy chipboard and draw it into details. Chipboard coating is very thin, its structure is fragile. If you cut the chipboard roughly and incorrectly, the cut will turn out to be ugly, torn, and shells form on the edges. To be able to cut the chipboard correctly and not get chips and cracks, you need to know some little "tricks" of the work.

Chipboard sawing rules

To cut the chipboard at home, use a hand saw with fine teeth, a circular saw or an electric jigsaw. To get the job done without any problems, you need to do the following:

1. Attach tightly adhesive tape exactly along the cutting line. The tape will prevent the saw teeth from damaging the coating film.
2. Use a sharp knife to cut the cover and the layer below it along the cutting line. In this case, the saw will cut only the inner layer of the chipboard, and touch the coating only tangentially.
3. The hand saw, when handled, should be positioned at an angle (very sharp) to the surface of the board.
4. For sawing with an electric tool, use the minimum feed.
5. When the part is cut, you need to cut the edge of the cover at an angle of 45 ° with a sharp knife.
6. The cut is sanded with a fine file, the cut is processed towards the center from the edges.

The edge of the sawn chipboard should be covered with a special overlay so that in the future it does not get any chips or cracks. To protect the saw cut, you can use self-adhesive melamine tape, or a C-shaped patch piping, or a T-shaped edge.

When you look at the price tags of furniture made of chipboard in a store, you are amazed at how expensive it is! But chipboard is one of the most available materials for designing furniture with your own hands. Fortunately, all the necessary accessories are now on sale. And furniture projects, both on the Internet and in “paper” magazines, can now be found for every taste. So what's the problem? The main problem is to neatly cut the chipboard.

Of the household tools, the most suitable for cutting chipboard is a hand-held circular saw. But even when cutting chipboard with its help, a number of problems arise: 1) it is very difficult to follow strictly in a straight line, the saw wags; 2) chips are formed.

Are there any ways to solve these problems? There is. We will tell you about them today. By the way, all these tricks apply to cutting plywood.

Tip 1: Cut the chipboard on the floor with full support

Full support cutting means that when you push the saw to the end, the chipboard you cut will not fall off immediately.

If you want a very clean and crisp cut, Particleboard is better just cut on the floor. This will give you a 100% solid, stable base. The chipboard will not move even if you pile on top of it to complete the cut. You will also be sure that the cut piece will not fall off, split or fall.

Place 5 × 10cm blocks under the chipboard sheet perpendicular to the direction of the cut. Bars will have to be sacrificed as the saw will go through them. The more stable your chipboard sheet is, the neater the cut will be.

Tip 2: Adjust the cutting depth

The correct cutting depth affects the quality of the cut.

Adjust the depth so that no more than half of the disc teeth protrude beyond the bottom edge of the chipboard or plywood (see photo above). It may not seem important to you, but believe me, the depth of cut greatly affects the quality of the cut. With this setting, the prong cuts through the material rather than chopping it, and the saw also stabilizes so that it vibrates less during the cutting process. Both of these factors make the saw marks on the chipboard cut less noticeable.

Position the saw along the edge of the chipboard, raise the rail and watch from a close distance to install correct depth cutting. By the way, at the same time it would be good to check the saw blade for damage, because a saw with bad teeth will make a rough cut. Another point: the saw is designed in such a way that its stroke goes upwards, so chips are most often formed on the surface of the chipboard that faces upwards, and the cut from the side of the surface looking downwards is cleaner. Therefore, position the chipboard with a good face down when cutting.

Tip 3: Use a rigid, long, straight object as a guide for ripping.

As a guide for making a straight straight cut, it is convenient to use a narrow long piece of chipboard, 16 mm thick and about 30 cm wide, which was professionally cut in a specialized workshop. All that is needed is to tighten the ends with a clamp.

The main difficulty lies in positioning it in the right place for an accurate cut. To do this, measure the distance from the edge of the saw support platform to the blade (see photo below).

Add this value to your slice width, mark both edges of the chipboard and overlay a guide board. You will also need to factor in the thickness of the saw blade in your measurements.

It is usually best to have a metal base plate circular saw rested against the edge of the guide, so maximum stability of the saw during cutting is achieved.

Tip 4: check the guide before making the cut

This is a fine tuning, so to speak. Make a mark with a pencil - a line 5 cm long, thus determining the width of the cut part. Then start the saw, press the saw support platform against the rail and cut the board into the chipboard. Make sure the saw blade starts rotating in the air before it even touches the sheet to be cut, otherwise the edge of the sheet may split. Now measure the distance from the edge of the sheet to the notch to make sure you've done everything and calculated correctly. Better, as they say, measure seven times ...

Tip 5: cut at a constant speed without stopping

Cut without stopping and support constant speed... If you stop, there will be a mark on the chipboard or plywood.

Cutting speed depends on many factors, including the type of saw and blade sharpness, and the material you are cutting. In general, the sharp disc passes through the chipboard sheet with little resistance, as if it were melting wood. If you feel like you have to force and push the saw, it means that you are sawing too fast or the blade is dull. Too much fast cutting tears the chipboard fibers and leaves noticeable marks on the cut. Too slow can cause the blade to overheat and ignite the wood.

Then you will get both marks and a burnt mark on the cut. This is why it is best to cut on the floor when you are making a long cut. You can crawl on your knees directly on the chipboard, following the movement of the saw, you do not need to stretch or bend.

Just calculate in advance whether the length of the electrical cable is enough for you.

Tip 6: Take a disc with large quantity teeth

The more teeth there are on the disc, the clearer the cut will be. And, naturally, the disc must be sharp.

In principle, all discs from the picture above are capable of making a good cut on chipboard and plywood. As we wrote above, the more teeth, the better the cut. However, the downside to the 140-tooth disc is that it dulls faster than the other three. Especially if you are cutting chipboard. Take a 40 or 56 tooth blade. Better to keep one more in reserve. A 56-tooth disc is commonly used for cutting.

Tip 7: Cross-section is best done with duct tape

The cross-cut runs perpendicular to the grain of the plywood, and even the sharpest blade can chip easily. This a big problem, the best solution which, buy a disc for cutting laminate, which we wrote about above. However, you can accomplish this task using other disks. To do this, stick adhesive tape on both sides of the cut line. It will prevent chipping.

It must be removed carefully, pull it in the direction perpendicular to the cut (see photo below) so as not to damage the chipboard laminate.

And one more piece of advice. If you need to cut expensive material from the front, tape the saw platform with adhesive tape so that it does not leave scratches on the surface of the sheet.