Metal cutting saw blades?

admin

Any good? Was looking to add one to a circular saw and maybe the 14in chop saw instead of the cutting disks or in addition to them. Anyone use them?Thnx
Reply:Do you mean the carbide tipped blades?   If so, they are very sensitive to speed and will only work on machines that are turning the correct rpm. For a 14" saw that's around 1300 rpm and for a 7 1/4" saw about 3500 rpm. If you spin these blades much faster they will not last long. Worm drive saws are 4300 rpm which is ok but will have significantly shortened life span. Abrasive chop saws spin much too fast.Don't bother trying to cut stainless. Don't bother with cheap no names. Tenryu makes the best that I have found. Be prepared to have them sharpened, they're too expensive to just replace when they become dull.12" blades cut better than 14" if you can afford to lose a little capacity. They make sharp little chips that stick to shoes, extension cords, and long haired dogs but there is less dust and smoke. The hot chips can start fires, even worse than sparks.They do make fast, accurate cuts with less burr.Last edited by fortyonethirty; 08-03-2009 at 06:38 PM.
Reply:I agree with all of that except the heat.  I only get very occasional sparks -- the process runs much cooler than with an abrasive blade.You can't put a cold-cut blade on a regular chop saw since the RPMs are much too fast.  The inexpensive way to do it is to get a British Evolution saw.  I found a new Milwaukee on ebay for under $300.  It didn't come with a blade, but the Milwaukee blades are overpriced compared to the $30 (Italian) Freud Diablos you can also get on ebay.  I've been very happy with the combo.  You don't need a respirator and you don't need to clean up your cuts.
Reply:Originally Posted by fortyonethirtyDon't bother trying to cut stainless.
Reply:There are blades designed for stainless.
Reply:We have had the Milwaukee metal cutting saw for about a year and a half and it has been performing very well. A few suggestions about using these saws will extend the blade life considerably. 1. Always use a straight edge guide. Don't free hand the cuts as any blade binding will severely shorten the life of the blade and likely remove carbides. 2. Let the saw do the cutting and don't force it into the metal. Moderate pressure is the key.3. Don't try to cut more than 1/2" of metal in one pass. Make several passes at increasing depths if cutting thicker material.4. A sharp blade will cut 1/4" mild steel at about the same speed as a circular saw cuts 3/4" plywood.We also found that the 7 1/4" Harbor Freight metal cutting blades work just as good or better than the 8" Milwaukee blades and cost about 1/3 as much, although you can't cut quite as deep with them (about 3/8" less) . When using any of these saws wear safety glasses and hearing protection when using them.CharleyLMiller MM252Miller Bobcat 225NTMiller DialArc HF / DIY Cooler2 Victor O/A TorchsetsMilwaukee 8" Metal SawMilwaukee Dry Cut "Chop" Saw 5 Ton Wallace Gantry Various Grinders, Benders, etc.