Best tool/way to cut painted MDF kitchen end panels without chipping

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jacoscar

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I need to cut kitchen end panels, they are painted MDF; at least two of them will need to be super accurate and without chipping because there will be no caulking: one of them is going between two wall units and the other one is a filler panel above the microwave door (the cut edge will be against the microwave metal frame).

I think most will say I need a table router, so what's the second best tool?
I have a handheld router and a table saw with a standard 40T blade; I could do a rough cut with the table saw and then refine with the router, but I would need to keep the panel in place; the best way I can think of is screwing the back to a bigger board so it doesn't move and protect the surface with masking tape
The alternative would be to buy a table saw blade with more theeth but I'm not 100% sure it will give me good results
 
I am currently doing some modification work for a mate. I am using my Festool plunge saw and guide rail to cut both the laminated end panels and iroko worktops. I make a 2mm deep cut first to prevent chipping on the front face.

I use my guide rail even when dealing with double height units (moving it as required). If the wall bows in I use my belt sander for the last few mm.
 
Why is a plunge saw better than buying a new blade for my table saw?
 
I do not own a table saw. A plunge saw, with a guide rail, (INMO) is potentially more versatile than a small bed table saw, but courses for horses.
 
jacoscar said:
I think most will say I need a table router, so what's the second best tool?
I have a handheld router and a table saw with a standard 40T blade; I could do a rough cut with the table saw and then refine with the router, but I would need to keep the panel in place; the best way I can think of is screwing the back to a bigger board so it doesn't move and protect the surface with masking tape
The alternative would be to buy a table saw blade with more theeth but I'm not 100% sure it will give me good results
Click to expand...
The number of teeth is irrelevant unless you state what the blade diameter is - a 40t blade on a 10in (250mm) saw is really only suitable for rough cutting softwoods whereas a 40t blade on a 6in (150mm) saw is considered quite a fine blade.

No, a router isn't the best way to make the cut, if only because you may well have to drag the router base across the painted surface, a sure fire way to mark it IMHO, so I'm surprised that you think it is. To do the cut on a table saw you need a sharp, fine tooth blade, which for a 10in (250mm) saw would mean something like a 72t blade (take a look at Saxton bades for an affordable blade). The cut needs to be made on the table saw with the finished (painted) surface uppermost, so that the teeth are cutting downwards into the finished surface. Taken with care and at a lowish feed speed that should deliver a fine cut
 
JobAndKnock said:
The number of teeth is irrelevant unless you state what the blade diameter is - a 40t blade on a 10in (250mm) saw is really only suitable for rough cutting softwoods whereas a 40t blade on a 6in (150mm) saw is considered quite a fine blade.

No, a router isn't the best way to make the cut, if only because you may well have to drag the router base across the painted surface, a sure fire way to mark it IMHO, so I'm surprised that you think it is. To do the cut on a table saw you need a sharp, fine tooth blade, which for a 10in (250mm) saw would mean something like a 72t blade (take a look at Saxton bades for an affordable blade). The cut needs to be made on the table saw with the finished (painted) surface uppermost, so that the teeth are cutting downwards into the finished surface. Taken with care and at a lowish feed speed that should deliver a fine cut
Click to expand...

Yes, my table saw has a 254mm blade so 40T is a rough cut one I guess
I was thinking of rebating the panel with the table saw to the right width
Then turn it over (good face down) and use a flush router bit with top bearing to bring it level; this way I would not be dragging the router on the good face
Would this be a good alternative?
 
Single saw cut with the right blade is a lot less faffing about and gets the job done in a single pass, so less liklihood of damage to the panel - which is why I recommended it. The more you handle a delicate panel, especially with the good face down on its' most vulnerable surface, the more you are likely to damage it. Just because one has a router doesn't make it a reason to use it
 
jacoscar said:
Why is a plunge saw better than buying a new blade for my table saw?
Click to expand...

I would also add that using a decent plunge saw with a rail, means that the saw doesn't touch the painted surface.
 
I bought a 255mm 80T saxton blade for my table saw (will cut it with good face up anyway so it won’t be damaged)
 
The cut was ok with the new blade, but after fitting the panel I touched it and chipped it in two places

upload_2022-4-29_6-56-53.jpeg


I have to do the same for a panel between two units (oven tower and a wall unit); I think I’ll have the cut against the carcass of the oven tower, what’s the best way to conceal the cut?
 
Colour edging pens work quite well if you can get a good match. If anything can rub or contact that edge you might want to consider adding a 0.5 to 1mm radius or chamfer edge and colouring that in, and maybe not making the fit quite so tight. Why is it necessary to do this, though? Most kitchen suppliers have infill panels designed to work with their cabinets and units
 
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JobAndKnock said:
Colour edging pens work quite well if you can get a good match. If anything can rub or contact that edge you might want to consider adding a 0.5 to 1mm radius or chamfer edge and colouring that in, and maybe not making the fit quite so tight. Why is it necessary to do this, though? Most kitchen suppliers have infill panels designed to work with their cabinets and units
Click to expand...

Halfords used to stock a pretty wide colour range of cellulose based touch up pens. The type where pushing the nib against a surface resulted in a blob of paint being released. Now they only seem to have a few colours.

Your Konig ones, although waterbased look more versatile, the Halfords ones were akin to trying to apply paint with a matchstick.
 
JobAndKnock said:
Colour edging pens work quite well if you can get a good match. If anything can rub or contact that edge you might want to consider adding a 0.5 to 1mm radius or chamfer edge and colouring that in, and maybe not making the fit quite so tight. Why is it necessary to do this, though? Most kitchen suppliers have infill panels designed to work with their cabinets and units
Click to expand...

One is the panel above the microwave, that had to be cut to size (not all ovens are equal I guess)
The other one is a 100mm filler panel that needs cutting down to 50mm; I don’t think they (DIY Kitchens) do them in 50mm, otherwise they would have sent them
 
jacoscar said:
One is the panel above the microwave, that had to be cut to size (not all ovens are equal I guess)
The other one is a 100mm filler panel that needs cutting down to 50mm; I don’t think they (DIY Kitchens) do them in 50mm, otherwise they would have sent them
Click to expand...

Would it not have been possible to raise the shelf, or have you decided that the microwave is the optimal height?
 
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