Subject: Re: Cutting Steel with Carb. Circ. Saw Blade

From: [email-masked] (Jonathan M. Elson)
Date: 24 Sep 1996 06:25:25 GMT

w.j.ward ([email-masked]) wrote:
: On page 33 of the September '96 Home Shop Machinist, Steve Acker writes
: about using a carbide tipped wood circular saw blade to cut steel.  Several
: months ago I picked up a couple of small carbide saw blades for about $1. 
: I had the same idea, but got scared of this trick when it dug into the
: work.  Anyone else try this?

I want to point out he was using those blades in a milling machine, with
a very hefty arbor he made for the purpose.  You don't say, but I am sure
that if you try to cut heavy steel with one of these blades in a regular
circular saw, there will be a big mess if you're lucky, and a trip to the
hospital if you're not!

Even in a milling machine, the blades have a tendency to shatter, and
without a guard, there could be flying pieces.  The teeth might have
a tendency to dig in, and so very strong work holding would be a good
idea.  The surface speed for cutting steel would be pretty low for a
cutter of that diameter.

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From: [email-masked] (Steve Rayner)
Date: Tue, 24 Sep 1996 08:23:22 GMT

Before I owned a metal cutting band saw, I used circular saw blades to 
cut steel.  You have to run then slowly.  The lathe, in back gear is 
best, with a slow feed.  I made an arbour for the headstock, and  clamped 
the metal on the crosslide.  A HSS metal cutting blade, and a veneer 
blade were used.

In a previous article, [email-masked] ("w.j.ward") says:

>On page 33 of the September '96 Home Shop Machinist, Steve Acker writes
>about using a carbide tipped wood circular saw blade to cut steel.  Several
>months ago I picked up a couple of small carbide saw blades for about $1. 
>I had the same idea, but got scared of this trick when it dug into the
>work.  Anyone else try this?
>
>I was also wondering about cutting single teeth off of the blade (actually
>wedges) an using them as cut-off tools on a lathe.  Haven't tried that one
>yet.
>-- 
>(Remember..if it doesn't work,  Microsoft doesn't care.
>And Compaq charges $35 to ask "why?".)
>W.J.Ward
>

-- 
Steve.

**************  BE ALERT, THE WORLD NEEDS MORE LERTS ************************

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From: "w.j.ward" <[email-masked]>
Date: 24 Sep 1996 02:19:09 GMT

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From: Chuck Skarsaune <[email-masked]>
Date: 24 Sep 1996 12:04:00 GMT

I've used carbide tipped circular saw blades in a Skil saw to cut plate 
Aluminum up to 1" thick, but never on steel.  It zips through Aluminum.
I'd go real slow and easy on steel.

The cutoff tool idea was published in the Practical Ideas section of 
American Machinist, so other people have tried it.  Not I.

Chuck

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From: dave poling <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 24 Sep 1996 23:44:18 -0700

> : work.  Anyone else try this?

	This really shocks me as "Home Shop Machinist" is normally pretty good
about projects and safety.
	There is nothing worse than doing a job with our approiate tools and
safety as a high priority.
	If a person has to get a job done, then use the right tools. If you do
not them, then take it to a machine shop and get it done or you may be
using a pencil in your mouth to type your next message.
	As to your attempt to cut steel or even considering such a thing
because it printed in an artical. Question these instead of assuming
that it will work because some one wrote it.
	Carbide is very brital and will chip and crack when having interupted
cuts.
	One of the most important factors is cutting metal is rigidity and
apporiate cutting speeds and feeds (a circular saw for wood fails in all
catagories).
	If you desire to try something that you have not done before, take your
time and evaluate what it is, or post a message and find out what others
may think.
	Dont give up safety, just to get something done.
	Good luck in your projects..

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From: [email-masked] (Paul Pierce)
Date: 24 Sep 1996 15:29:56 GMT

Don't remember when, but within the past few years someone
had an article in HSM, PIM, or LS tha t suggested the use of 
cutting a strip out of a xccarbide circular saw blade to use as 
a parting tool.  That 7" slitting saw sure sounded impressive.
I still may try i t.

Paul in AJ AZ

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From: "Fitch R. Williams" <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 25 Sep 1996 20:28:17 -0700

> idea.  The surface speed for cutting steel would be pretty low for a

The whole process sounds like an imitation of a cold saw.  I looked at a 
cold saw blade.  It had a lot of teeth, certainly more like a carbide 
version of a plywood blade, or at least a 75 or 90 tooth fine cut off 
blade, than the few toothed skill saw blade I saw in the HSM picture.  
Cold saws are very rigid, turn quite slowely, and flood the work with 
coolent.  I would guess that the closer one gets to the cold saw set of 
conditions, the better this approach will work.  

Fitch