Introducing Blade Technology

With the inflation cost nowadays, machine operators and manufacturers are constantly looking for a more cost-effective ways to cut steel. Fortunately, the sawing technology is continuing to improve every year. Today, we’ve seen new breed of sawblades that are designed to cut down manufacturing cost.

Blade Basics

Choosing the ideal blade for the material to be cut is extremely important in ensuring the cost-effectiveness of the sawing process. Today, we’ll give you some information to help you with your decision-making process.

·         Blade Back

This refers to the body of the blade, excluding the tooth portion

·         Width

The nominal dimension of a saw blade as measured from the tip of the tooth

·         TPI

The number of teeth per inch as measured from gullet to gullet

·         Thickness

The dimensions from side to side on the blade

·         Kerf

The amount of material removed by the cut of the blade

·         Set

The bending of the teeth to left or right to allow clearance of the back of the blade through the cut

·         Tooth Pitch

The distance from the tip of one tooth to the tip of the next tooth.

·         Tooth Rake Angle

The angle of the tooth face measured with respect to the line perpendicular to the cutting direction of the saw

·         Tooth Face

The surface of the tooth on which chip is formed

·         Gullet

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

Blade Construction

Band saw blades are made from a single piece of steel or built of two pieces. Your choice will largely depend on the life expectancy and performance requirements. Below are the key information you need to know about blade construction.

Bi-metal

It’s a blade composed of a high steel edge material. An electron beam is wielded to fatigue resistance spring steel backing. This specific construction is ideal for high performance cutting requirement and longer life fatigue.

Carbon

·         Hardback

A one-piece blade made out of carbon steel with a hardened back and tooth edge

·         Flexback

A one piece blade made of carbon steel with a hardened tooth edge and softback

Circular Saw Blades Cleaning and Maintenance

Circular saw blades can last a long time with the proper care and maintenance. In order to preserve the integrity of the metal and the safety of the blade, be sure to never use any abrasive substance which could destroy the metal. This includes stiff wire brushes, corrosive chemicals, or filing to remove scum and gunk. The saw blades are under enormous stress and pressure so any weakness can become highly dangerous during use. After all cleanings, rinse thoroughly with water, dry, and give a light spray of WD-40 before returning to the saw.

Soaking

Place the saw blade into the flat pan and fill it with either Simple Green cleaning solution. If Simple Green is not available, kerosene will work just as well. Soak the blade overnight, flipping it once during the process. Be careful when handling the saw blade. Even when the blades are dull upon wood, they can easily cut skin. Frequent cleanings will make the soaking much quicker.

Plastic Scraper

The plastic scraper is a great tool for removing gunky build up from pitch, sap, and resin within the wood. This buildup can be difficult to remove if it is not dealt with in a timely fashion. If the plastic scrapper cannot remove the gunky build up, return the blade to the simple green or kerosene for another day. The brass bristled brush is used because the brass is soft enough not to harm the integrity of the metal. For areas where the buildup has been sitting a long time, use the brass bristled brush the second day of soaking. Going in the opposite direction of the tooth angle can help break up the build up enough to remove it.

Coated Blades

Newer blades on the market can be purchased with a coating which helps to reduce friction and keep blades sharper, longer. In instances such as this, soap and water can clean most build up, but kerosene works well too in difficult areas. However, do not use the brass bristled brush. The brush may not harm the metal, but it will definitely scratch the coating. Purchase a plastic scrubber from the kitchen cleaning aisle at the grocery store. The plastic scrubber should be Teflon safe, meaning that it will remove residue but not harm similar coatings on pots and pans.

Resin Remover

If the wood used frequently leaves the blade highly dirty, purchase a resin remover from a local woodworking shop. Rather than using spray on blade cleaners which include highly caustic materials and could harm the metal, the resin cleaner merely removes the gunk without the need for scrubbing. Dilute the cleaner in water, soak the blade for 15 minutes and rinse clean. This is a bit overkill for the average cleaning, but works wonders on pine and other highly resinous materials.

Wood Working Drill Safety and Maintenance

Wood workers use different kinds of tools and machinery to get the job done. Aside from circular saws, woodworkers also uses different kinds of drills. Drills can sometimes pose a threat if not handled correctly. Today we’re going to give you some tips on how drill safety and maintenance.

Maintenance:

Make sure that your drill is lubricated once in a while. Lubrication prevents heat and friction generated throughout the working process. Refer to the manual provided by the manufacturer on how to properly lubricate your drill.

Don’t forget to clean the groves, belt and pulley after working with wood. Some resin and dirt can stick to the drill.

Put a light coating of oil on the unpainted area of the drill. This will prevent the drill from rusting or contamination.

Safety:

Wear proper protection when working with drills. Small chunk of wood or any kind of material you are drilling can be thrown up during the process. Always wear eye protection and protective suit.

Don’t make adjustments while drilling. Make sure to turn your drill off

Make sure that all cutting tools are properly placed during drilling operations.

Use a holding device. Don’t ever use your hand to adjust the material you are drilling.

Don’t wear loose clothing or dangling jewelry near the drill press. Sometimes the drill can catch these things, drawing the wearer into the moving parts, causing significant injury.

Drill guards should be used during the operation to prevent injury.

Ease up the drill once in a while to avoid damage and make the operator focused on the job.

Make sure to clean the drill after the operation. Cleaning the drill press with a brush is recommended.

Make sure all your tooling and blades are maintained in a good condition.

Follow all the recommendations for use and safety given by the manufacturer of your drill press.

Ensure that if and when the drill press is not working properly, it is checked and repaired by a qualified technician.