What Metal Are Saw Blades Made From?
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Metal cutting saw blades are specifically designed to cut through metal quickly with finished, burr-free results allowing you to minimize work-time while maximizing efficiency. There are several types of metal saw blades produced on the market today. Each is designed to handle the high strength of metal while providing a long blade life, reducing the need for frequent blade changing.
Metal cutting saw blades can usually be found in two forms. The first are made from either metal, such as stainless steel, chrome vanadium steel, or aluminum oxide. The second are made from an abrasive material designed to slice through metal.
Metal-Bodied Blades
Metal body blades are constructed of high-strength alloys such as stainless steel, aluminum oxide, or vanadium steel. They are normally coated with a composite material such as tungsten carbide or a ceramic-metal composite that enable it to withstand the high heat that is generated by cutting through metal while ensuring clean cuts and a long blade life. The blades are then heat-treated at high temperatures to reduce heat build-up and prevent excessive sparking.
These metal body blades have smaller and more numerous teeth than their wood-cutting counterparts. These fine teeth generally range from around 30 teeth per blade up to around 100 teeth per blade. These fine teeth allow the blade to make quick shallow cuts that prevent burrs and excessive chipping while quickly slicing through metal.
Abrasive Discs
Abrasive metal cutting blades are designed with a combination of rough and insulating materials designed to withstand the demands of cutting through metal while producing clean, precise cuts. Most contain an aluminum oxide grain that is reinforced with two sheets of fiberglass or other insulting material. This combination allows for the rough abrasive blade to withstand high velocity and the natural hard resistance of metal, enabling it to produce clean, burr-free cuts in virtually all metals.
Conclusion
While there are differences in what materials are used to make up a metal cutting saw blade, they both perform the job of cutting through metal cleanly and easily. Both abrasive discs and metal bodied blades allow high-powered metal cutting saws to achieve high-quality, precise results with a minimal amount of effort on the user.