Cutting melamine to shape without chips

[RGIvy]

I need to cut some melamine to shape (i.e. to fit into a little alcove). A table saw or track saw is therefore out of the question. I'll need to use a profile gauge.

In the past I've done it in one of three ways:
1) Clamp another plank to the upper surface and use a jig saw with fine teeth. This works well closer to the clamps but not as well further away (hence the screws if possible). Sometimes it works to screw the plank to the part of the melamine that will be cut off.
2) Cut it 3mm too big using anything and then use a router to trim to size (with straight edge where possible, freehand where not).
3) Cut it completely by hand with a saw that has fine teeth (like a tenon saw). Sometimes I use a hacksaw (especially with a used blade that leaves less paint on the wood).

As I don't do this very often I see no need to invest in an expensive bit of machinery only to use once or twice a year.

Does anyone have any other tried and trusted methods?

Rog

 

[Distinterior]

Make a template to match the shape of the Alcove out of MDF. One you've cut and sanded it to shape to match the walls, clamp it to the slightly oversized MFC and use a bearing guided flush trim bit in your router to clean off the rough edges.....

 

[Oddbod70]

Disinteriors way is good and pretty straight forward.

Without detracting from it in any way a couple of other ideas are...

A negative rake blade on the saw helps quite a lot.

Taking the barest pass over it with saw depth set to the minimum. This is the scoring saw principle that you see used on bigger panel saws. I think the Festool circ saw has a setting for this (next to the one for making the coffee ).

Scoring it by hand using a straight edge and sharp blade works too, but it's pretty hard to be very accurate.

All three do a good enough job. And, of course cutting down into the melamine, not up through it. So Melamine side up - you may need a bit of sticky tape on an aluminium saw base to stop it marking if you are using a circ saw

 

[Oddbod70]

Sorry, must read more carefully, just seen that you cant use a power saw in your circumstances. I'll leave the above for others tho.

 

[novocaine]

the best way is as distinterior suggests. make sure the cutter is sharp as a sharp thing.
I'll often still apply masking tape as I found it helped as the blade got slightly dull but it isn't needed.

 

[manglitter]

If you are unable to use a tracksaw then I would suggest a jigsaw with a down cutting blade. This gives a nice clean cut on the top edge.
Bosch make a good one, I believe it is the 101BR.

Hope this helps

 

[Doug71]

Might not be the answer for you but a body grip type jigsaw cutting from below, it might seem strange at first but 99% of my cuts are done this way, you can see what you are doing and get no break out on the face.

Obviously not much help if you don't have a body grip type jigsaw

 

[xy mosian]

Same method as Doug's really. If you have a jigsaw look for down cutting blades with little or no set. The jigsaw will try to bounce but it should give the cut you require.
xy