Increasing the Life of your Saw Blade

Saw blades are an integral part of the steel fabrication process, thus maximising the life of your saw blade increases profits and decreasing the downtime of your working process. In this article, we’ll give you some helpful tips on how to increase the life of your saw blade.

Take your Time

Allow the rotation of the blade to reach its full speed before cutting and don’t push the saw as the blade cuts through the material. Take your time and let the teeth make the cut and pull the saw forward.

Using the Entire Blade

Allow the blade to reach as far out as possible and use a straight edge of some sort to make the cut. This expands the surface of the area of the blade being used and spreads the work evenly across the blade.

Secure the Material

Before you cut anything with your saw, make sure that the material to be cut is secured. Clamp the material well to avoid vibration and spinning. Such motion creates unnecessary work for the blade.

Cooling the blade

High temperatures lead to premature cutting and deformation of the HSS saw blade. It is essential to use the right coolant according to the machine, the blade and the material you are cutting.

Proper Grinding Time

Grinding the blade is one of the most effective ways to extend the life of your saw blade and keep their sharpness throughout the cutting process. It is important to adhere the appropriate grinding time whether you are using HSS saw blade or the common TCT or Tungsten Carbide Tip. As you go on with the process, make sure to pay attention to the blade’s condition. If there are abnormalities such as weird noises during the process, it’s proper to seek professional advice or grinding services.

Specialty Saws offers a new line of circular saw blades - the Fly-High Tech Coldsaw blade. Known for its durability and endurance, these cold saw blades are exceptional for all kinds of metal cutting processes. Each blade comes with special coating designed to reduce cycle time and increase blade life. With the increased sawing performance, you can expect clean, precise and reliable cuts every time.

Proper Cleaning of your Circular Saw Blade

Regular cleaning of your circular saw blade should be under your preventive maintenance routine. In order to preserve the integrity of the metal and safety of the woodworker, one must know the fundamentals of cleaning the saw blade. For instance, never use abrasive materials which could destroy the metal including stiff wire brushes, corrosive chemicals or filings to remove the dirt.

Soaking

Place the blade into a pan and fill it with the recommended cleaning solution. Soak the blade overnight while flipping it once in a while. Always be careful with the blade, even if they are dull, it can easily cut your skin. Frequent cleaning of the blade can make the soaking process easier.

Blade Coating

Another process would be Blade Coating. Many blades have their very own coating which reduce friction, keeps the blade sharper and helps the blade withstand longer working process. Kerosene can also be used during the process.

Remember: Don’t use brass brush when the blade is coated, it can remove the coating. The best way to clean coated blade is to use a plastic scrubber.

Plastic Scrapper

Use the plastic scrapper to remove buildup from pitch, sap and resin within the wood. These kind of dirt can be difficult to remove if not dealt immediately and can damage your saw blade. If not removed, soak the blade for another day.

Brass Brush

For uncoated Circular Saw Blades, Brass bristled brush would be the perfect choice. It can easily clean dirt buildup after you soaked the Circular Saw Blade. The brush is soft enough for cleaning build-up and will not harm the reliability of the metal.

Resin Remover

Resin Remover are helpful when cleaning high density dirt on your Circular Saw Blade. Dilute the cleaner in water and soak the blade for 15 minutes. After soaking, rinse the blade and clean. 

How to make a Perfect Cut

Compared to other saws, using a circular saw in making cuts can be quite tricky. Poorly operated saws can will fail to achieve clean cuts but can also result into injury. Today, we’ll guide you with some professional woodworkers do in order for them to make a perfect cut.

1.       Inspection

Before you go into cutting process, have a quick check on your circular saw. Check the blade for cracks and chips, if damage is present, change the saw immediately. If you are working with a cordless saw, check the batteries for any defects.

2.        Blade Check

After inspecting the saw, check the blade thoroughly. The performance and the cut quality depends on the blade. Cutting with a rusty or damaged blade isn’t recommended. There are designated blade for every material being cut. For example, using thin kerf carbide tipped combination can be used in cross cuts and rip cuts on solid wood and plywood.

3.       Positioning

Having the right position during the cutting process is important and there are rules in which direction you should cut in. The best possible position is that the saw with its motor facing towards the larger section of the board that isn’t falling away. The saw’s base plate will be fully supported during the cutting process.

4.       Wood Splintering

Place the board or a panel with the best surface facing down to avoid wood splintering. This way, the splinters will happen on the backside. When trimming doors down to the right size, place the best side down. Score along the edge with a knife and begin with the cut.

5.       Binding Prevention

Ensure proper support to eliminate kickbacks from the blade when cutting sheets of plywood or during paneling. Place a 2x4 underneath the sheet you are cutting, spacing one 2x4 close to the cut line. When you make the cut, the both halves will be supported by the 2x4. 

Tips you Should Know to Make the Perfect Cut

6 Tips for the Perfect Cut

Using a circular saw can be a little bit tricky compared to other tools like jigsaws or electric drills. A poorly operated circular saw will not only  fail to achieve the clean cut you are aspiring to, but more importantly, can result into injury. Today, we’ll give you some tips on how to make the perfect cut using your own saw, and keep safe.

1. Saw Inspection

Before you do anything, run a quick check on your saw. Be sure the lower blade guard retracts smoothly and snaps when released. Check the blade for cracks and chips.  Replace the blade if you find any damage. Check the battery if you’re using a cordless saw.  If not, check the cord for any kind of damage before using it.

2. Perform a blade check

The performance and the cut quality depends highly on the blade. Never cut with a rusty, dull and damaged blade. Use the right blade for every material being cut. Consider using a thin kerf carbide tipped combination which can be used for crosscuts and rip cuts in solid wood and plywood.

3. Saw Positioning

There are hard and fast rules regarding which direction you should cut in, but whenever possible position the saw with its motor facing towards the larger section of board that isn’t falling away when you make the cut. In this manner, the saw’s base plate will be fully supported during the cutting process.

4. Accurate Crosscuts

To make accurate crosscuts, guide the saw with a square layout. Hold the saw in place with the blade on the cut line. Slide the square against the saw’s base plate and press it tightly against the edge board. Now simply guide the saw along the square to produce a square cut.

5. Binding Prevention

When cutting sheets of plywood or paneling, ensure there is sufficient support to eliminate kickbacks when the blade gets pinched during the process. What you can do is place two 2x4’s underneath the sheet you are cutting, spacing one 2x4 close to each side of the cut line. When you make the cut, both halves will be supported by the 2x4.

6. Avoiding wood splintering

To avoid wood splintering, place the board or panel with the best surface facing down. This way, the splintering will happen on the backside. When trimming doors down to the right size, place the best side down. Then score along the edge of the cut line with a utility knife. And then make the cut. The wood fibres will eventually break off cleanly at the score line, leaving a smooth cut.