Woodworking Fact or Fiction: Does Tape on Wood Give Cleaner Cuts? / Less Tear-Outs
Вставка
- Опубліковано 31 лип 2024
- Tape Tear-Out Test: Part 2: • Tape Tear-Out Test: Pa...
For years I have heard people say that using tape when you car cutting wood with Table Saw, JigSaw, Circular Saw etc. will give you cleaner cuts and less tear-out. I have not tried this for many years so time to see if this really works using my Table Saw with a rather poor blade and my Jigsaw with what claims to be a "fine wood" blade.
************************
Woodworking Fact or Fiction! Do Zero Clearance Table Saw Inserts Make Better Cuts? • Woodworking Fact or Fi...
Making Table Saw Inserts: • Making Table Saw Inser...
5 Quick Table Saw Tricks: • 5 Quick Table Saw Hack...
Choosing the Best Table Saw Blades: • Choosing the Best Tabl...
***********
**** Full Article on Woodworking Fact or Fiction, Using Tape for Cleaner Cuts: goo.gl/agiQq7
**** Subscribe here - / knecht105
** Like me at Facebook: goo.gl/DLgvoa
** Visit the website: www.woodworkweb.com
** Follow on Instagram - / colinknecht
** Follow on Twitter: / woodworkweb
** Connect with me on Google+: goo.gl/7fotJq - Навчання та стиль
Agree with others that have commented regarding using real wood and not melamine. On solid wood, I use blue tape on my crosscuts when using a compound saw and when routing dovetails. Results are very good. A proper blade for cross cuts or rip cuts makes a real difference too.
Well, I might just be testing in the future video. Stay tuned!
Nice demo chap, well done! This tape method is just what i was going to use to cut some wardrobe panels but now I won't thanks to your upload. Also having read a few other informative comments I will probably try the scoring method. Thankyou very much for taking the time and effort with this video. Regards from England 🇬🇧
Thanks, Colin. Good test. I've heard this advice for years, and also have seen it many times in woodworking magazines for cutting melamine. I think the only case I've seen it recommended for wood is for cabinet-grade veneered ply. I'm impressed by the energy put into creating arguments why the evidence from your tests isn't valid :-) Appears there is more faith-based woodworking going on out there than I expected LOL.
I think what this proved is if you want to make something that looks good don't use chip board.
LMAO!!! You might be right on that, Robert
If you want to make something right to make sure you have your wood facing the right direction or a blade cutting in the right direction so it gives you a nice clean-cut whatever surface you're cutting the front or the back it all depends on the blade yes scoring with a knife works wonderful as long as you are dead on....
A good blade on a track saw and a piece of scrap wood or dense insulation foam underneath can do miracles. Even with chip board.
I agree! Sadly I must use particle board as I'm currently very poor, but I'll make do!
@@anonymous.youtuber I will try that
Thank you for saving me the time and effort.
I tried tape for cutting the bottom off of doors, didn't help. For years I've used a straight edge and a sharp utility knife to score the door, then cut a hair away from the score, lightly sand the edge, done.
I'll do the score test in the future!
my process too!
I have 10 doors to cut down never heard of this tip. Thank you
It's the only way for a clean cut. Tape will never work, in fact, it can make the cut worse, by pulling up at any weak spots when removed, just like the green tape did after the circular saw. With melamine boards, a knife cut is the only way.
@@mickk8519 I'm cross cutting pine boards with a new 60t diablo blade. Would you say scoring is better than using a knife?
I always wanted to know, thanks for sharing your test with us!
Thanks for taking the time to dispel the myth of using tape to prevent chip out. And it confirms the reason for turning laminate worktops face down when using a circular saw!
Thanks for another informative video. As you said, it all depends on the type of wood you’re cutting. For demonstration purposes, what you’re using really highlights whether tape is effective or not.
Thank you, your video totally validated my thoughts!
Good test but on the wrong material. No one suggests that tape prevents tear-out on melamine; melamine is hopeless because it is a brittle solid coating that chips off. Plywood has long wood fibres that tear out, it is on plywood that people argue for tape to reduce tear-out. Please try the test on plywood, maybe also hardwood veneered plywood, to see if this also is a myth.
Gord Cameron
Actually that is exactly what i have always heard. Google.. "how to cut melamine". They will say use a specific blade and tape it.
If anything use tape to prevent scuffing when pushing through saw.
The speed at which you feed the wood make a big difference.
I would say also probably a blade with minimal teeth to the sides?
Those tests are coming ... stay tuned and thanks for watching!
@@knecht105 did you do them?
@@phantomcreamer - see the description above. there is as link to another video
@@timothyvanderschultzen9640 I saw that! Good stuff, and appreciated. I wish he did the zero clearance test on cross cut plywood.
I always suspected the tape thing was bunk. Now I know for sure! Thanks!
Good comparison video. Thanks for sharing.
Pretty sure most guys use tape on actual wood ,not on Melamine.
It's actually widely rumored to help with melamine cuts. I'll be doing natural wood in the future test.
I really enjoy your shows you hit the nail right on the head! I have always used two wraps of blue tape when cutting melamine the extra rigidity it provides works better but still isn’t perfect. If you need perfect and cut mostly melamine use a scoring blade table saw or back up the melamine with a sacrificial piece of thin paneling or plywood. Hollow ground planer blades also work well.
Thanks for watching Ken! I'll be doing more test in the future!
Interesting Colin. However, I agree with many of the other comments about using the tape on Plywood & other types of solid woods. Using it on Melamine really doesn't make any difference, but we already knew that............... :)
Thanks, Steve. It's typically rumored that tape helps on Melamine, which is why I tested it. I'll be testing other woods in the future!
Nice test Colin! Thanks for sharing the results.😎👍JP
Thank for Watching!
You're very welcome Colin! 😎
Thanks for the test. I always thought that I must just be doing it wrong.
Thanks for watching!
Once again good information. Thanks a lot.
Thank you for watching!
I tried the same experiment the other day with a 60 tooth blade (better than combo but not clean melamine level) and found the feed speed made a much bigger difference. Slower equalled cleaner.
IT also depends on how hard your pushing the wood through table saw or pushing the jig through the wood. The slower the better.
Hi Colin! Great video! I'm not even a wood working novice yet, but just understanding how tear-out works, would it be beneficial to score the Melamine with a knife first? I THINK it would help since those ares might already be "cut". Thoughts? Keep up the great work!
Here I was trying to see if I should be lazy and not disassemble a table to do the cuts on the underside. Guess I'll be disassembling now :)
I've never used tape on wood before, but I do use it on kitchen worktops (UK style - not sure about other countries). It does make a big difference on such surfaces.
Very helpful. Thanks
You're welcome!
For a person like me that doesn't know what I'm doing half the time (OK, more than that... but don't tell anyone please) these tips are invaluable.
Thank you for sharing Colin.
I have however noticed that masking/blue/frog tape (I used either blue or regular masking tape) helped dramatically prevent chipout whilst cutting plyboard against the surface grain. Whilst cutting with the grain along the surface of the plyboard, it didn't make a difference.
Melamine though... never tried it. And thank you very much for the heads up Colin 😍👍
Keep up the great content please.
Thanks ... I'll have more test with tape to come!
you are very nice with your indications, and I have 30 years of carpenter and I learn from you and I thank you
to cut with the jigsaw I use negative tooth saw down
gracias por sus videos, thanks for your videos
J.M.Castilla@2018
You are welcome. Thanks for watching!
Great test. Thanks for sharing. We now all know that to melamined particle board it does not make any difference using tape or not.
But what about "normal" particle board, plywood, osb, mdf, pine, hardwood?
Will you do in the future some tests on that too? (should be great)
Could you please put a link to the types of tape you used?
On this melamine boards at the table saw the tear out is at the downside, at the jig saw the tear out is on the upper side
(I noticed that wandering cutting lines at the jig saw are not only my problem)
If I remember well, I heard, saw or read somewhere half of year ago, that there exist jig saw blades with the teeth "upside down".
Is that true? Or an option is to make/use a jig saw table, where the jig saw is used upside down.
Imho opinion it's more convenient when using multiple tools for a project (eventual) tear out is at all boards on the same side.
Thanks for this video.
You're welcome!
I learned a lot from you today thanks 😄
You're Welcome!
Hi ser and thanks for useful demonstration!
Now you have tried tape on melamine. Why not try it on other type of wood as well?
which is limited tape won't help on melamine but may help with veneered ply
Interesting. Any plans on testing cheap (dollar store) vs. expensive branded painters tape?
Interesting and thanks!
You're welcome, Dale!
Thanks for doing the test side by side. I've only used minimal amounts of the material you used there. I typically deal with ply-wood or solid wood, and I can tell you from my experience that tape does help minimize tear out, but doesn't prevent it completely. I still make sure when using tape that the blade rotates into the face that will be visible. Never experimented with different tapes though. Using the right blade for the job goes a long way.
I see my points and a few more were already addressed below. Looking forward to the next test.
Yes, more test to come on other materials.
Helpful... do you get the same results with plywood? How about using a circular saw?
Perhaps the results would have been different on natural wood fibers that are not as brittle?? Thanks. JimE
I am glad to know it is not me, l was to use tape when cutting melamine boards. We don't get enough of these tips and tricks in the uk.
Guys I think he used an aggressive blade on purpose make the result more prominent. I do however agree that take makes a big difference when you're working with actual whole wood. I've never tried it on melamine.
That was one of the points. Also, many beginner woodworkers only have aggressive blades!
What I do and it works good every time, make first cut with your saw blade set at about 1/16" on one side then make your final cut full depth on the other side! still working on a way to cut with jig saw, some times I just use a razor knife and pre cut on the mark.
I have and am currently using the tape trick for cleaner cuts on melamine and have found it only works if the tape is uses on the top of the cut not below. I've had no real issues this way
Let me understand this correctly. If I’m using a circular hand saw and have a board just like this and the clean cut side I need to be on the surface side top, I’d need to cut the board on the back side, correct?
I have had the same experience with tape. It is nice to hear a confirmation. However, with the melamine which I use on occasion when I need a real clean cut, I use the following tip. Make a scoring cut light 1/8 inch deep then raise the blade for final through cut both edges should be very clean. I think the shallow angle helps the hard surface plastic cut clean.
Thanks for the tip, Joseph! Yes, scoring does help!
The more things change? The more they stay the same, Colin. Thank you for the video, sir.
Thanks for watching!
Thanks
while cutting luan or the ends of doors - especially hollow core doors - I have done tests myself and it is night and day - far less chip-out with painters tape...very interesting that your test showed differently. I am guessing that the material being cut has a great deal to do with whether or not tape with help prevent/lessen chip-out : ) Thank you for your video : )
Thanks for watching! More tests to come on other materials!
I cut 3/4” plywood (whatever’s on sale LOL), and blue tape is wonderful. I don’t know if it cuts on the upstroke or down, I just plug ‘er in and keep my fingers clear.
I loved this test! It was very informative in regards to Melomine. But I think that the test should have used plywood or some form of real wood. I assume that when people are referencing the tape method they are meaning that it helps with "real wood" not melomine. I would be very interested in a test that uses 1x4's 2x4's or some form of real wood that one would use in their projects, in other words, a real world application. Thanks again for this wonderful information. Hope to see a test in the future using real wood/real world applications. Thanks again, great video.
Other woods are coming in the future ... thanks for watching!
Wouldn't wood fibers react differently than a brittle hard melomene?
In his other video ua-cam.com/video/h7PpHpZyhKA/v-deo.html he showed, that his blades (almost) do not tear out wood, but tear out is visible on melomene
I agree, when I do cuts on regular wood without using the tape it always come out not as good, as the ones were I've applied the tape on both sides, and I always use the tape that's almost 2 inches wide, I have no idea if that makes a difference, all that I can say I've tried the cuts without the tape and with the tape, and in my experience the cuts with the tape are much cleaner, and I've tried it both ways and for me at least there is a big difference, my tablesaw blades are not of superior quality, I have no idea if that plays any part in the difference, for me personally I've seen the difference and tape is cheap, well except for that blue painters tape and they want a freaking arm and leg for that shi*. When I not use the tape my wife has even noticed the difference in the cuts (anybody need a wife with good eyesight?)
I also agree that the results would be different when using plywood or something similar. At least for a fair and comprehensive test it would make sense to test with different tapes on a variety of wood types.
I just might have that test coming in the future ;)
I look forward to seeing it.
This has worked well for me on plywood. I don't think the color of the tape makes much difference on either material. I get a pretty consistent clean cut if I use both tape and a knife cut.
So would a thin sacrificial piece on the tear out side work?
I cut melamine on the table saw backwards first (just a shallow cut) and then do the final cut normally. This results in a clean cut on both sides. Same can be done with a miter saw. Only the jigsaw can not be made to cut both sides smooth.
Im using particle board too (I'm poor). I'm glad you confirmed my suspicion that it does not work. (Was using the tape on and off) also learned that using tape with routers is MUCH WORSE because the tape gets tangled and burns onto the bit. Which also burns the board.
Try using a j roller or dowel to firmly press the tape in
The adhesion is exponentially better and doing that really does work
Applying the tape by hand doesn’t actually make it adhere very well. Similar thing happens when using it to paint, you must roll it down or the paint lines will bleed thru
@@dylan-nguyen ok I will
I used tape on wood (especially ply) when cutting with a circular saw (not a table saw with a zero clearance). It makes a significant difference.
If I'm using a jigsaw for anything then I leave space for clean up.
I guess you were trying to disprove tape being of benefit, but how about showing what works, and that is doing a 1mm score cut first, on both sides, then cut the remaining thickness, works a treat. Cheers Colin, appreate your videos, you got me started on learning wood work...
Thanks for the great video. Some of the articles I pawed through used a circular saw and were worried about tear out on the top side of the board. Do you mind trying this out with some OSB or MDF?
We'll be doing more tests on other woods in the future!
I use this on finish painted cabinet materials and it works great I like orange masking tape
On cross cutting on veneer plywood it seems to make the most difference. It is most prominent on highly figured veneer.
More test to come in the future on other woods!. Thanks for watching!
Sharp, triple chip blade, zero clearance insert, steady feed rate. Job done.
Thanks a lot...
You are welcome!
Interesting. I wonder if the Frog tape is so sticky that it's lifting off loose pieces of melamine as it's peeled off.
CristobalMuerto That is exactly what I thought.
Feed speed. Painters tape - 5 seconds, Frog tape - 3 seconds.
That could be, but these manufacturers do advertise their products to be gentle on surfaces.
That's the first thing I thought. How you remove the tape is going to affect the weak sides of the cut (especially with cheap chipboard covered in melamine) and cause tearout (maybe??)
I believe that you need to use regular masking tape snd be certain that it is pressed firmly agsinst the sureface. I knoe that it improved tearout on my cuts also it is a good idea to score your cutline with a utility knife before taping
I agree, you couldn't have chosen a worst type of wood to use an example unless you tried it on a limb.
I use blue tape to mark my cut line and keep jigsaw base from scratching surface. I do this on plastic laminate countertops over particle board. I also use a "down cut" blade so the cut goes into the top. I don't care what the bottom (under sink) looks like.
Have to agree with the others. Melamine probably isn’t a good test. I use blue painters table when I cross cut plywood on my table saw (or with a circular saw) and I am very happy with the results. I have not tried it with other woods.
I'll be testing other woods in the future!
What about the Starrett Dual cut jig saw Blade?
Hello Colin and thanks for useful demonstration!
Now you have tried tape on melamine. Why not try it on other type of wood as well?
Tape on other woods is coming!
Wondering if your jig saw has an adjustable "rake".
In my experience, the tape's real use is in
a) keeping your tool's shoe from marring the work piece.
b) making your layout lines more visible.
It would definitely be a benefit there! Thanks for sharing!
Is that a Freud fj85 jigsaw? I have the same :D
On the table saw, you can get a clean cut on the underside of melamine by doing a 1/16" to 1/8" scoring cut before doing your thru cut.
Hi Colin, cutting Melamine is always a pain in the neck with the chipping. When i use my jigsaw to cut it, i use a metal cutting blade [ i know, i know it's not right ] but it gives me a much better finish [it does take longer to cut].
djp Pereira there is nothing wrong to use metal blade on special fine cuts if its really need some super fine cut. I even use metal hand saw with tiny things.
Attila Szabo, The woodworking Guru's will not approve of out methods. LOL.
djp Pereira if you do it on purpose, and you know the reason, they do.
You’re right, and using a different blade. I have always used a saw blade with at least 80 to 100 teeth.and. I have always tape my cuts. I only use this method on cutting melamine. And of course you have to make a conscious decision to put the good side down on a table saw. Also I always use a zero clearance blade insert. In a cabinet shop you will have a table saw with the scoring blade which illuminates the problem with chipping completely. (Only if it is adjusted properly)
Thanks for watching, Eddie. Yes, I think a good blade and scoring is the solution!
I would really like to see that same test on plywood to see it to works better. I have used tape to shorten the bottoms of doors in the past and it seemed to help.
More tests coming for you in the future! Say tuned!
On another, slightly unrelated note, what are the different tapes actually intended for, and what are their differences?
When I was a kid, "masking tape" was to stop paint going onto a surface. Maybe some paints bled under.
Then there was blue tape called "painter's tape". I've never used it, but I guess it seals better at the edge and maybe releases better off of other painted surfaces?
I have absolutely no idea what the green "frog tape" does, or is meant to be used for. It's sure purdy though! :)
Maybe Depends on the type of saw blade and wood type
Your test was very informative...but I think the tape method is more for the ends of your cuts in plywood or 2x4's where blow out often happens. Your test really isn't testing blow out but rather chipping of laminate on partical board. In my years blow out means a completely different thing. It happens on the ends of the board when cutting. The only way that I have prevented chipping of laminate is to run a deep score line down your cut line before cutting the laminated board. Thanks for sharing though interesting test.
I'll be doing tests on more woods in the future! In my part of the world, it's widely rumored that tape helps on products like melamine. You'll hear it at hardware stores all the time.
Colin, don’t know how but I accidentally deleted my comment and your reply just after reading it. Sorry. Thanks for your reply however. Do you have access to laminated kitchen worktops to include in your next tape test?
I had to miter a stair railing with a lot of curved detailing. The railing was made out of bloodwood which splinters like crazy. The first cut was ugly. I used scotch tape along the back of the cut. It couldn't prevent the tear-out from happening 100% but there was a drastic improvement from what was occurring before. There was very little splintering and what did occur was smaller. The great thing about the scotch tape was that it caught the splinters. By repositioning the tape after applying some wood glue to the tear, it created an invisible repair. Having a good blade is also important.
If anything this test tells you, and I've been doing for awhile now when cutting melamine, is use a blade that cuts on a down stroke.
In my experience, the tape is most effective when used on plywood or OSB. Never tried it with melamine.
I suggest to try with plastic box tape and a circular saw on crosscuts of thin veneer plywood. I found a huge difference.
I think your test may be minimizing tearout due to the zero clearance insert.
Thanks for the tip, John ... I just might test that!
I use tape all the time and for something like Birch ply it works great, melamine you need a high quality blade. I would also never expect tape to be any help with an aggressive saw like a jigsaw especially on melamine . I think you need to rethink the approach on materials which has been mentioned several times. I generally like your videos, I think this one gives a distorted view of using tape, unless you state it's a test for only melamine.
More tests to come, Anthony ... this was only one common rumor I was reviewing!
Look forward to your future video, Thanks for the time you take to do them and to respond to your viewers.
I was excited to see this as a topic, and instantly disappointed when I saw what you were cutting instead of wood. And as a "BTW", the one roll of "Frog Tape" that I ever bought was also the last roll I ever bought...I found it absolutely no better than "painter's tape".
I'll be testing other woods in the future, Larry. Thanks for watching!
I am wondering if it would make a difference if you did not pull the piece back from cutting... Just go forward and cut complete.
As far as the jigsaw goes, there is no way to make that work because it is constantly cutting and pulling
Using a good quality finishing blade gives me a smoother cut. I've never bothered with tape.
Recently purchased a new ripping blade as I do a lot of ripping and the cut isn't nearly as clean as my cc blade(s), but that's to be expected. I guess it's the trade off for keeping the blade from over heating and warping.. I know..it's not really related to tear out, but in some ways it is.
Just avoid the cheap, budget blades from HD (Avante) and other retailers unless you're not concerned with a nice, clean cut.
I agree the blade makes a big difference!
Everyone seems to believe as I do - that Melamine is the most difficult material to work with as far as chip out. Pre-scoring with a knife is probably the only way to go for good clean cuts. Or ... you could just compensate by staying clear of the final and use a plane to get to final length.... Work Work Work ... Still love the analysis and the proof is always in the doing.
Thanks for watching, Clyde!
I miss another possibility.
How does it look like if you saw a second wood with it? Both cases.
Could you still add that?
Thank you very much!!!
I'll be testing other wood in the future. Stay tuned!
I do use tape for cutting worktops etc but more because it gives me a surface to mark up on
I think tape makes a difference cutting plywood with a jig saw. It would never have occurred to me to use it on the table saw! Thanks for letting me know there's a difference between masking tape and painter's tape - I thought it was just the colour!
I think that one of the problems is that the names Painter's Tape and Masking Tape are used interchangeably by manufacturers. I'm not sure where the boundary is. I think using a good quality brand of either works best!
I also think it's a stretch calling a 40 tooth ATB blade a combination blade.
I do a lot of scroll sawing on my 788 DeWalt & I use blue painters tape on my boards & I found out it really helps. The scroll saw blade you was using wasn't really a blade you would use in a scroll saw so don't compare apples to lemons .
I’ve had, sort of a successful try at this. I was cutting solid pine. There was a slight improvement but is it worth it? Maybe, maybe not. Moral of the story is that tape won’t compensate for the fact that you may not be using the right type of blade.
Agreed! Blades are everything!
Have to agree with the comments...Blade choice for Melamine is far more important than using tape. Negative pitch teeth as used in several dado blade sets performs much better. The tape theory also excels when scrollsaw cutting using clear shipping tape. Not only reduces (careful, no one should say "eliminates"), but also provides a little lubrication for the saw blade. Frankly, it's the tiny wood fibers that are unsupported that you're trying to support with the tape, so try it on plywood or open grain hardwood...oak in particular and redo the test. Good luck.
I do know painters tape is great for holding glue projects together, such as using heavy duty cardboard. worked for me way better than duck tape, and i was also able to untape and retape vs tearing heavy duty, multi ply cardboard. I made some very strong steps for my 24 pound boston terrier; I made these within a week of him coming home at 12 weeks old. he is almost a year old and they have held up, without any dents, despite me tripping and falling on them a few times. Painters tape worked because I couldn't realistically C-clamp sheets of cardboard. After I realized it's strength, I was able to use the tape to hold each piece without having to delay for drying time. I did of course cover them... anyway. I ran across this, and thought i'd mention. I guarantee you could wooden dowel together, with wood glue, two planks, about size of bed slats... but you could use painters tape and wrap strongly around both pieces... and expect miracles
I didn’t k ow if tape was used for tear out ( found it hard to believe), or to prevent marring, which I think actually works.
I always thought you used the tape to keep the foot of your jigsaw from marring the surface, not to prevent tear out.
It makes sense for not marring the surface ... but it a common rumor that it helps the cut quality.
CAN ANYONE HELP?? I need your expert woodworking advice.
I have a wooden SAILBOAT MODEL that has a broken mast..
Instead of fixing the mast I would like to filet the sailboat hull in half
so I can make 2 "Half Hull" wall plaques.
How do I make a razor thin, razor fine precision cut.
I do own a table saw BUT the metal blade itself is pretty thick and crude.
Maybe a band saw? Any suggestions??
A bandsaw is probably going to be your best bet.
@@knecht105 Thanks for the suggestion - Much appreciated.
1st problem is you should use different type of tape
2nd - the main problem is you are taking off the tape and making mistake when you pull it up - try take it to the left or right
I use 'repair tape'strengthened by fibers and have great results taking it off by pulling tape to cut site, parralel to board plane
Ok this is going to be to point. Flaws in your test; 1; the blade for melamine - you’ll never get a good cut with a crosscut blade. They make blades for melamine that gives you a better shot at a clean cut, 2; you are doing a stop cut and not stopping the blade at the end of the cut thereby doubling the chance of tear out, 3; the speed of the cuts are all different and lastly at least in my experience the way in which you apply the tape you did not show ie did you put it on and lightly set it or did you put it on and apply pressure to set the tape firmly. It makes a difference to the cut.
Now if you really want to make a good clean cut in melamine then you need #1; a good quality blade made for melamine 2; tape the cut and use a lot of pressure to bond the tape to both sides and 3; slow your speed down and keep the piece absolutely straight all the way through the cut. Any wiggle will result in chip-out.
As for the jigsaw really; the way you did the cuts and blade choices there is no way you could even expect a good cut. I don’t think I would ever use a jigsaw unless I was planning on sanding to the line.
I cannot recommend this video or the last one on zero clearance to anyone.
Now if you want a video to watch there is fellow from down under who has a shop with cabinets entirely out of melamine and right now his name alludes me. If I remember I’ll add it in a reply. Dave Stanton is the fellows name.
What about on wood without a coating?
Stay tuned for those tests!
Tape will help on melamine but the test would work properly or better when you cut all the way across the board. When you make partial cuts like that it allows the melamine to vibrate causing it to chip. A cut all the way across does yield a better cut. And a melamine blade makes an even better cut.
In my experience which is limited tape won't help on melamine but may help with veneered ply
Tests on other woods are coming soon!