Sawblade for Cutting Nida-Core Honeycomb Composite Panels

For the past week, I have been wading through humidity here in North Carolina, trying to find dry pockets so I could attempt cuts on some of the first panels.  The humidity consolidated with the heat has been unbearable to say the least.

We have been dealt a blessing for today and the rest of the week; some cooler air has moved in.

So I tried my hands at cutting some of the first Nida-Core Honeycomb Composite Fiberglass panels this evening.  This stuff cuts really well with a circular saw fitted with a 40-60 teeth carbide blade.  I purchased a sacrificial 7-1/4" circular saw for the job because of all the fiberglass it's motor armature and field would be exposed to.  I had originally tried a steel blade with approximately 100-120 teeth.  The cut went fine with the steel blade but towards the end of the 48" pass, the blade pretty much resembled a butter knife.

Do yourself a favor-  buy a 40-60 tooth tungsten carbide blade, they work fine and only splinter the fiberglass minimally.  I was pleased with the cuts, no major disturbance of lamination at these new edges, just a little surface frays where the blade comes through.  Really not bad at all, now just a pass with a power sander and all will be well along these new edges.

There are circular saw, 'fiberglass specific' blades made out of tungsten grit, which resemble some of the masonry diamond cutting blades on the market.  However, they are significantly higher priced than a carbide blade and I am not sure they would or even could for that matter, do any better than the carbide, 40-60 toothed blade did. 

I have the flooring cut and the first vertical sides for the portion that will fit the truck bed....(see here)

(update 6 months later) I am still using the same sawblade, the carbide toothed blade, after 6 months of usage it is cutting this stuff just like day one.  "Carbide" is the only way to go when cutting fiberglass.