Rough Cut problems

[Richard Darling]

I just upgraded my saw to a DeWalt 12" chop saw with a Phaedra system. I've been working to get it dialed in for a week or so.

I cut this moulding today, and can't figure out why the cut along the top edge of the moulding is so rough. I cut a quick comparison on my old radial arm saw, and it was clean as could be. I even tried a freshly sharpened blade on the DeWalt.

Does this have anything to do with the way a chop saw enters and exits the wood compared to a radial arm? I could use some help on this.

Click here for a close up http://www.greyfoxgallery.com/roughcut.jpg

[Candy]

Are you using a 100 tooth blade? I had problems until I changed to a 100 tooth carbide blade. Not cheap either.

[Bob Roy]

I will guess that this is happening on the second mitre. Am I right?

How are you cutting your pieces to length? I was cutting all of the pieces to the exact length on the first cut and making my second cuts. They came out sloppy. I started to make my first cut 1/8" longer and it solved my problem.

[kra]

Richard,
Sometimes a miter box saw will chip out if you raise the blade out of the wood with the blade still turning. Make sure blade is stopped before lifting it out of cut. Also slide moulding over a little after cut before lifting blade.

Randy

[Richard Darling]

I tried moving the moulding out of the way before lifting the blade and got the same result. But I can see that this would be a good standard operating practice. Do people not use the moulding clamps on a system like Phaedra?

The rough edge seemed to happen with both sides of the mitre. Although on one frame I found out too late that I had undercut the start of the moulding on the backside and didn't realize it until I went to join it.

I checked my blades and they are indeed 80T. Perhaps a move to 100T will help.

[Jerry Ervin]

Try one of the Amana blades made for our industry. You will be happy with the results.

http://www.toolstoday.com/search/search.aspx?keywords=md12-106

[peter@prestoframe]

Since the old saw cut fine and the new saw is having problems my bet is the saw. The new saw probably has some play in the blade. When the blade leaves the confines of the cut it moves to the sides a little and gives you the poor cut. Try putting a little piece of wood or even a pencil up against the blade and slowly turning it. If it touches and then doesn't touch somethings out of kilter.