Morning all. I need to rip three sheets of OSB along their length, fortunately there should only be one cut per sheet but the boards will be used on a feature wall so the finished side can’t have rough edges, delamination etc. I don’t have a handheld circular saw or a table saw so my options are jigsaw or handsaw. If I use the former am I better off buying some reverse cutting blades? Or would I be be better off buying a laminate saw and cutting it by hand? Depending on how straight the perpendicular walls are I may need to scribe two of the edges (it’s the end wall in a long narrow room if you can picture it) so I think a jigsaw may be the best option. I need to get it right so what do you guys think?
- Thread starter SierraV6
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Agroshield
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Clamp all three sheets together and cut along the length. You will only then get tearout on the bottom or top sheet and thus have reduced your problem by 2/3.
Down cutting jigsaw blades still produce tear out, just on the opposite side to up cutting ones (and are horrible to use to boot as they try to push the jigsaw skywards at every opportunity).
Clamp all sheets together with a sacrificial piece of hardboard (thinner the better) at the bottom and use a hand saw.
Down cutting jigsaw blades still produce tear out, just on the opposite side to up cutting ones (and are horrible to use to boot as they try to push the jigsaw skywards at every opportunity).
Clamp all sheets together with a sacrificial piece of hardboard (thinner the better) at the bottom and use a hand saw.
hotponyshoes
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Router would be ideal if you can borrow one?
Otherwise, as said, clamp sheets either side.
Have you got enough offcut remaining that you could cut the sacrificial sheets from the good bits first before making the final cut?
(If you dont have anything else to use)
Otherwise, as said, clamp sheets either side.
Have you got enough offcut remaining that you could cut the sacrificial sheets from the good bits first before making the final cut?
(If you dont have anything else to use)
hotponyshoes
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Reverse cutting blades on a jigsaw wont help.
You could just turn the sheet over to do the same thing.
You could just turn the sheet over to do the same thing.
hunter27
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Buy a cheap circular saw or borrow one if you can and cut from back 'hidden' side so you get the rough cut next to the saw and a good cut underneath, you could try sticking tape on the top under saw before cutting, that will help.
Or cut it with a hand saw at a shallow angle, you will get a good cut on the top at least.
I have lots of woodworking tools but really hate jig saws and that would be my last choice.
Or cut it with a hand saw at a shallow angle, you will get a good cut on the top at least.
I have lots of woodworking tools but really hate jig saws and that would be my last choice.
Clamping the sheets together with some sacrificial pieces sounds best, I have plenty of ply offcuts from another project I could use. Flipping the sheets over would be easy but I may have to scribe the edges to sit tightly against the walls so I’d need to be able to see the lines, that was why I thought about reverse cutting blades although they sound a pain to use.
Cheers guys.
slim_boy_fat
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Can you clamp a piece of wood to act as a guide when cutting?
I might have a go with some tape actually, saves cutting through more than one thickness, thanks for that.
It’s good quality OSB 3 so hopefully it will be relatively forgiving.
Yes I’m going to do that, on the straight cuts anyway.
hotponyshoes
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Another thing you can try is clamping a straight edge along the cut line and running a Stanley blade along it a few times as deep as you can before sawing it.
Thanks that’s another good idea, I’m pleased I asked about this now. Joinery isn’t normally my thing!
eLuSiVeMiTe
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Skill saw will give clean cuts below and rough cut on top.
Clamp a sacrificial piece on top then cut against a straight edge. (basically turns a skilly into a tracksaw )
You will never get a perfect straight cut with a jigsaw.
Hand saw. Meh. If your a gluten for punishment.
Grab a cheap skilly
Clamp a sacrificial piece on top then cut against a straight edge. (basically turns a skilly into a tracksaw )
You will never get a perfect straight cut with a jigsaw.
Hand saw. Meh. If your a gluten for punishment.
Grab a cheap skilly
If there is only one cut per sheet you'll be surprised how quick you can do it with a hand saw. I decent new sharp saw it will go through it pretty quick, I've cut loads of plywood that way because it was quick job and I was done before I could have get set up with the circular saw.
Yeah I have a couple of S&J Predator saws and a Bahco one, they all cut very well and make short work of scaffold boards etc. so I may do it by hand. There is a Predator for laminates that presumably only cuts on the down stroke, if I’m at Toolstation over the next couple days I might buy one to try. I could still tape the top face as well. I don’t need to get the job done quickly as it’s a DIY project in my own house, the most important thing is that it looks good when finished.
chris pruteanu
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I would still use a circular saw/skill saw with a fine tct blade and just tape the line you need to cut to minimise tear out. Use a straight edge- edge of the board is fine- as a guide and you will get a nice, decent cut. Make sure you offset the cut with the distance from the edge of the saw to the blade and use decent clamps to keep it all together. I would not cut them all at once but individual unless the skill saw has plenty power to cut at 90 degrees...
eLuSiVeMiTe
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But with the depth of cut to close to board thickness you increase tareout on the underside
Not something I've thought about for a decade
Find a mate with a tracksaw
Shedendman
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Masking or gaffer tape along where the cut will be,mark,and away ya go
