The CMT Double Sided Laminate and Melamine Saw Blade - 12" x 1" with 96 teeth is an industrial-grade circular saw blade engineered for clean, chip-free cuts on both faces of double-sided laminated panels and melamine-coated sheet goods. Built around a Triple Chip Grind (TCG) tooth geometry and a -3 deg. negative hook angle, this blade delivers professional-quality crosscuts without pre-scoring, making it a go-to choice for cabinet shops, millwork operations, and panel processing environments that demand perfect finishing on every pass.

Key Features

• 96-Tooth Triple Chip Grind (TCG) geometry - the high tooth count combined with TCG configuration shears laminate and melamine fibers cleanly on both panel faces, eliminating chipping and reducing the need for secondary sanding or edge treatment.
• -3 deg. negative hook angle - the negative cutting angle controls the aggressiveness of each tooth entry, reducing tearout and splintering on brittle laminate and melamine surfaces for a finished-quality edge straight off the cut.
• Hardwood-grade carbide teeth (HW material designation) - industrial carbide construction maintains sharpness through dense hardwood, plywood, OSB, chipboard, and coated panel materials, delivering longer service life between sharpenings.
• Kerf thickness of 0.126" with a plate thickness of 0.087" - the controlled kerf-to-plate ratio minimizes material waste and reduces motor load, allowing the blade to run efficiently on heavy-duty crosscut machines.
• 1" bore diameter (25.4mm) - fits standard 1" arbors on slide miter saws, radial arm saws, stationary table saws, and vertical panel saws, making this blade compatible with a wide range of industrial panel-processing equipment.
• 6,400 RPM maximum rating - engineered to perform safely at speeds typical of stationary and sliding panel saws, giving operators confidence when running the blade at full machine speed.

Why This Product

• No pre-scoring required - the TCG tooth geometry and negative hook angle work together to protect both faces of double-sided melamine and double-sided laminate simultaneously, eliminating the extra pre-scoring step and saving setup time on panel processing jobs.
• Purpose-built for industrial crosscutting - with 96 teeth and a -3 deg. hook angle, this blade is specifically designed for heavy-duty crosscuts on laminated panels, OSB, chipboard, and hardwood, so the cut quality matches the demands of professional cabinet and millwork production.
• Broad material compatibility in a single blade - one blade handles hardwood, plywood, OSB, chipboard, double-sided melamine, and double-sided laminate, reducing the need to swap blades when processing different panel types on the same machine.
• High-speed industrial rating at 6,400 RPM - the blade's RPM rating aligns with the output speeds of stationary table saws and vertical panel saws used in production environments, ensuring it can be run at full capacity without compromise.

Specifications

• Manufacturer Part Number: 281.697.12
• Brand: CMT Orange Tools
• Diameter: 12"
• Bore Diameter: 25.4mm (1")
• Number of Teeth: 96
• Tooth Grind Type: TCG (Triple Chip Grind)
• Hook Angle: -3 deg.
• Kerf Thickness: 0.126"
• Plate Thickness: 0.087"
• Maximum RPM: 6,400
• Tooth Material: HW (Hardwood-Grade Carbide)

Approved Applications

• Heavy-duty crosscuts on laminated panels
• Double-sided melamine cutting
• Double-sided laminate cutting
• Hardwood crosscutting
• Plywood cutting
• OSB cutting
• Chipboard cutting
• Compatible machines include slide miter saws, radial arm saws, stationary table saws, and vertical panel saws

Frequently Asked Questions

Does this blade cut both faces of a double-sided panel cleanly without pre-scoring?

Yes. The 96-tooth TCG geometry combined with the -3 deg. negative hook angle is specifically designed for double-sided laminate and double-sided melamine, protecting both faces of the panel in a single pass without requiring a pre-scoring blade or separate scoring operation.

What is the maximum RPM rating for this blade, and will it work on my table saw or miter saw?

This blade is rated to a maximum of 6,400 RPM. It is designed to be compatible with slide miter saws, radial arm saws, stationary table saws, and vertical panel saws that use a standard 1" arbor (25.4mm bore).

What does TCG tooth geometry mean and why does it matter for laminate cutting?

TCG stands for Triple Chip Grind. This tooth configuration alternates between a flat-top tooth and a trapezoidal tooth, which shears through brittle laminate and melamine coatings without fracturing or chipping the surface. It is the preferred grind type for coated board materials where surface quality on both faces is critical.

Can this blade cut materials other than melamine and laminate?

Yes. In addition to double-sided melamine and double-sided laminate, this blade is suited for cutting hardwood, plywood, OSB, and chipboard, making it a versatile option for shops that process a variety of panel and solid wood materials on the same machine.