How do you stop chop saw tearout?

[Craig Richmond]

I have been using my DeWalt DWS780 for a for awhile now and most all the work has been construction type projects, where I did not care about tearout. Now I am starting to do projects that is does matter. I have a new 80 Tooth blade on there now and I still get tearout. Wondering what you guys do.

[Doug Herzberg]

I slow down the cut and use a sacrificial board between the fence and the work when necessary. I don't usually see a lot of tearout, unless it's oak or something like that.

[David Weaver]

Chopmaster and slower cut. It's the only premium blade I've used in a chop saw, though that has a lot to do with it leaving nothing to be desired the times I've used it.

[Ellen Benkin]

Most chop saws do not have a zero clearance throat plate. Either get one or make one. It will make a difference. A sacrificial zero clearance fence helps also.

[glenn bradley]

I made some ZCI's and use a sac-fence but,

worn zci sm.jpg

I found the best way to eliminate tearout with a CMS is to eliminate the CMS. They're fine for work like trimming out a room but, for furniture I do something else. I do know that some folks have got their CMS or RAS down to a science and get beautiful work out of them and that's great. If you really want to stick with the CMS for this work, you can definitely trick it out. Since I already have them for other tasks, I just use a sled on the tablesaw. The CMS lives out in the shed.

[Mike Wilkins]

One of the latest 2 or 3 issues of FineWoodworking has an article on use of chop/miter saws with lots of great tips and ideas. One of the best ones I read years ago is when you stop the blade, do not raise the blade before it stops rotating. The backwards motion of the blade against the wood will cause chip out. I have seen it. Let the blade come to a complete stop before you remove it or raise it out of the cut. The above tips work well also.

[johnny means]

I back up my cut wwith a sacrificial fence. I find that double stick tape is great for attaching these disposable fences. Sacricial fences are also a good way to identify your cut line when lining up the workpiece.

[Craig Richmond]

I am sorry, I should have said that most all of my tearout is on the back of the wood and not the bottom. I had thought about a sacrificial board and will have to try it this week. Glenn, I really like the unit and it is fast with little set up. I will look to a zero clearance bottom plate and slowing my cuts down.

[Ray Newman]

As others posted: I run a sharp premium blade & sacrificial 1/4" Masonite taped to fence and base. On my older 10" Hitachi C10FS, the speed of cut does not matter as much as the sharpness of the blade.

[Chris Kennedy]

Low tech solution -- blue masking tape. I put a little on the back edge of the board if needed, and I get next to no tearout. I am using a Ryobi with some run-of-the-mill blade.

Chris

[Prashun Patel]

When I have to have it chip free, I use a backing fence AND a sacrificial board (even just 1/4" plywood/hardboard) on the bottom to serve as a ZCI. I'm just too lazy to make a perfectly shaped cutout as a real ZCI.

[Steve Rozmiarek]

Wow, my old Makita must be even better than I thought, I've never had a problem with tearout. No zero clearance, no backup board, nothing special, except a good sharp Makita blade, always. Good blades, no slop in the saw, and proper technique could all help.

[Kevin Bourque]

You could always use a knife and lightly score a line on the workpiece.

[scott spencer]

Not all 80T blades are created equal, and not all are as sharp as they should be even right out of the box. A slider should have a blade with a low to negative hook angle. What blade do you have? ZCI's and other techniques can help, but a good 80T blade that's matched to the saw and the material should do pretty well on it's own.

[Michael Dunn]

Many ways, all of which involve at least one common denominator.

1. Be sure to let the blade do its work by plunging pretty slowly into the workpiece. Not too slow or else it'll burn. Do some test cuts. You'll feel the sweet spot right away.

2. Blue painters tape pressed firmly along the exit side if the cut. Remove promptly or else the adhesive may leave marks.

3. Create a zero clearance throat plate and fence for the saw.

The obvious first move is a quality night tooth count blade as you've already mentioned. You'd be surprised how much cleaner of a cut you'll get by just moving the saw a bit slower.