Medium-density fiberboard, or MDF, is a mechanically engineered wood mainly made from Wood Fiber Bound By Wax And Resin Binder. In Some Areas, MDF Has Proven To Be Superior To Actual Wood.
The perfect blade for cutting MDF must have high teeth count with a sharp tip on the edge. The blade must be carbide-tipped, and the grind should be ATB.
For more details, keep reading the article.
Characteristic Of The Blade To Cut MDF
There are varieties of blades available for circular saws. the texture and formation of MDF are fairly unique. So, you can’t decide to cut a panel of MDF with your regular blade that you use for everything. There are certain criteria that the blade eligible to cut MDF should possess.
1. High Tooth Count
Tooth count is an indicator that determines the number of teeth possessed per inch of a blade. You will need a high tooth count to cut MDF. The blade that has 60-90 teeth is more suitable for cutting MDF. This allows more points of contact with the material while cutting.
A high tooth count blade creates a smoother cut with less tearing and splintering. These blades are also capable of making smaller chips that are easier to clean. So, you don’t have to worry about MDF bogging down your circular saw.
A high-toothed blade can also prevent overheating as there is less friction and the blade has lesser tension in the material. A 60-tooth circular saw blade will gift you a smooth and edged MDF cut with less splintering and chipping.
2. Sharp Tip
Having a huge number of teeth on the tip of the blade could defile your MDF panel if the tip of the tooth is not sharp enough. So, you don’t express rejoice after attaining a high tooth count blade, rather examine whether the tip of the tooth is sharp or not.
A sharp tip penetrates through the material effortlessly reducing the trouble of chipping and cracking. MDF has a dense texture that is susceptible to tearing without a sharp-edge blade. The sharp tip helps to create a clean threshold point in the material. That makes the material more prepared for a deeper cut.
3. Gullet
The gullet denotes the gap located in front of the teeth of a blade. This might seem like a trivial point, but a gullet’s depth and size play a role in determining the amount of material removed from the saw during the cut. To cut MDF, you will need a smaller gullet size. A smaller gullet can be recognized through fewer teeth.
4. Kerf
Kerf is the width of the material that is left after the blade runs through the material. It basically signifies the dimension of the cut by the blade. The kerf dimension can be determined via the blade’s thickness. For MDF, the kerf width should be from 0.105 to 0.126. If you can’t discover the exact kerf number, just make sure the blade has a thin kerf to cut MDF.
5. Grind
The grind implies the overall shape of the teeth on the circular saw blade. There are different grinds such as flat top grind (FTG) or alternate top bevel (ATB). ATB blades have blades on both angles. This makes it more suited for the role of an MDF cutting tool. There are also some combination blades featuring both FTG and ATB.
6. Diameter
The diameter of the blade can manipulate the material’s girth and depth of the cut. For cutting MDF, your blade should be 7 ¼ inches minimally. You can use an 8 or 9 inches blade as well. But make sure the blade is suitable for cutting MDF.
Blades That Are Suitable For Cutting MDF
The blades for the circular saw are infinite in number. But not every blade is suitable for cutting MDF. First, you need to observe whether the blade has all the traits that are listed above. Next, you move on to the type of blade you ought to purchase for your MDF panels. Let’s find out the number of blades that can cut MDF finely.
1. Carbide Tipped
The carbide-tipped blade is the best production to resist abrasive materials like MDF. Carbide is durable and hard contrasted to a usual steel blade. The texture of this blade allows it to maintain its sharpness even after repeated use for a long time.
Carbide-tipped blades are explicitly devised to handle the MDF. As the blade is coated with a concoction of tungsten carbide and cobalt, it has a powerful defense against weariness and heat absorption. Carbide-tipped blades are also popular for clean and smooth cuts producing less chipping and cracking.
2. Cross Cut Blade
A crosscut blade is known for having a higher tooth count and 80-90 teeth on itsedge. These polished blades ensure a smooth and clean cut and have a precise angle on the teeth which enables cutting a straight cut across the grain.
MDF is a dense material and penetrating through this dense texture is not a job for an ineffective and fragile blade. The acute angle surfaced on the teeth and the higher tooth count can easily take down the hardest MDF and still can keep the integrity of the blade intake.
3. ATB Blade
ATB or Alternate Top Bevel has teeth on both sides like two crossing swords. This positioning of blades creates a sharp tip at the tip of each tooth. This design can accommodate a clean cut in crosscutting, even on MDF.
The wise design of the ATB blades can reduce chipping and tear out of the material. As MDF is susceptible to splintering, you will definitely need an ATB blade if you want to make a curve. If the edges of the MDF have to be visible for design, use this blade for a smoother and cleaner finish. Since ATB blades usually have carbide-tipped as a coating, they sustain for a long time.
4. Composite Blade
A composite blade has an aggressive teeth geometry that is designed to withstand abrasive materials like MDF, plywood, and particleboard. Although a composite blade is in a much higher range in terms of cost, it can save your MDF from splintering and cracking. However, if you want to cut other materials with this blade, you should use lubricant for a furnished look.
Some Tips To Remember
- You should take the necessary precautions while cutting MDF. The sawdust of MDF is toxic to the skin and your respiratory system.
- Don’t use a blade that has a diameter of more than 10 inches to cut MDF. Such lengthy blades will lose track easily and fail to give a clean cut.
- Use paste wax, saw blade lubricant, or WD-40 as a lubricant if the material is too dense to penetrate.
- Keep your hand in a steady upward position when making the first cut and slowly enter the panel securely holding the saw.
People Also Ask
What should the cutting speed be to cut MDF?
The circular saw doesn’t allow you to alter or dictate the speed limit. So, you need to purchase a proper circular saw that has a compatible speed to cut MDF. A circular saw with 3000 meters per second of power will be the best option for cutting MDF.
What technique is required for a smooth MDF cut?
An appropriate technique can make your experience of cutting MDF much smoother. You should initiate the cut at a slower pace and increase the speed gradually. This will avoid overheating. Also, keep the blade aligned to the cutline to prevent splintering and chipping of the MDF.
How to prevent overheating while cutting MDF?
Overheating is very common in cutting MDF as the texture of this material is quite dense. So, to prevent maximum overheating, you need to use a sharp blade as it requires less force to penetrate through the material.
It is very important to ensure that the blade is perfectly aligned with the cutline. The blade will bind otherwise causing overheating. You should use carbide tipped blade to prevent heat generation. If you want, you can also use a lubricant to reduce heat production.
Final Words
MDF is certainly a tougher material to master. But the task of taming it would be a lot easier if you had the perfect weapon. A high-teethed blade with sharp edges can help you to cut the dense MDF like a birthday cake. Make sure to use the right blade and follow the correct technique.
