Sometimes saw blades are the last thing a woodworker
thinks of when planning a project. This can often
lead to disaster: many woodworkers have meticulously
planned each detail and purchased expensive lumber
and then had their projects ruined by inferior
or dull saw blades. This is why it is important
to keep an eye on your circular saw blade or
scroll saw blades to ensure they are always in
top condition.
Types
of blades
Before you start purchasing new saw blades for
your tools it is a good idea to know a little
bit about the saw blade types available. Not
all saw blades are created equal, and so it is
important to get the right type of saw blade
for your tool and for the material you will be
working with.
Diamond
saw blades, for example, are among the hardest
(and most expensive) of blades, and are typically
used when working with cement fiber siding
and backerboard – a diamond blade
will hold an edge long after a standard blade
has been ground to nothing. For woodworking projects,
on the other hand, you will probably want to
choose carbide tipped saw blades; these saw blades
are almost as hard as diamond, and come at a
much lower prices. If you only use you saw occasionally,
you can save even more money by purchasing standard
steel saw blades.
Choosing a circular saw blade
As
mentioned above there are many different
types of circular saw blades. A basic guide
to these blades and their uses, therefore, can
help you select the right circular saw blade.
A carbide tipped saw blade is best for repeated
use on plywood, lumber, or OSB. An abrasive circular
saw blade is the right choice for masonry and
some tile applications. And a steel circular
saw blade is good for all purpose use; many hardware
stores offer exchange services for these steal
blades.
Scroll saw blades
Scroll saw blades are a different matter altogether.
While scrolls
saw blades are available in different
metals and thicknesses, the most important factor
in choosing these blades is the number of teeth.
This number will vary depending on whether you
typically work with wood, plastic, or fine metals.
It is a good idea to have several scroll saw
blades on hand; that way if one breaks you can
quickly change to one of your other saw blades.
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