Forrest Addy
Diamond
- Joined
- Dec 20, 2000
- Location
- Bremerton WA USA
Many of us have abrasive chops saws from back when. Today we have dry-cut carbide chop saws that are faster, more efficient, and cleaner to operate in a machine shop. And the disks wear down to nothing in a dozen heavy cuts. We might lust for the capability but we have to buy a whole new saw costing $350 and up if we want the advantages of a dry-cut carbide saw..
There is but one substantial difference between the abrasive chop saw and new dry-cut saw and that is spindle RPM. The abrasive chop saws run 3500 RPM and up. The new carbide dry-cut saws run about 1400 RPM. You can argue superior construction, I suppose but according to my in-store side by side inspection of the dry-cut saws Vs the abrasive chop saws there is little difference in rigidity or geometry. - which I conclude is immaterial to success in the usual metal cutting phase of a fabrication project.
Think of the tens of thousands of cheap abrasive chop saws out there just dying for a $120 bolt-on conversion kit to run carbide blades.
So why isn't some clever dude marketing a low-speed conversion kit to owners of abrasive shop saws? There are two basic kinds: geared and toothed belt drive. And the lower end chop saws, geared or toothed belt drive, seem to have nearly identical construction features regardless of colors and stickers.
So why? I'm too old and decrepit to take on such a project but a younger guy....
There is but one substantial difference between the abrasive chop saw and new dry-cut saw and that is spindle RPM. The abrasive chop saws run 3500 RPM and up. The new carbide dry-cut saws run about 1400 RPM. You can argue superior construction, I suppose but according to my in-store side by side inspection of the dry-cut saws Vs the abrasive chop saws there is little difference in rigidity or geometry. - which I conclude is immaterial to success in the usual metal cutting phase of a fabrication project.
Think of the tens of thousands of cheap abrasive chop saws out there just dying for a $120 bolt-on conversion kit to run carbide blades.
So why isn't some clever dude marketing a low-speed conversion kit to owners of abrasive shop saws? There are two basic kinds: geared and toothed belt drive. And the lower end chop saws, geared or toothed belt drive, seem to have nearly identical construction features regardless of colors and stickers.
So why? I'm too old and decrepit to take on such a project but a younger guy....