Cutting OSB am I doing something wrong?

[Robert_in_NY]

If the helper doesn't know what he is doing he could be more harm then help. He/she needs to make sure the material is trailing away so that the cut is opening up. Another option to help you is to set 2x4s down. Put one on both sides of the cut line and support the ends as well so when you cut everything is supported. Not chance of binding then. Fighting a saw through any wood is a good way to get hurt. It should walk through with out much effort.

 

[Robert_in_NY]

I agree with Joshua.

You need to keep the wood the same level. If it starts to sag or twist, it will bind up the blade. More power or a better blade wont fix this. The farther cut the wood, the more the weight of what you are cutting off puts pressure on the blade. I have four saw horses for this very reason. It's not just OSB, but any sheet material will do this to you.

Eddie

Any heavy material will do this. 2x stock is a hassle at times and pressure treated is even worse as some times that stuff is so wet it wants to close up on you no matter what you do. That is why working with wood takes some skill as you know all too well.

 

[jimgerken]

I did a ton and a half of plywood cutting this year, lining the inside of my new shop. I knew what a pain cutting sheets with a tablesaw is, and wanted nicer straighter easier cutting than a couple sawhorses and a skillsaw, so I researched and bought a tracksaw.
http://www.festoolusa.com/power-tools/track-saws/ts-55-req-plunge-cut-track-saw-561556
Holy smokes guys, this thing is the sh*t! Laser-straight, super clean, much better than factory cut edges, it totally made the project a success. And very fast cause you dont really mark the cut line on the sheet, only mark at the ends, and there are no clamps involved. Even angled cuts are simple and fast. Then I also bought the $10 plans for the Paulk cutting table, and substituted purchased metal fold-up sawhorses instead of fabricating wooden ones. Made the cutting table top height the same as my tablesaw and my router table. The whole system breaks down and stores on top of a 6 foot cabinet. It sure is nice to have a 4x8 cutting table, and you can use it for woodworking assembly too. The tracksaw is a Festool TS55. Here are a couple pictures of the cutting table built from plans.

 

[dieselscout80]

I did a ton and a half of plywood cutting this year, lining the inside of my new shop. I knew what a pain cutting sheets with a tablesaw is, and wanted nicer straighter easier cutting than a couple sawhorses and a skillsaw, so I researched and bought a tracksaw. Hoy smokes guys this thing is the sh*t! Laser-straight, super clean, much better than factory cut edges, it totally made the project a success. And very fast cause you dont really mark the cut line on the sheet, only mark at the ends, and there are no clamps involved. Even angled cuts are simple and fast. Then I also bought the $10 plans for the Paulk cutting table, and substituted purchased metal fold-up sawhorses instead of fabricating woden ones. Made the table top height the same as my tablesaw and my router table. The whole system breaks down and stores on top of a 6 foot cabinet. It sure is nice to have a 4x8 cutting table, and you can use it for woodworking assembly too. The tracksaw is a Festool TS55. Here is a couple pictures of the cutting table built from plans.

Which tracksaw did you get?

I'd love to have one.

 

[tow653]

The tracksaw is a Festool TS55. Here is a couple pictures of the cutting table built from plans.

 

[Midniteoyl]

I have a ton of carpentry experience so I'll chime in on this one. I believe you were binding the saw because your cut wasn't straight. The kerf isn't much wider than the blade so it doesn't take much of a crooked cut to bind the blade. The give away are the rub marks on the side of the blade. Those only come from material blinding. Although you don't need full cutting depth, setting the blade to max depth makes a straight cut much easier to achieve. When you place the saw on the material, try to square it up the best you can. You are probably watching the alignment of the blade on the pencil line. This makes for a seemingly accurate cut, but it's very difficult to make a straight cut. Instead, look at the front edge of the shoe. You will probably notice there are a couple of marks on it. These are guide marks. Instead of watching the blade, watch the guide mark. With this technique you'll end up with a much straighter cut.

And I do agree with properly supporting the material. 4x8 sheets are tough to handle and safely cut. An extra saw horse or helper will go a long way. Just don't let them close your cut or the saw will bind.

This...:thumbsup:

 

[kg7il]

supported

binding........properly supporting the material..

you still need to support

If it starts to sag or twist, it will bind up the blade. I have four saw horses for this very reason.

Yup. .. Properly Supported. Even a great saw with a great blade can't 'cut it' (pun!) if it's not supported and starts to sag into the bind.

 

[Hiltz]

Either you have a real cheap skilsaw or your binding the board. If your binding your saw be sure to lay a couple of 8 foot 2x4's on your saw horses to completely support your work. Allow the blade to stick out 1/2" thru your sheet of plywood. If you have purchased a real cheap saw with not enough power it will bog down. Invest in a more powerful saw. It will last a lifetime and be a joy to use instead of drudgery.

 

[Egon]

Things to check for kickback and wobbly cut in more or less an order of likelihood to causing the problem. First, have a good quality carbide tooth blade. Bad blades warp. Second, adjust blade so it is just deep enough to cut the material with a tooth showing at the bottom. Too deep adjustment makes the blade work inefficiently (overheat=wobbly cut) and also causes binding and kickback. Third, arrange several 2x4s on each side of the cut so the sheet is well supported on both sides and can fall away just a bit from the blade as it is cut. OSB is floppy and easy to bind. On this item, unless the helper really knows what he/she is doing, can easily contribute to the problem of binding. The last thing to check is if the saw is worn out (blade should be rock solid). A worn out saw can not cut well.

:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

Might want use three 2x4's to help support the side you are kneeling on.

 

[timster2]

Support is key I use a couple of old hollow core doors screwed to saw horses. Cheap easy to store and strong/straight enough to cut sheets with plenty of clamping area. When I have a lot to cut I have some plastic 55 gallon drums screw the doors to the top of the drums and you have a nice height work bench for cutting without straining your back! As I get older and stiffer the work bench seems to be getting higher and higher :laughing: