Saw Cleaner Testing

[Tom Walz]

Saw Cleaner Testing

There is a continuing discussion here about whether saw cleaners, such as oven cleaner and Simple Green, can harm saw blades.

If anyone wishes, I will send them some carbide saw tips and some braze alloy and you can soak it in cleaner.

No charge.

You probably don’t want to test with actual saw blades because many cleaners will remove ink, paint and the expensive plastic and Teflon coatings if exposed long enough.

tom

[Neil Brooks]

As always, a very kind and generous offer, Tom.

Sincerely.

That said ...

When you get to the point where you'd like somebody to poke around a bit, on a nice new cabinet saw, well ... I'm here for you.

:)

[Lee Schierer]

Tom, I need 60 ATB teeth mounted on a circular steel disk 10" in diameter for testing. Can you help me out?

[Neil Brooks]

Two things:

1) Give 'em an inch ....

2) No good deed .... :D

[Jeff Monson]

Tom, I need 60 ATB teeth mounted on a circular steel disk 10" in diameter for testing. Can you help me out?

Ditto on what Lee said, but I'd prefer a 12" steel disk, with say a 30 mm hole in the center??

[Van Huskey]

Tom, the way I see it I trust your observations and thus don't feel a need to take you up.

SHAMELESS THREADJACK FOLLOWS:

Tom you mention teflon etc coatings what is your PERSONAL opinion of these, merely marketing/branding or do/can they have benefits?

[Tom Walz]

Teflon Coatings

Teflon and other plastic coatings have a certain following and the number one rule in tools is that a good tool is one the user likes.

Personally I chose not to sell coated blades for several reasons.
1. I am not sure they add any value although they do add to the cost.

2. The Teflon coating makes the blades slicker and prevents heat buildup. However the side of the saw blade should not come into contact with the material being cut anyway.

3. In order to properly service the saw blade the Teflon coating has to be removed. You cannot properly inspect a saw blade for flatness and tension with the Teflon coating on. This means as soon as the customer has the blade sharpened they lose the coating and whatever benefit it conferred.

4. The Teflon coating can hide flaws in the saw blade that would otherwise be apparent. This may or may not happen but it is really nice to be able to inspect the saw blade properly.

The general consensus in the industrial segment of the industry is that the Teflon coating doesn't add anything to a really well-made blade. This is in a particular segment of the industry. The number one rule in tool quality is that the real test of quality for a tool is what the user thinks. So if you are using a coated saw blade and think that it is great then you are absolutely right. However you may be able to save a little money with a saw blade that is not Teflon coated but is just really well-made.

The whole issue of flatness, concentricity, runout, tension And similar gets pretty complicated. We have articles about them on our website. We also have Lowell Freeborn's book, The Carbide Saw Manual, free online or you can buy a bound copy through Cafépress

Note: The Freeborn book is in the process of being uploaded. More is coming.

Free online
http://www.carbideprocessors.com/pages/Carbide-Saw-Manual.html

Other saw articles
http://www.carbideprocessors.com/pages/Saw-Blades.html

Buy the book
http://www.carbideprocessors.com/pages/Books-.html

[Van Huskey]

Thanks Tom!

[Tom Walz]

Correction

There is one application where the coating is an advantage. If you are cutting at an angle the wood can rub against the saw body and a coating will allow a smoother feed in this instance.

That is the only application we could find where it would be an advantage.


Tom