CMT 281.696.12M Single Sided Laminate and Melamine Saw Blade is a 300 x 30mm, 96-tooth industrial circular saw blade engineered for precision sizing of single-sided laminate, melamine, chipboard, MDF, hardwood, and plywood panels. Built with a Triple Chip Grind (TCG) tooth geometry and hardmetal (HW) tipped teeth, this blade delivers clean, chip-free cuts on one finished face - making it the right tool for cabinetry shops, furniture manufacturers, and panel fabricators running metric-arbor stationary equipment.

Key Features

• Triple Chip Grind (TCG) Tooth Geometry - alternating flat and chamfered cutting edges produce smooth, splinter-free results in abrasive materials like laminate, melamine, chipboard, and MDF, reducing post-processing and waste.
• 96 Hardmetal (HW) Tipped Teeth - a high tooth count paired with carbide-grade hardmetal tips maintains cutting quality over extended production runs, reducing downtime between sharpenings.
• 300mm Diameter with 30mm Metric Bore - sized for direct fit on metric-arbor machines including stationary table saws, vertical panel saws, miter saws, and radial arm saws without adapters.
• COMBI3 Pin Hole Configuration - compatible with combination pin-hole setups found on common panel sizing machines, ensuring secure blade registration and repeatable positioning.
• 5 deg. Cutting Angle - a slightly positive hook angle balances aggressive material feed with controlled, clean entry into single-sided laminate and melamine surfaces, minimizing surface tearout.
• Single-Sided Cutting Geometry - optimized to protect the finished decorative face of laminate and melamine panels during sizing, preserving surface integrity on one side where appearance matters most.
• Industrial Panel Sizing Design - engineered for sizing single sheets and multiple panels in production environments, supporting high-volume throughput on professional-grade stationary equipment.

Why This Product

• Purpose-built for single-sided laminate and melamine work - unlike general-purpose blades, this saw blade is specifically designed to protect one finished decorative face during panel sizing, which is the priority in furniture and cabinetry production.
• Fits metric-arbor machines directly - the 30mm bore and COMBI3 pin hole configuration mean no reducer bushings or adapters are needed for stationary table saws, vertical panel saws, and radial arm saws with metric arbors.
• 96 teeth and TCG geometry reduce finishing labor - the high tooth count combined with Triple Chip Grind produces cuts clean enough to eliminate or minimize edge banding rework on laminate, melamine, and chipboard panels.
• Rated for up to 6,400 RPM - the maximum RPM rating supports use on fast-running industrial panel sizing machines, giving fabricators flexibility across a range of production equipment.

Specifications

• Manufacturer Part Number: 281.696.12M
• Brand: CMT Orange Tools
• Blade Diameter: 300mm
• Bore Diameter: 30mm
• Number of Teeth: 96
• Tooth Grind Type: TCG (Triple Chip Grind)
• Cutting Angle: 5 deg.
• Kerf Thickness: 3.2mm
• Plate Thickness: 2.2mm
• Pin Hole: COMBI3
• Tooth Material: HW (Hardmetal)
• Maximum RPM: 6,400
• Cutting Style: Single-Sided

Approved Applications

• Industrial panel sizing of single sheets and multiple panels
• Cutting single-sided laminate panels
• Cutting single-sided melamine panels
• Sizing chipboard and MDF sheets
• Cutting hardwood and plywood
• Furniture production and cabinetry fabrication

Compatible Machines

• Stationary Table Saw (metric arbor)
• Vertical Panel Saw (metric arbor)
• Miter Saw (metric arbor)
• Radial Arm Saw (metric arbor)

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between a single-sided and double-sided melamine blade?

A single-sided blade like this one is designed to protect only one face of the panel - the decorative or finished surface - during the cut. This makes it ideal for furniture and cabinetry applications where only one visible face needs to remain chip-free, such as when the back or underside of a panel will not be seen in the finished piece.

What does TCG (Triple Chip Grind) mean and why does it matter for laminate and melamine?

Triple Chip Grind refers to a tooth pattern that alternates between a flat raker tooth and a chamfered trapeze tooth. This geometry is particularly effective on hard, brittle surface materials like laminate and melamine because the chamfered teeth score and chip the material gradually rather than shattering it, resulting in cleaner, smoother cut edges with less surface tearout.

Will this blade fit my metric-arbor table saw or panel saw?

This blade has a 30mm bore diameter and a COMBI3 pin hole configuration, which are standard metric-arbor dimensions. It is compatible with stationary table saws, vertical panel saws, miter saws, and radial arm saws that use a metric arbor. Verify your machine's arbor diameter is 30mm before mounting.

What is the maximum safe operating speed for this blade?

This blade is rated for a maximum of 6,400 RPM. Always confirm that your machine's no-load spindle speed does not exceed this rating before use. Operating a saw blade above its rated RPM is unsafe and can cause blade failure.