Dewalt 14" chop saw blade suggestions

[hizoot]

The blade is loading up...is right. If you make a cut too slow (not enough pressure) the wheel blade will become too smooth.On wider pieces,the metal gets hot enough to kind of work harden the blade so you must apply enough force to constantly expose new grit.( the molten metal will actually fill in the voids of the grit)On thinner material, it cuts fast enough to not be a problem. If the blade work hardens,then just cut some thin stuff..only takes a couple of seconds to expose fresh grit.

When i cut wide metal, I put alot of force on my little Ryobi...to the point of slowing the blade down quite abit.Then I let off to let it catch back up to speed, then attack it again...

It hasnt hurt the saw yet...and it was a cheap saw too. I've made thousands of cuts with it. One thing you'll find though, chop saws are notorious for tripping breakers. Mine does it routinely the first time I pull the trigger in the morning, before it even touches the metal. This is due to metal dust getting into the motor windings . It runs fine the rest of the day. To avoid this, you can blow it with an air nozzle at the end of the day...I just forget too

 

[Haywire]

I was warned that if I applied too much force, the wheel would wander and I'd get crooked cuts. I guess there's a sweet spot in the middle there someplace.

Ian

 

[rjmack]

Your wheel is loading up. Get you a wheel dresser, the one that looks like a stone not the one with all the little wheels. When it loads up all you have to do is just hit it just a sec. It well clean it and cut good until it loads up again.

The blade is loading up...is right. If you make a cut too slow (not enough pressure) the wheel blade will become too smooth.On wider pieces,the metal gets hot enough to kind of work harden the blade so you must apply enough force to constantly expose new grit

x3

if it's not shooting sparks out the back end you have a glazed wheel... i know it's not recommended but generally a good sharp crack against the material with the saw running breaks it loose. when the glaze breaks loose you will feel it immediately.

just make sure you are making lots of sparks:thumbsup:

 

[BXpanded]

I haven't used an abrasive saw in a long time. Too much grit and dust. Try the cheapest blades you can find. They'll cut fast and wear fast. As blades wear, they expose fresh sharp abrasive grains. Generally. the cheap blades wear more quickly. Fast wear= Fast cut = short life and usually low price. Slow wear= slow cut= long life and high price. Dewalts last a long time but cut really slowly. RIDGID is the best compromise we found, but they're hard to find (Home Depot only). Most liked the cheapies best.

 

[Soundguy]

i agree.. sidewall cuts are fast.. flats.. slow. I use russian mad eblades.. work good.

soundguy

Slow on the top and bottom, is to be expected. When cutting a large surface, the saw is cutting more steel, whereas, when you get to the thin stuff about 1/4 in down, it cuts right through. If you take a 1/2 x 2 in bar, and try to cut it flat, it goes rather slow. Now, sit the bar up vertical, and it cut much faster.

I use the Norton wheels.

Have you tried the Porta-Band Saw. Something like this,

Saws & Blades | Saws-Band | V28™ Band Saw Kit 0729-21 | B243182 - GlobalIndustrial.com

Some are battery driven and others are corded.

 

[zzvyb6]

Where did you get 5.5 hp? Its listed as only 3+ hp (15 amp). Its essentially the same as my Milwaukee. There's a 2 : 1 difference in price between aluminum oxide wheels for these saws.

 

[Leejohn]

Say What? Chop-saw

If you guy are talking about a abraisive cut-off saw, like I thought you were, then just try a dressing stone and you well see what I mean.

 

[Haywire]

Where did you get 5.5 hp?

The box it came in..

 

[roygage]

A buddy of mine and I went in on a Dewalt 5.5hp 14" chop saw from Lowes so we could make more accurate cuts for our little projects... my tractorette and his toyota offroader.

The first thing I cut was some 2x2x1/4 square tube and it seemed really slow, especially on the top flat and bottom flat. I cut some 1.25IDx1/4" pipe also, and that seemed slow to me.

Are all abrasive wheels made equal or is there a brand of wheel that performs better than the dewalt standard that comes with it?

thanks,
Ian[/QUOT

Bought new De Walt this past fall. The model I got you can easily move the back stop forward and back. I have noticed if I am cutting a piece of flat say 3 inches wide and have the back stop set so the blade comes right down on the center of the steel it takes forever to cut thru it.

Try adjusting the back stop so when the blade swings down to meet the steel it is catching the edge of the steel rather then the center of it.

By moving the back stop as the blade wears have noticed I can get a lot more use out of my blade, still works even though the diameter is small, also.

 

[Mace Canute]

The box it came in..

Looks similar to the inflated HP that the compressor manufacturers tried to feed to consumers.

15A @ 120V is 1800 watts. At 746 watts/HP, that equals 2.4 HP and that's before the efficiency of the motor is factored in. Once the efficiency of the motor is taken into account, it will probably be about 2 HP at the most.