Carbide Blade Longevity
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Posted On :
May-20-2011
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Article Word Count :
586
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There is a lot of talk out there about carbide vs abrasive blades, how long will a blade last, how many cuts before it wears out, which saw is better, blah, blah, blah. I'm here today to answer as many questions about how to keep your carbide blade alive the longest when using a dry-cut saw.
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There is a lot of talk out there about carbide vs abrasive blades, how long will a blade last, how many cuts before it wears out, which saw is better, blah, blah, blah. I'm here today to answer as many questions about how to keep your carbide blade alive the longest when using a dry-cut saw.
To begin, a dry-cut saw is just that. It's meant to be used without water! PLEASE do not add oils, water, or any other lubricant to the machine or the blade. Oils will wear down the carbide on a dry-cut machine and render the blade useless. Using a dry-cut saw as a cold saw doesn't make much sense. If you want a cold saw, you can find those. But the ease with which a dry-cut saw can operate is well worth the few extra dollars needed for a carbide blade.
Secondly, use the right saw for the task at hand. If you are cutting metal and think you can just throw a carbide blade into your cheap chop saw, you will be very sad my friend. The right saw will ideally run in the 1800 rpm range, as opposed to the typical 5000 rpm found in a chop saw. The reason for this is the saw has to be geared down in order to keep the blade cool, thereby extending the life of the blade, plus the lower rev rate will help to eliminate "chatter" (metal bouncing while trying to cut) in order to make a more accurate cut.
Finally, whenever possible try to have the angle of the cut in a position that is most conducive to allow a smooth, even cut. What I mean by that is if you are cutting an "L" shape metal, attempt to cut it in the inverted "^" position. That will allow you to begin a cut much much more smoothly, eliminating any chatter as mentioned above. While carbide is a very strong, durable material, the teeth can chip if the material is bouncing around. If you can get rid of that bounce, you will keep your teeth! Keep your teeth, keep your blade (see where I'm going here?)!
In closing, if you think you need a new carbide blade for your dry-cut saw, keep in mind the blades can be sharpened several times before you need to throw it away and buy a new one! Look closely at your blade. Do you see any visible damage? If so, simply search for "carbide blade sharpening" and you will see several options for getting a blade sharpened, which is always less expensive than buying a new one! If you can't see any visible chips, simply place a chunk of solid round in your saw and cut through it at a normal ninety degree angle. If it slides through like butter, your blade is probably fine. Try slowing the saw even further, without lessening the pressure when cutting your odd-shaped material. If it struggles through the solid round, take it in and get sharpened.
When following all of the above guidelines, your carbide blade and metal cutting saw will prove to save you up to three times the operating costs as a standard abrasive cutting saw. When saving time and money, while having a much cleaner, drier machine, the advantages to a dry-cut saw should be obvious.
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Article Source :
http://www.articleseen.com/Article_Carbide Blade Longevity_62604.aspx
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Author Resource :
David Kaiser is an online reviewer of Milwaukee Power Tools. To learn more about Milwaukee Tools and to see more of his reviews, visit http://milwaukeepowertoolreviews.com.
There you will find a more in-depth review of the Milwaukee 6190-20 Dry Cut Saw.
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Keywords :
Milwaukee 6190-20, 6190-20, abrasive cut off saw, Milwaukee chop saw, Milwaukee 6190-20 review, Milwaukee power tools, milwaukee 61,
Category :
Home and Family
:
Home Improvement
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