milwaukee metal cutting skill saw=blade life not so great

vanguard machine · Dec 2, 2016

anyone have any recommendations on a better blade for these things than the Milwaukee 8" 42 tooth one or the home despot Freud version?

doing a seemingly simple field job for a customer, busting some .25" mild plate down from 98" x 20' to 90" x 20' so they can fit them into a container.

dead simple, problem is we've been through two blades already and only cut 3 pieces with 10 more to go.
obviously this isn't very economical at almost $70 per blade.

i am taking my time, not forcing the saw, clearing the chips out of the guard every 6' or so and giving the saw a 10 minute break every 10 minutes or so.

i guess worst case i can drag the portable miller plasma torch over there but then i have to fiddle-fuck around with changing 220 twist lock ends and getting the air dry enough with a small portable compressor.
and i'm just not good enough with the gas ax to trust doing them that way.

so, is there a better blade that will give me some life?

thanks gents

stephen thomas · Dec 2, 2016

Are you chipping the teeth, or is the blade dulling?

I am pretty sure i have cut (cululative) 8 - 12 ft or more in 5/8" and thicker (up to 1") with one blade. Of course the rate is very slow due to letting the motor cool so it does not burn out.

OTOH, I have chipped the teeth on thinner material trying to free-hand it. Then the blade diverges, binds, dulls, and fails to progress...

My best results (all A36) has been to clamp a guide batten to the work that extends enough at the start so it guides the side and the start of the cut does not bounce or rattle sideways & the saw starts straight. Then slop some pipe cutting oil along the cut and and a squirt every now and then.

Point being the teeth are really brittle. The last one I chipped the teeth on trying to do a "quick job" had quite a few feet on it and was not acting dull before the chipping.

smt

manualmachinist · Dec 2, 2016

Don't think I'm being a smart ass when I ask, how deep do you have the saw set to cut? Just enough to break through the bottom will keep as many teeth engaged as possible while cutting. Although it will work the saw motor harder with more teeth engaged, but there will be less shock to the teeth while entering the material possibly reducing any micro chipping that may be happening.

vanguard machine · Dec 2, 2016

Stephen:
yes, we had a straight edge, the full length of the material, as a 'rip fence', we didn't try any oil as these plates are slippery enough as it is and didn't want to make it any more hazardous.
the teeth were just dulling out pretty bad, not chipping, although we did lose one tooth almost immediately on the second blade, i figured the silver solder got too hot and the braze let loose as it was just completely missing.

Manual:
you're not being a smart ass at all,it's a good question. and yes, as a carpenter for a decade i learned pretty quick to never have a blade projecting any further than you need to make a cut, so i would say it was about 5/16"-3/8" or so below the deck for our 1/4" material.

Pete Deal · Dec 2, 2016

Boy my experience has been good with the standard blade. I have cut a 6'x 3/4" thick road plate with mine, about 10 cuts in 8" channel, 8 cuts in 8" i beam (flanges only), several sheets of 1/4" plate, lots of 10ga, misc metal roofing, and am still on the first blade. And, I agree with manualmachinist on blade depth, but in my case have not paid a lot of attention to it. I am very careful not to push it though I just let the say cut at its rate and on real thick plate give the machine a break frequently to not burn it up.

Scottl · Dec 2, 2016

Lennox.

I have the same issue with my Milwaukee Super Sawzall. The Milwaukee blades are soft as butter and round the teeth over quickly. The Lennox blades outlast the Milwaukee ones by about 5:1 or better.

Limy Sami · Dec 2, 2016

vanguard machine said:
Stephen:
yes, we had a straight edge, the full length of the material, as a 'rip fence', we didn't try any oil as these plates are slippery enough as it is and didn't want to make it any more hazardous.
the teeth were just dulling out pretty bad, not chipping, although we did lose one tooth almost immediately on the second blade, i figured the silver solder got too hot and the braze let loose as it was just completely missing.

Manual:
you're not being a smart ass at all,it's a good question. and yes, as a carpenter for a decade i learned pretty quick to never have a blade projecting any further than you need to make a cut, so i would say it was about 5/16"-3/8" or so below the deck for our 1/4" material.

My bold italics!
.

Vanguard, just wonder (as in please don't shoot

) if you aren't feeding the saw hard enough, causing the blade to rub and generate both heat and rapid wear

Like I said - just a thought based on your comments.

vanguard machine · Dec 2, 2016

Limy Sami said:
My bold italics!
.

Vanguard, just wonder (as in please don't shoot ) if you aren't feeding the saw hard enough, causing the blade to rub and generate both heat and rapid wear

Like I said - just a thought based on your comments.

man i don't know, i always try to let this thing go through at it's own pace and not push it too hard to save both the saw and the (expensive) blades. as soon as i sense the rpm dropping a bit i back off, or conversely, if the saw starts to shudder a little i back off. but..maybe i do need to push harder?? the thing was getting damn hot though.
how would one know where the sweet spot is for this type of cutting?

stephen thomas · Dec 2, 2016

My current blade is a Morse 48T. This one only has 3 or 4 cuts across 2' wide x 1/2" A36 steel and the teeth look new. I remember the blade that had more feet of steel on before chipping, also had about 12 ft of 1/2" bronze plate before I got the saw. That was probably harder on it than A36 steel. But I don't remember the blade make. Don't think it was Milwaukee either.

Another check - is the plate they asked you to saw some kind of AR by any chance? That stuff is made to resist penetration, lol.

Abrasion Resistant Steel Plate | Leeco Steel, LLC

As far as "pushing" the saw, I do what you describe, kind of let the saw feed itself. Somewhat aggressive, but if it is shaking, that is too hard and will chip the teeth.

smt

true temper · Dec 3, 2016

I found some 7/14" ferrous blades on close out. They fit my Milwaukee saw just fine. They are cheaper and take less HP to run them.

72bwhite · Dec 3, 2016

and if you used the plasma cutter you would already be done.
.25 cuts like butter with the plasma unlike skillsaw with metal cutting blade

adama · Dec 3, 2016

I second the light sabre, sorry plasma cutter, whilst i probably only use my hyper-therm once a fortnight, it makes me smile every time :-) Could not imagine trying to do what you are in 1/4" plate with a hand saw.

As to the power thing, make up some adaptor leads, the same issue will reoccur. That said i went for the Hyper-therm 30xp, so i very much do have the every day plug it in any were option. It cuts upto 20mm Hardox 450 slowly but nicely, 1/4" is effortless. Hell i even made up a adaptor for it so its circle cutter now acts like a marking gauge, set the width, pull trigger slide along and you have beautiful strips with a awesome clean edge.

Fabworks · Dec 3, 2016

I spoke with the guys from Morse saw blades at FABtech last month. Of course they said their blades were the best. Next time I need a metal cutting blade I'll give them a try.

Here is the page for circular saw blades from their catalog.

DMF_TomB · Dec 3, 2016

vanguard machine said:
anyone have any recommendations on a better blade for these things than the Milwaukee 8" 42 tooth one or the home despot Freud version?

doing a seemingly simple field job for a customer, busting some .25" mild plate down from 98" x 20' to 90" x 20' so they can fit them into a container.

dead simple, problem is we've been through two blades already and only cut 3 pieces with 10 more to go.
obviously this isn't very economical at almost $70 per blade.

i am taking my time, not forcing the saw, clearing the chips out of the guard every 6' or so and giving the saw a 10 minute break every 10 minutes or so.

i guess worst case i can drag the portable miller plasma torch over there but then i have to fiddle-fuck around with changing 220 twist lock ends and getting the air dry enough with a small portable compressor.
and i'm just not good enough with the gas ax to trust doing them that way.

so, is there a better blade that will give me some life?

thanks gents

.
.
not clear but you using a real metal cutting circular saw that goes slower rpm ? you put blade in wood saw at higher rpm and guaranteed you will get short blade life
.
i use metal cutting saw often i have blade sticking through 1/4 to 1/2 extra depth and watch plate not vibrating. cuts good and finish smooth. great blade life
.
of course i am using cheap HF saw and blade which works good for me. HF saw slows down under load which actually is a good thing. slower rpm helps prevent overheating. it justs cuts every time. i have no complaints at all with 7" and 5" HF metal cutting circular saws. saw AND blade like $60-80.

DMF_TomB · Dec 3, 2016

72bwhite said:
and if you used the plasma cutter you would already be done.
.25 cuts like butter with the plasma unlike skillsaw with metal cutting blade

.
new circular saws cut usually over 4 feet per minute with perfect cut edge needing no grinding. really usually takes literally less than 2 minutes to cut 8 feet of 1/4 plate. spend more time getting plate in position on 2x4 so dont cut into bench
.
once i bought i metal cutting saw i literally sold my plasma cutter as i never used any more

Pete Deal · Dec 3, 2016

I agree with DMF_TomB- I have not sold my plasma but it now only gets used for curves. It's no faster, no cheaper, and not near as precise.

DMF_TomB · Dec 4, 2016

with circular metal cutting saws i cut a piece then i weld. do not need a grinder to clean up a plasma edge
.
only thing better is 50 ton ironworker where i could shear off pieces but that sometimes puts slight bend in piece, saw does not
.
reason i ask about saw is metal cutting circular saw has different gear ratio runs slower rpm with more torque (than wood saw) which should be such that over certain cutting rate motor slows down slightly to prevent overheating
.
if you use metal cutting blade on wood saw (trying to save money) you will spend more on blade than if you just bought a METAL cutting circular saw AND blade

vanguard machine · Dec 4, 2016

i don't know if i agree with the sentiment that the plasma is not better here, maybe i have reached the point of diminishing returns with the milwaukee saw on this many inches of cut.

i'm gonna do some 'comparisons' today with the spectrum 625 set for 110 voltage and see how it does.

DMF_TomB · Dec 4, 2016

vanguard machine said:
i don't know if i agree with the sentiment that the plasma is not better here, maybe i have reached the point of diminishing returns with the milwaukee saw on this many inches of cut.

i'm gonna do some 'comparisons' today with the spectrum 625 set for 110 voltage and see how it does.

.
i can grab 1/4 by 4 steel clamp to bench cut 2 pieces ready to weld with no grinding needed in about one minute often more like 40 seconds. far easier and faster to me

true temper · Dec 4, 2016

Here is a review on the saw, take it for what it is worth. I don't use mine a lot but I like it. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=wAX6kpgzEKk

milwaukee metal cutting skill saw=blade life not so great

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