Learning how to Sharpen your Circular Saws

Nowadays, saws are sharpened only rarely and by few woodworkers, but the question still tends to arise of how to do it. Sharpening circular saw blade is becoming a forgotten craft and fewer people can even do this. Sharpening one's own saw is vital and one should not be buying replacements can really bring out the skill and self-confidence to any woodworker. The ability to maintain the sharpness on one’s saw blade allowed saws to retain their usefulness, no matter how long the resided in the woodworker’s toolbox. Today's mass produced, plastic handled and Teflon-coated disposable saws are a poor comparison to the quality saw for they are designed to be simply thrown away as soon as they get blunt.

Some woodworkers likes to touch up chipped teeth with a small, flat diamond hone. If you try that, make sure you maintain the original angles and surfaces, and don’t round over the cutting edges. Once in a while you’ll find missing teeth. If the manufacturer can replace the saws, expect that it is expensive. So unless that blade cost a lot in the first place, you’re probably better off to toss it and buy a new one.

Jointing the Teeth. 

Sharpening the teeth of a non-carbide-tipped circular saw blade is usually done like this. Install the blade in a commercial saw-setting jig following the manufacturer’s instructions. After installing the jointing head on the jig, butting its file up against the saw teeth. Tighten the thumbscrew until the teeth strain against the file.  Jointing the teeth so they are all the same length, clamp the jig in a bench vise and rotate the circular saw blade against the file clockwise. After each rotation, tighten the thumbscrew slightly and repeat until the tip of each tooth has been filed flat.

Sharpening the Teeth. 

After the saw teeth have been jointed and set, file them using a commercial saw-sharpening jig. Mount the jig to a workbench and install the blade loosely on the jig so the blade turns. Using the manufacturer’s instructions, rotate the triangular file in the file holder and adjust the guide arm to match the required pitch and angle of the saw teeth. Starting with a tooth that is pointing to the right, file the cutting edge by sliding the file holder along the top of the jig. Rotate the circular saw blade counterclockwise, skipping one tooth, and repeat. Sharpen all the right-pointing teeth the same way. Adjust the triangular file and the guide arm to work on the left-pointing teeth and repeat, sharpening all the teeth you skipped.

Introduction to Blade Basics Part 2

Last time, we talked about the parts of the blade which is important to know when using one. Today, we’re going to talk about the different types of blade construction. So how important is blade construction? Blades are made from a single piece of steel or built of two pieces. The choice of blade will largely depend on the life expectancy and performance requirements. Below are the key information you need to know.

Carbon Band saw Blade

Carbon Band saw Blade is generally used in small maintenance shops and for light production cuts. They are made with alloys with high silicon content. The blade is précised milled, heat treated teeth and have a flexible back. It is usually used on wood, non-ferrous metals and mild-steel. There are two types of carbon band saw blade.

Hard Back- A one piece blade made of carbon steel with a hardened back and tooth edge. It is recommended for hard wood, mild steel like aluminum, brass and plastics.

Flex Back-A one piece blade made of carbon steel with a hardened tooth edge and soft back. This blade is recommended for cutting plastics, softwood and non-ferrous applications.

Bi-metal Band Saw Blade

This band saw blade is composed of a high steel edge material. An electron beam is wielded to fatigue resistant spring steel backing. This specification is ideal for high performance cutting requirements and longer fatigue life. This blade will handle simple metal cutting to production cutting of super alloys.

Each blade in production has its own unique abilities and is designed for a specific material or to process materials in small or heavy work load. Knowing these blades will definitely help you in cost cutting and time saving for your machine shop. For any questions or if you are interested in buying a band saw blade, visit us at www.specialtysaws.com.au. 

Introduction on Blade Basics

Blades are basically important for woodworkers and knowing the basics about blades will determine the outcome of your project. If you are aspiring to become one, we recommend that you read about this article. Fortunately, sawing technology has improved throughout the years and ushered new products of saw blades that are able to cut down manufacturing cost.

Choosing the Ideal Blade

Choosing the ideal blade for a specific material is critical in terms of cutting. It ensures cost-effectiveness of blade sawing and manufacturing time. Here are some basic information you should remember in your decision making process.

·         Blade Back-This refers to the body of the blade but excluding the tooth portion

·         Width-Refers to the nominal dimension of a saw blade as measured from the tip of the tooth

·         TPI-Refers to the teeth per inch as measured from gullet to gullet

·         Thickness-is the dimension from side to side on the blade

·         Kerf is the amount of material removed by the cut of the blade

·         Gullet is the curved area at the base of the tooth. The tooth tip to the bottom of the gullet is the depth.

·         Set is the bending of teeth to left or right to allow clearance of the back of the blade through the cut

·         Tooth Rake Angle is basically the angle of the tooth face measured with respect to a line perpendicular to the cutting direction of the saw.

·         Tooth Face is the surface of the tooth on which the chip formed

·         Tooth Pitch is the distance from the tip of one tooth to the tip of the next tooth

These are the basic features you should remember when choosing the right blade. Every feature is design to each blade to cut a specific material. These features will also determine the outcome of your cutting process. For any questions or you are in need to circular saw blades or bandsaw blade, visit us at www.specialtysaws.com.au. We’ll be writing another article about Blade construction, so stay tuned!  

Bandsaw Vs. Coldsaw

For woodworkers, choosing the right tool for cutting is very important. Either using a bandsaw or a circular saw can make a difference in the outcome of the cut. The problem is, what should I use? Choosing between the two choices will affect the quality and the productivity of the work process.

Band saws are probably advanced in many areas of cutting. It has cutting capabilities, accurate feed units, programmable work stations, horsepower options for gear motor speed and the ability to produce cuts in different types of materials like metal and steel. Coldsaws on the other hand offers high speed cutting and quality finishes. Also, manual units perform simple and low volume cuts across materials with wide spectrum. It can also be versatile and easy to carry from one place to another unlike bandsaws.

In terms of choosing the right bandsaw and circular coldsaw, high volume and high production application is very important. But today, due to the technical advancements of each product, there are a bit of choices based on what task each tool will perform in terms of cutting.

Here are some of the factors you should consider when buying either a bandsaw or a circular coldsaw

Material and diameter

Before the cutting process or before you buy a bandsaw or coldsaw remember to ask yourselves these following questions. What material will you cut? What are the diameter of the materials to be cut? Will it be possible to use this tool for the long run? Will you change your preferences in the future? These questions will surely help you decide on what to purchase.

The diameter for circular cold saws is from 5-6 inches and beyond that diameter, it will fall into the bandsaw depending on factors. Coldsaw on the other part can go in and out of the material quickly and most steel grade are better to cut using coldsaw. The bandsaw runs slower and more cutting edge than the coldsaw which means providing more time to cool the blade between the exiting and entering through the material.

Cut Types

If your application would require angle cutting, then it is better to have a circular cold saw as your choices. Small diameter materials and limited angle cutting process, the bandsaw might be an option for you.

Quality of Cuts                                                                                                                                    

Circular coldsaws are perfect for high-quality finishes with great edges and if your coldsaw equipped with good blade, it can eliminate burrs on the cut edge. If we’re looking into a bigger production picture, some bandsaw are equipped with servo-ball screw that propels the feeding unit; replaces the hydraulic feed and tighter length tolerance.

Getting Started Using a Circular Saw Part 2

Here’s the continuation of our blog series 10 tips novices should know before using circular saws.

6.       Precise Rips

A rip cut is a style of cutting that runs parallel with the grain of the wood, as opposed to a crosscut, which goes around the wood grain. Most circular saws come with a metal rip guide that attaches to the saw’s base plate. This type of guide works but limited only to rips about 6 inches wide. A better choice is to clamp an 8ft long board in place as a straightedge guide when cutting.

7.       Wood Splintering

When a saw blade enters the bottom of the board and exits through the top, splintering is often seen on the top surface. To avoid wood splintering, place a board or panel with its best surface facing down. In that way any splintering will occur on the top or back side. When trimming doors down to size, you might want to eliminate splintering from both sides. Here’s what you should do: Place the best side face down, meaning the side of the door that will be most visible once it is hung. Then score along the edge of the cut line with a sharp utility knife. Now make the cut, you’ll see that the wood fibers will break off cleanly at the scored line, leaving a smooth, splinter free cut.

8.       Stack and Clamp

The stack and clamp technique allows you to cut more than one piece of plywood. First, stack four or five sheets on top of each other and make sure that the edges are aligned. Clamp the pieces then adjust the saw blade to its maximum depth of cut and saw through all the sheets at the same time.

9.       Bevel Cutting

All circular saws can be adjusted to make a bevel cut up to 45 degrees. However when the base plate is tilted all the way over, the lower blade guard has a tendency to catch on the edge of the board. If this happens, do not force the saw to cut instead release the trigger, raise the blade guard and make the cut. Once the blade has cut the material by an inch or so, you can release the guard.

10.   Gravity Feed Sawing

When cutting long, straight, vertical cut into a wall, then using the circular saw is the right choice. Just remember to start cutting at the top to the bottom, in that way the gravity will simply working in your favor and will allow the weight of the saw to advance the blade through the cut.

Aside from these tips and tricks, all you have to do to make the perfect cut is to choose the right saw for every material and maintain the saw and the blade. Visit us at www.specialtysaws.com.au

Getting Started Using a Circular Saw Part 1

If you are a DIY person and want to know how to properly use a circular saw, then here are some things you should follow before using one. A circular saw is a powerful tool used to cut different materials and if not used properly, you might get serious injuries.

1.       Blade Check

The condition of a blade is very important. Using a defective, damaged, rusty and dull blade will result into cutting imperfections. The quality of the cutting process depends on the condition of the blade. We recommend that you use thin-kerf carbide tipped combination blade which can be used for crosscuts and ripped cuts in solid wood and plywood. Adjust the saw depth of the cut so the blade extends no more than ¼ inches past the board edge. Adjust it when the saw is unplugged or the battery removed for safety purposes.

2.       Saw  Condition

It is important to check the condition of your saw before you try to run or cut. Make sure that your lower blade guard retracts smoothly and snaps back when released. Check for broken teeth and replace the blade if there’s any damage. Make sure that your power cord is without cracks and if you’re using a cordless saw, make sure that the battery is fully charged. Remember to unplug or removed the power supply before loosening or changing the blade.

3.       Cross Cuts

Making cross cuts with a circular saw is pretty easy if you use a layout square as a guide. Hold the saw in place with its blade right on the cut line. Then slide the square against the saw’s base plate and press it tightly against the edge of the board. Check the blade and make sure that it isn’t contacting the board and squeeze the trigger and allow the saw to reach full speed. Now simply guide the saw to produce the clean cut.

4.       Saw Positioning

Whenever you are cutting, we advise that you position the saw with its motor facing towards the larger section of the board that isn’t falling when cutting. That way, the saw’s base plate will be supported throughout the cut.

5.       Binding Prevention

When paneling or cutting plywood, it is important that you eliminate dangerous kickbacks when the blade gets pinched in the cut. Place 2x4s under the sheets you are cutting spacing one 2x4 close to each side of the cut line. Then when you make the cut, both of the halves of the plywood will be supported by the 2x4 throughout the cutting process. 

Coldsaw Sharpening

Having a coldsaw blade in your arsenal of tools is a great investment especially if you’re working in the cutting industry. If we are to achieve the optimal production and efficiency in cutting, a person must know how to conduct maintenance on their coldsaw. One of the forgotten routine in cutting is sharpening circular saw blades and today, we’re going to tackle this subject.

We’re going to start with:

1.       Maintenance

In maintenance, sharpening one’s coldsaw blade is a must. Coldsaw blades, brobo blades, bi-metal saw blades, etc. should be kept sharp to achieve optimum results and efficiency when working.

2.       Savings

If you think that your blade isn’t performing to the level it should be, it would be a great move to check the blade if you can sharpen it instead of buying a new one. Sharpening your blade will increase your skill and can be cost-effective if you are trying to save money.

 3.       Carbide Saws

Carbide blades are efficient in terms of durability and in our experience, carbide blades can be sharpened 15 to 20 times before replacement. Sharpening a carbide saw utilizes ultra-fine diamond grit wheels on machine. After the blade is inspected and polished, the blade is checked for broken teeth. After the blade is sharpened, coating it with a special wax is a way to protect the teeth from different cutting activities.

4.     Cold Saw or Brobo Blades

The best way to perform coldsaw or brobo blade sharpening is through CNC sharpening machine. Imperfections in sharpening can cause you even further damage and imprecise cutting. Our company uses high-tech German sharpening machine that ensures blade geometry and tolerance are maintained. Precision grinding wheels produce a result that will make your blades last longer.

 5.       Steel Saw Blades

Steel Saw Blades are also known to be durable and can be sharpened up to 20 times depending on the size and condition of the blade. We also sharpen these blades using a CNC Sharpening Machine.