Diablo Metal Cutting Blades and Wood Circular Saws

[ScottNC]

Looking at the 7 1/4" Diablo DO748CF to cut ~.200" thick steel. Anyone with experience to share? It's rated to 6800RPM on 1/8" to 1/2" steel plate. A search finds yes and no on using a carpenters circular saw. My saw is all aluminum except for the motor housing so I'm not seeing why it won't work.

 

[old]

I've use metal cutting blades in wood saws for years now. I use the ones like in a chop saw. I've wore out at least 5 saws over the years cutting metal like 1/4 inch plate steel sheets etc.

 

[caterpillar guy]

If this is one of those Diamond coated blades for cutting. They cut good for a short time and back to the old cutting wheels for the grinder. I think you will find you will want a dedicated saw for the blade cutting metals, and then a different one for wood. Due to the metal fines that will stick to things as they get thrown out onto things. I was talking to my brother about using my radial arm saw for cutting steel with a cut off wheel like on a grinder. He said he did that with a miter sw and now would not go back to cutting wood with it. Due to all the debris thrown all over the parts of the saw.

 

[Hemmjo]

The blades work well if you use them correctly. It is a totally different experience than cutting wood. The chips are HOT and SHARP and they come out fast!!! Tooth count in relation to thickness of cut is important. Just like with a hacksaw, it is best to always have at least two teeth in contact with the material at a time few. If only one is in contact, it can try to take too much material at one and break. Some blades are designed to control cut depth so that one tooth will not cut too much. I have never used Diablo.

You will scuff the plate on the base of your saw when cutting metal. Then when you cut wood, you may scratch it up. If you only use your saw for rough carpentry that is not a big deal. Or yuui can clean up your base with sand paper after the metal project. Also make sure you clean the metal chips out of the saw when you are finished. If your saw had vents in the motor, wood dust inside the motor won't hurt much, metal chips can really mess it up inside.

Knowing the issues allows you to make a decision.

 

[Mule Meat]

The biggest thing you need to pay close attention to is the blade guard.

The metal shavings WILL stick to the blade guard regardless of the material it is made of. Once they build up enough to hit the blade or fall into the blade it can be very hazardous. So stop the saw every once in awhile and look for buildup. A flat Demolition Screwdriver is good for keeping the guard cleaned since they are designed to be tapped on with a hammer if needed.

I have used a circular saw many times to cut metal and build up was the only problem I encountered.

 

[moresmoke]

Ive used a carbide metal blade in my worm drive saw a
fair amount. I find it works well upto 1/4 in steel. Thicker
than that and the blade gets hot fast and the carbide
chips and dulls. Also make sure your work piece is secure
and cant pinch the blade.

 

[stevieb49829]

I think I'd go find a flee market chop saw and mount an abrasive cutoff wheel in it. I wouldn't use my chop saw for wood once I had cut steel in it. I have used a masonry blade in it on a very limited basis for soft bricks, and then blew it out well. I converted a bandsaw to worm drive speed reduction and a bimetal blade. That and a cutoff wheel in the angle grinder is all I use for metal fab. And I build some fine wooden furniture, and a lot of steel fab projects both. steve

 

[showcrop]

I don't know about circular saw blades but I am very happy with my Diablo recip. saw blades.

 

[ScottNC]

I'm building an offset smoker from an old air compressor tank that's .200" plus thick. I hear good things about the metal cutting saws versus right angle grinders using cut-off wheels and wanted to give it a try without spending several hundred bucks on a very limited future use tool. The circular saw in question is a nearly thirty years so if the exercise is a bust . . . eh.

 

[stevieb49829]

So more of a plasma cutter job, eh? My neighbor's doing the same project. He bought a plasma cutter. His Treasury Dept. has more resources than mine. If we all had more dollars than sense!!!! At least I know where there's both a plasma cutter, AND a big blast cabinet. steve

 

[Stephen Newell]

The wood saw will work alright but the cheap ones with the plastic guards the hot metal will burn through them. If you have one with an aluminum guard it should be fine.

 

[Geo-TH,In]

Try it and post back.

 

[Andy Wickiser]

Those are designed for a metal cutting
circular saw that runs at a lower RPM and
have hot chip shielding such as the
Evolution. I have an Evolution knock off
and it runs at 3500 RPM no load. I used
it mainly to cut 3/16 plate. It works
really well with a new blade but after a
few cuts it starts throwing sparks, slows
down, and gets worse with more cuts. The
problem with this is that the blades are
expensive.

 

[moresmoke]

On that note, I bought a 5.5? inch Milwaukee battery
powered cold metal saw. Use it all the time.

 

[WNYBill]

Why not a cutoff disk on an offset grinder. After the first try I put the torch away.