HOW TO CHOOSE A CIRCULAR SAW BLADE
FACTORS THAT AFFECT THE COST OF CUTTING
April 24, 2022
SELECTING THE RIGHT BANDSAW BLADE
April 30, 2022Circular saws are versatile tools that can be used to make a range of cuts in wood, metal, plastic, concrete and more. However, any circular saw is only as good as the blade you use, and it is vital you choose the correct type of blade for the job you are working on.
There are many types of circular saw blade, all designed for specific uses. If you want to know which blade to use for a specific project or are just looking for an overview of the types of blades that exist, here we have all the information you need about circular saw blade types.
Factors that affect the type of blade you should choose
There are several factors that affect the type of blade that is most suitable for your project. Here are the most important.1. Material: Probably the most important factor that affects the blade you choose is the type of material you need to cut with it.
Many circular saws, including both sidewinders and worm drive saws, are capable of cutting a variety of materials – but it simply won’t work if you use a blade designed for cutting plywood on a slab of granite. Choose a blade that is made for the material you need to cut.
2. Type of job: There’s a big difference between making quick, rough cuts on something that will be hidden and making careful, clean cuts on a piece of wood that will be seen. Blades exist for rough cuts and blades exist for finishing. Choose the most appropriate one for what you want to achieve.
3. Type of cut: Even when just cutting wood, there are many possible types of cut you might need to make. Blades exist for ripping, crosscutting, cutting dados and many more. We’ll be talking about these in more detail in just a moment.
3. Type of cut: Even when just cutting wood, there are many possible types of cut you might need to make. Blades exist for ripping, crosscutting, cutting dados and many more. We’ll be talking about these in more detail in just a moment.
The Different Features Of A Saw Blade
Now let’s have a look at the different features of saw blades and how variations make each type better adapted for particular jobs.Number of teeth
One of the most obvious features of any circular saw blade that will be immediately recognizable even to someone who has never used a circular saw in their life is the number of teeth. In general, the fewer the teeth a blade has, the quicker it cuts but also the rougher it cuts. If you want cleaner, more precise cuts, you should choose a blade with more teeth.
Gullet
The gullet is the space in between each tooth. Deeper gullets are better at removing larger chips of wood while shallower gullets are more effective at removing finer sawdust from the cut.
Expansion slot
Some blades include expansion slots. These are designed to let the metal of the blade expand slightly as it heats up, allowing you to continue cutting efficiently.
Size
Regular circular saw blades are 7 ¼” – but other sizes exist. For example, mini circular saws can have blades of only 4 ½”. This means you need to make sure you choose the right size for your tool.
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