Blade
10 materials and what works on each.
| For | Use | First alternative |
|---|---|---|
| Metal | A bi-metal or carbide-tooth blade with at least three teeth in the cut — that tooth-count rule matters more than the machine. | Carbide-tooth metal cutting circular blade |
| Tile | A continuous-rim diamond blade with water — and cut wet, because dry cutting tile produces respirable silica dust. | Turbo rim |
| Wood | 24 teeth for ripping and framing, 40 for general work, 60-80 for a clean crosscut finish. | 40T combination blade |
| Plywood without tearout | A sharp 60-80 tooth blade, a scoring pass, tape on the line, and the good face oriented for the tool you are using. | Scoring cut |
| Brick | A segmented-rim diamond blade, cut wet or with on-tool extraction — brick and mortar dust is a serious silica hazard. | Turbo rim diamond blade |
| Laminate | A triple-chip or negative-hook blade for worktops, and a reverse-tooth jigsaw blade for laminate flooring cut face up. | Negative hook blade |
| Acrylic | A triple-chip negative-hook blade on a table saw, or score-and-snap for thin sheet — and keep the feed steady so it does not melt. | Scoring knife (score and snap) |
| Glass | None — a tungsten carbide scoring wheel, one firm pass with oil, then snap it. And toughened glass cannot be cut at all. | Oil-fed cutter |
| Plasterboard | A utility knife for straight cuts and a jab saw or multi-tool for cutouts — a circular saw is the wrong tool entirely. | Jab saw (pad saw) |
| Plastic pipe | A fine 24 TPI hacksaw or a proper pipe cutter — and deburr the inside afterwards, which is the step people skip. | Ratchet shear cutter |
- Which blade cuts metal? A bi-metal or carbide-tooth blade with at least three teeth in the cut — that tooth-count rule matters more than the machine.
- Which blade cuts tile? A continuous-rim diamond blade with water — and cut wet, because dry cutting tile produces respirable silica dust.
- Which circular saw blade for wood? 24 teeth for ripping and framing, 40 for general work, 60-80 for a clean crosscut finish.
- Which blade cuts plywood without tearout? A sharp 60-80 tooth blade, a scoring pass, tape on the line, and the good face oriented for the tool you are using.
- Which blade cuts brick? A segmented-rim diamond blade, cut wet or with on-tool extraction — brick and mortar dust is a serious silica hazard.
- Which blade cuts laminate? A triple-chip or negative-hook blade for worktops, and a reverse-tooth jigsaw blade for laminate flooring cut face up.
- Which blade cuts acrylic? A triple-chip negative-hook blade on a table saw, or score-and-snap for thin sheet — and keep the feed steady so it does not melt.
- Which blade cuts glass? None — a tungsten carbide scoring wheel, one firm pass with oil, then snap it. And toughened glass cannot be cut at all.
- Which blade cuts plasterboard? A utility knife for straight cuts and a jab saw or multi-tool for cutouts — a circular saw is the wrong tool entirely.
- Which blade cuts plastic pipe? A fine 24 TPI hacksaw or a proper pipe cutter — and deburr the inside afterwards, which is the step people skip.