When cutting various wooden materials (bars, logs, boards, slats, and so on), home craftsmen and professionals use circular and miter saws (manual or stationary). Without the use of such devices, it is difficult to imagine both the construction of a country house, and the manufacture of wooden furniture or the erection of a fence. The cutting elements of any woodworking device (electric or gasoline) are saw blades. A wide selection of these products is now available to the modern user (both in price and in the variety of manufacturers, sizes and purposes).
Varieties of discs for sawing wood
All blades designed for cutting wood are divided into two main categories:
- Monolithic, which are made from a solid sheet of special tool steel. Due to the fact that saw blades made using this technology have to be sharpened quite often, they are the least popular among users.
- Hard-tipped on the cutting edge of the teeth, which can achieve a very clean cut, and theycontribute to the durability of the discs. It is this category of cutting attachments that has recently gained the most popularity (both among professionals and amateurs).
In production, saw blades are made in two ways:
- stamping (the product is cut out of sheet metal using templates);
- by laser cutting, which allows you to most accurately comply with all specified geometric dimensions.
Note! The manufacturing method affects both the price of the disc (stamped, of course, is cheaper), and its quality and durability (laser ones are unrivaled in this respect).
Specifications
The main specifications of wood saw blades for circular and miter saws (manual or stationary) are:
outer diameter - from 65 to 500 mm (this figure cannot exceed the dimensions of the protective cover of the device);
number of cutting teeth - from 12 to 100 pieces (the more teeth, the higher the load on the tool and the lower the processing speed, but the higher the cleanliness of the cut, and vice versa);
- bore diameter - from 15 to 32 mm (depending on the size of the circular saw spindle, although some models of blades are equipped with special washers that allow them to be used with various devices);
- web thickness - from 1.5 to 3.2 mm (the higher this figure, the stronger the fixture and, as a result, thelonger service life);
- maximum operating speed at which the manufacturer guarantees trouble-free long-term operation of the product - from 4000 to 16000 rpm.
Design anti-deformation features
During the cutting process, the surface of the disk is heated and, as a result, the thermal expansion of the metal. This can lead to deformation of the cutting attachment, a decrease in the quality of the cut, or even mechanical failure. To prevent these negative phenomena, special technological compensation slots (straight or curved) are equipped on the outer side of the disc circumference. Their number depends on the diameter of the nozzle and usually ranges from 2 to 6-8 pieces. Naturally, the larger the disk, the more slots are needed to effectively compensate for its thermal expansion.
How it works: when the temperature rises, the metal expands, as a result of which the size of the weld decreases, that is, the so-called temperature compensation occurs. Therefore, the disk does not change its geometric dimensions even during long-term operation. In addition, these technological improvements reduce vibration and noise.
As additional tricks designed to extend the "life" of disks and improve their anti-deformation performance, manufacturers use their know-how:
- Specifically shaped indentations etched onto the surface with a laser;
- circular groove located approximately in the middle of the diameter andequipped with the rolling method.
Sanding the surface of the blade and subsequent careful balancing greatly improves the vibration characteristics of wood sawing attachments and reduces the load on the circular saw motor.
Top Manufacturers
The most famous manufacturers of saw blades for metal, wood and other building materials today are:
- German - Bosch, Metabo, Hammer, Stayer, Leitz and Einhell;
- Japanese - Makita and Ryobi;
- Italian - CMT, Freud and Felisatti;
- Russian - "Interskol", "Practice", "Attack", "Whirlwind" and "Encore";
- Belarusian - Zubr and BelMash;
- American - DeW alt and Jet;
- British – Saxton;
- Polish – Yato;
- Canadian – FIT;
- South Korean – Keos.
Marking cutting attachments
Almost all manufacturers apply basic technical information not only on the packaging, but also on the very surface of the disc. Standard marking contains:
- outer and bore diameters;
- allowable maximum rotation speed when using;
- number of cutting teeth;
- cut thickness.
To facilitate the sharpening process, the most responsible companies (for example, Makita and DeW alt) also indicate the angle of the teeth.
Cheap discs are marked with paint and after a short usealmost completely erased. Very inconvenient for the user. On expensive products, all the necessary information is applied by laser engraving, which remains on the surface of the product throughout the entire service life.
Tooth shape of cutting edge
The teeth of discs designed for sawing wood can have a different geometric shape: straight, trapezoidal, beveled (alternately to the right, then to the left) or triangular. The international classification of this indicator is quite complicated, and developers test this parameter in special production laboratories. The choice of one or another configuration of the shape of the cutting tooth of the disc depends both on the physical properties of the material being cut and on the planned processing speed.
Application area depending on the angle of inclination and the number of teeth
These two technological features mainly affect the cleanliness of the cut and the scope of circular saw blades.
For longitudinal processing of wood, products with a small number of teeth (up to 55-60) and a positive angle of inclination of the cutting edge (when the teeth are inclined in the direction of disk rotation) are used. Moreover, the more ("aggressive") the slope and the smaller the number of teeth, the greater the cutting speed and the "rougher" cut cleanliness.
Professional favorite (according to numerous reviews) Makita Premium wood saw blade (carbide) with an outer diameter of 185 mm, a bore of 30 mm, 40 teeth and a cutting edge inclination of plus 18degrees costs today about 2500 rubles. For those who use a hand-held circular saw from time to time, the Russian "Whirlwind" of similar size (diameter 190 mm, 48 teeth) and characteristics for 350-450 rubles is quite suitable.
For transverse cutting, a zero or negative angle of inclination and a large number (up to 80-100) of cutting teeth are used. This configuration reduces the processing speed somewhat, but leaves a smooth surface after cutting.
A high-quality 300 mm Bosch Optiline Wood miter saw blade with 96 teeth and zero angle costs about 4800 rubles. Naturally, such a device is economically justified to acquire for daily use. For those who have a woodworking machine, but do not use it too often, it is better to purchase a cheaper and more versatile fixture. A saw blade for wood for a clean cut of similar dimensions (with 100 teeth and an attack angle of minus 5 degrees) "Zubr Expert" (Belarus) will cost 2400 rubles.
Naturally, the price of a disc (of the same purpose and manufacturer) directly depends on its geometric dimensions. The larger the diameter of the cutting attachment, the more expensive it is and vice versa.
Special or multi-purpose discs
Highly specialized saw blades for metal cannot be used in wood processing. However, during the production of some installation or construction workquite often there is a need to cut a wide variety of materials (metal profiles, aluminum corners, polymeric materials, wood of various hardnesses). So that the user does not have to spend a lot of time constantly changing discs for various purposes, many manufacturers have developed special multi-purpose discs (Multi Material or Multi Cut).
A Metabo Multi Cut saw blade for aluminum, plastic, laminate, hardwood with an outer diameter of 254 mm, a bore of 30 mm and 80 teeth costs about 5,000 rubles. According to user reviews, such a cutting attachment easily copes with both transverse and longitudinal cuts of a wide variety of wood species, as well as chipboard and MDF (including laminated ones).
Bosch Multi Material for a similar purpose (160 mm diameter and 42 teeth) can be purchased now for 1800 rubles.
For the dismantling of temporary wooden structures (for example, foundation formwork or scaffolding), in the arrangement of which nails, screws or self-tapping screws were used, discs with a special shape of cutting teeth are used. The negative angle of attack (which is usually minus 5 degrees) and the specific geometric shape of the sharpening allow these discs to easily cope with both metal hardware and cement mortar residues. That makes them indispensable assistants on any construction site. This is exactly what the DeW alt DT1953QZ Construction 216mm carbide saw blade is designed for.(with 40 specially shaped teeth), which now costs about 900 rubles.
Discs for grinders
Angle grinder (more familiar to all of us as a grinder) is a universal tool that almost any home craftsman has on the farm. Initially, this multifunctional device was not designed for sawing wood. Numerous attempts to adapt circular saw blades for use with angle grinders have rarely led to a positive result.
Now many manufacturers produce special saw blades for wood grinders. Outwardly, they are in many ways reminiscent of circular counterparts. However, such devices have a number of technological features:
- Tungsten carbide is used as a carbide material for soldering on the cutting edge of the teeth, which allows the use of such nozzles at high speeds (11000-13000 rpm).
- The diameter of the mounting hole strictly corresponds to the standard size of the angle grinder spindle (22.2 mm).
- The outer diameter is 110-125mm, which makes it safe to use these wheels with the protective cover on.
Saw blades for grinders, as a rule, are unified nozzles and are designed for processing wood (various in hardness species), drywall, laminated chipboard, fiberboard and so on.
Status HSS 72T 110mm OD, 22.2mm Bore, 72 teeth, and rated for 13000rpm safe operation. coststoday 550-600 rubles.
The original design of the cutting disc for sawing wood with a grinder is offered by Graff, Leman and Speedwood. A technological feature is the presence of only 3-4 tungsten carbide teeth on the cutting edge of the disc. According to the developers, such a device successfully copes with both longitudinal and transverse sawing of wood of various hardness, as well as laminate, parquet boards, plywood and drywall.
125 mm wood cutting disc for angle grinders (22.2 mm bore) Graff Speedcutter with three cutting teeth and 3.8 mm kerf costs about 800 rubles. The maximum rotation speed is 12200 rpm, which allows it to be used with almost all models of angle grinders.
Chain saw blades for wood (from Verto, FIT, Lancelot or Squire), according to user reviews, have three significant drawbacks:
- high cost (for example, 2700-2800 rubles for a 125mm Verto);
- difficulties with the subsequent sharpening of the chain;
- reasonably wide kerf (6.6-7 mm).
What to look for when choosing
When choosing cutting tools for woodworking, there are a few key points to consider:
- The type and characteristics of the tool (spindle diameter, casing dimensions and rotational speed) on which you plan to use a carbide saw blade. For example, if the nozzle is intendedfor use at a maximum speed of 6000 rpm, it cannot be used above this value. And although many modern saws have a speed control, it is important to first set the value indicated by the manufacturer and only then turn on the device.
- The direction of the cut (longitudinal or transverse), as well as the hardness of the wood. The number, shape and angle of inclination of the cutting teeth depend on this.
- The thickness of the workpieces (boards, bars, and so on). For example, if you choose a blade that is too small in diameter, you may not be able to cut a thick part in one pass.
In conclusion
Although the saw blade belongs to the category of so-called consumables, every user wants it to last as long as possible. Therefore, purchasing a product from a time-tested and well-established manufacturer, you can be sure of both the quality of the device and its durability. The main thing is to choose the right cutting attachment and use it only in the recommended modes.
