Saw blades,circular and jig saw type.

[ben2go]

Yesterday I was cutting 23/32 inch OSB.Both my circular saw (skill saw) and my jig saw (reciprocating) saw kept kicking back.I have a steel ripping blade with hardened teeth on my circular saw.It has 3 to 5 cuts on it prior to yesterdays antics.My jig saw has a new standard fine tooth steel blade for plywood.Both left a ragged cut edge.I expected that with the circular saw blade,but not the jig saw.I couldn't hardly keep the jig saw flat against the wood.I have used these blades to cut OSB before but it was a little thinner.I have my circular saw set to cut 3/16 past the OSB thickness.Should I cut closer to the thickness of the OSB?Also,what's a good blade for cutting OSB?

 

[JDgreen227]

Yesterday I was cutting 23/32 inch OSB.Both my circular saw (skill saw) and my jig saw (reciprocating) saw kept kicking back.I have a steel ripping blade with hardened teeth on my circular saw.It has 3 to 5 cuts on it prior to yesterdays antics.My jig saw has a new standard fine tooth steel blade for plywood.Both left a ragged cut edge.I expected that with the circular saw blade,but not the jig saw.I couldn't hardly keep the jig saw flat against the wood.I have used these blades to cut OSB before but it was a little thinner.I have my circular saw set to cut 3/16 past the OSB thickness.Should I cut closer to the thickness of the OSB?Also,what's a good blade for cutting OSB?[

A hardened steel blade that has seen little use should be cutting okay, and my interpretation about your kickback issue is that the blades are binding in the cut. If the jigsaw blade gets twisted even the smallest degree, that will make it bind and kick back. When you say fine tooth steel blade, that makes me think of metal cutting jigsaw blades, you should be using something with more aggressive teeth. If the sheet goods you are cutting are not well supported, the kerf will close up and make the blades bind. For the circular blade, 3/16" depth past the OSB thickness should be ideal.

 

[ben2go]

A hardened steel blade that has seen little use should be cutting okay, and my interpretation about your kickback issue is that the blades are binding in the cut. If the jigsaw blade gets twisted even the smallest degree, that will make it bind and kick back. When you say fine tooth steel blade, that makes me think of metal cutting jigsaw blades, you should be using something with more aggressive teeth. If the sheet goods you are cutting are not well supported, the kerf will close up and make the blades bind. For the circular blade, 3/16" depth past the OSB thickness should be ideal.

I had the OSB supported and I kept and eye on the kerf.I'm going to pick up a 40-60 tooth carbide blade for the circular saw and a more aggressive blade for the jig saw.The jig saw blade I used was a combination wood,metal,plastic type.It had plywood listed on the pack but osb isn't thin soft plywood.

 

[EddieWalker]

I don't think it's the saw blade, but how you are supporting the wood. OSB cuts pretty easily, but if it binds, it will give you some kickback. Be sure to have the wood slightly dropping away as you cut it. If you are trying to keep it flat and level, you probably wont even see it happening.

Eddie

 

[s219]

Yesterday I was cutting 23/32 inch OSB.Both my circular saw (skill saw) and my jig saw (reciprocating) saw kept kicking back.I have a steel ripping blade with hardened teeth on my circular saw.

For OSB, lose the ripping blade and get one of the "combo" blades most people use all the time. There is no such thing as a "rip" in OSB, and in fact you're almost always cutting across the grain. I have a combo blade in my skil saw and it's used on plywood, OSB, and lumber, for multi-directional cuts.

I have my circular saw set to cut 3/16 past the OSB thickness.Should I cut closer to the thickness of the OSB?Also,what's a good blade for cutting OSB?

Generally speaking, unless you have a real reason to limit the depth of cut, you should drop the blade all the way through on a skil saw. That way the blade will be cutting almost directly upward when it contacts the wood, and only working on the thickness of the wood. This is more efficient and less likely to tear out wood. When you have the blade set shallow, it's cutting on an angle that is opposite direction of how you're pushing the saw, and the contact arc of the cut is much bigger. That's a lot more drag on the blade and operator, and the saw binds a lot easier.

Same principles on a table saw, by the way, and probably easier to visialize. I once worked with a fellow who always adjusted the depth of cut on his table saw so that the blade was barely poking through the top of the wood, but that is a really oddball and challenging way to cut. He seemed to think it was safer, but I think it was the opposite (same reason sharp kitchen knives are safer than dull ones).

 

[ben2go]

I don't think it's the saw blade, but how you are supporting the wood. OSB cuts pretty easily, but if it binds, it will give you some kickback. Be sure to have the wood slightly dropping away as you cut it. If you are trying to keep it flat and level, you probably wont even see it happening.

Eddie

I was doing as you suggested.I had the larger section supported.I let the smaller piece drop but held it level to keep it from turning down and pinching the bottom of the blade.

For OSB, lose the ripping blade and get one of the "combo" blades most people use all the time. There is no such thing as a "rip" in OSB, and in fact you're almost always cutting across the grain. I have a combo blade in my skil saw and it's used on plywood, OSB, and lumber, for multi-directional cuts.



Generally speaking, unless you have a real reason to limit the depth of cut, you should drop the blade all the way through on a skil saw. That way the blade will be cutting almost directly upward when it contacts the wood, and only working on the thickness of the wood. This is more efficient and less likely to tear out wood. When you have the blade set shallow, it's cutting on an angle that is opposite direction of how you're pushing the saw, and the contact arc of the cut is much bigger. That's a lot more drag on the blade and operator, and the saw binds a lot easier.

Same principles on a table saw, by the way, and probably easier to visialize. I once worked with a fellow who always adjusted the depth of cut on his table saw so that the blade was barely poking through the top of the wood, but that is a really oddball and challenging way to cut. He seemed to think it was safer, but I think it was the opposite (same reason sharp kitchen knives are safer than dull ones).

Good point you make there.I was always taught to set a circular saw 3/16 when cutting anything.I'll try dropping the blade down.I'll check out combo blades.My ripping blade is 24T.