# Metal Blade for Circular Saw? i



## tobycat (Jun 28, 2013)

So I have searched the forum but cant find a post about someone using one of these.

Does anybody have any experience using a metal cutting blade that goes on a regular circular saw to cut tanks?- I looked at a Freud Diablo Metal Demon blade that I can afford, says it will cut up to 1/4".

My tank is 3/16" but wondering how long they last and if I can do a "drop cut" with one.

I would also make a side shield for my saw to reduce the chips a flyin!


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## dancg68 (Jun 28, 2013)

I would be careful.  I have ruined a couple woodworking circular saws over the years by cutting material other than wood.  I recommend looking up the manufacturer website for the saw to make sure it is rated to cut metal.  I would think a metal cutting blade would have to turn faster than a woodworking blade, but I am just guessing.


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## bob1961 (Jun 29, 2013)

I have used a 1/8" thick cut off wheel in my circular to cut 1/8" steel plate but had to rest the saw after bout 10 minutes to not kill....your better off getting a 4" hand held grinder and use that with cut off wheels....as long as what ever cut off wheel you use has a 5/8" arbor hole you can use a 7" cut off wheel without the guard be careful....


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## doctord1955 (Jun 29, 2013)

go to pawn shop and buy a couple of cheap 10 dollar skilsaws and use a fibered cut off wheel!


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## ribwizzard (Jul 5, 2013)

Search "cold saw"

Check out Milwakee's site, they show a video on one in use, They do work, and it actually "traps" the chips in a compartment.


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## cliffcarter (Jul 5, 2013)

Ribwizzard said:


> Search "cold saw"
> 
> Check out Milwakee's site, they show a video on one in use, They do work, and it actually "traps" the chips in a compartment.


I have used this saw to cut steel, it works very well. Do not try to cut steel with a regular circular saw, it will spit hot steel pieces everywhere and if you get one in your eye it will cause very serious damage.


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## tobycat (Jul 5, 2013)

I called Freud sawblades and talked to their tech advisor about the Diablo Metal Demon D0748FM  and I can use it in my skilsaw. My saw turns 5200rpm and the blade is rated to 5800. I do plan on taking a piece of aluminum and making a side guard with a possible hose attachment for a shop vac.


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## kc5tpy (Jul 6, 2013)

Hello.  I was a welder/fabricator for almost 20 yrs.  3/16" is pretty thick for a circular saw.  I doubt you will be able to hold it straight and will probably be disappointed with the cut.  When you cost the price of the blade and the probable cost of replacing your saw; not to mention any possible medical bills, I'd pay a welder to do the cuts.  Just my 2 cents.  Good luck.  Keep Smokin!

Danny


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## cliffcarter (Jul 6, 2013)

Tobycat said:


> I called Freud sawblades and talked to their tech advisor about the Diablo Metal Demon D0748FM  and I can use it in my skilsaw. My saw turns 5200rpm and the blade is rated to 5800. I do plan on taking a piece of aluminum and making a side guard with a possible hose attachment for a shop vac.


Don't do it. Hot steel is going to be spewing from the blade, IMHO a safety nightmare. By attaching a vacuum cleaner hose you are risking setting fire to the filter and anything else inside your shop vac. A poster suggested you get a 7" cutoff wheel for your skil saw, that is a much better choice for what you want to do, it creates sparks not flying bits of steel.


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## ribwizzard (Jul 6, 2013)

Just go to Northern tools and buy the Milwalkee cold saw, then you will have the right tool for the blade. Or use a cut off wheel.   You can cut 3/16 all day with a cut off wheel. They 1/8 thick ones for your skill saw are ( IMHP ) not as easy to use as the thinner ones on a angle grinder.  I


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## dfbourg (Jul 7, 2013)

I have the Milwaukee saw and it works great and has the chip catching guard built in.  The rpm is different on it compared to a regular skillsaw plus like said previously the chips will fly everywhere and the blade will burn up. Now you can get the abrasive wheel blade but that will throw a lot of sparks and the blade would wear down pretty fast.


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## tobycat (Jul 11, 2013)

Found a metal circular saw at Harbor Freight for $94.99. Was going to spend $40 on just the blade. Still curious if I'll get the door and firebox opening cut before it goes dull.


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## ribwizzard (Jul 23, 2013)

You should try one of these, just make sure to get the adjustable blade model, it will cut through anything.

[img]http://ts2.mm.bing.net/th?id=H.4732866057406689&pid=1.7[/img]


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## geerock (Jul 23, 2013)

Ribwizzard said:


> You should try one of these, just make sure to get the adjustable blade model, it will cut through anything.
> 
> [img]http://ts2.mm.bing.net/th?id=H.4732866057406689&pid=1.7[/img]



Whoa, never thought of using a Jedi light sabre!  :biggrin:


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## daveomak (Jul 23, 2013)

RW, what the H is that ???  At least give us a name so we can look it up.......


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## themule69 (Jul 23, 2013)

A ricipacating saw with a metal cutting blade works pretty good. I prefer Victor.

Happy smoken.

David


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## daveomak (Jul 23, 2013)

I prefer hyper-therm.....   
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





  ....    *ELECTRIC FLAME.  *......


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## hephaestus (Jul 23, 2013)

I was thinking of having a blast door on my smoker


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## ribwizzard (Jul 24, 2013)




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## ribwizzard (Jul 24, 2013)

[ATTACH=full]619446[/ATTACH]


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## daveomak (Jul 24, 2013)

Boy, did I get sucked in on that one...... Deep, really deep I did........    
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






  .....    I thought for sure it was some kind of nibbler..... 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





  ...

Dave


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## black (Jul 24, 2013)

-


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## black (Jul 24, 2013)

-


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## ribwizzard (Jul 24, 2013)

Dave, I was just having some fun...


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## tobycat (Jul 28, 2013)

Ribwizzard said:


> You should try one of these, just make sure to get the adjustable blade model, it will cut through anything.
> 
> [img]http://ts2.mm.bing.net/th?id=H.4732866057406689&pid=1.7[/img]


Nice! Ribwizzard! I'll check Craigslist!, what I wouldn't give to have that cutting ability! you could probably weld with it too!


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## tobycat (Jul 28, 2013)

Found this on youtube, I don't think they would be selling these at Home Depot if they were not reasonably safe.  I have had an abrasive disk explode on me though.


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## dfbourg (Jul 28, 2013)

That's one of the cold cut metal saws, different from your normal skilsaw. They are safe and works great 













image.jpg



__ dfbourg
__ Jul 28, 2013


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## tobycat (Jul 28, 2013)

dfbourg, no the saw in the video is a regular circular saw, look closely, he also says so in the video comments.

Q. "Hi, nice job. A question, is that a regular( for wood mostly) circular﻿ saw or is it a metal circular saw? Thanks in advance".

A. "Thanks. It's a﻿ regular circular saw, not one designed primarily for metal"


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## dfbourg (Jul 28, 2013)

ok i wasn't paying that close attention but i bet a regular saw doesn't last long doing that


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## black (Jul 28, 2013)

-


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## tobycat (Jul 28, 2013)

Still hoping someone will post up if they have used one of these blades from any manufacturer.  My questions are not whether or not it is safe to use but how long will the blade last and can you do a drop cut with one the same as you could into wood.  As I stated in my first post I plan on adding an aluminum side guard  to my saw though it appears its not necessary. A woodworking friend of mine suggested I borrow his speed control for his router to drop the RPM of my saw to make the blade run a little cooler and make it last longer. I do appreciate everyone's safety concerns.


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## daveomak (Jul 28, 2013)

I have seen metal cutting blades at the welding shop....  I haven't asked the folks there about them....  The ones I saw were steel blades with diamond edges.....   Don't know how they work.....   I have plasma so I wouldn't use one on my $150  worm drive saw.....


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## geerock (Jul 28, 2013)

The blade will work but don't know how long.  And it will drop cut.  Problem is the saw may burn out.  Also, cutting the speed is probably not a good idea as all circular metal cutting saws I know of run faster than a standard circular saw.  My thinking is slowing it down may help the blade but kill the saw.


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## dfbourg (Jul 28, 2013)

Well at this point all I can say is there is a reason they say use the right tool for the job. Most of the companies that makes the metal cutting saw makes the blade a larger size so it can't be used on a regular skilsaw and cause harm and damage to the saw. Wish you luck in what ever direction you decide to go in and please use caution.


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## tobycat (Jul 28, 2013)

dbourg you are correct   "Discretion "caution" is the better part of valor" I have been working on and around and operating machinery and tools all my life.  I am usually the worry wart about safety and it has served me well to be that way. I have pissed off a few shop owners in my time but I'd rather roll my box out of a job than take a chance that would get me or somebody else hurt. Scolded the neighbor the other day after I saw him trying to remove a brake spring by pulling back on it with a pair of needle nose pliers,  there's a lot of one eyed guys that will tell you why that's a bad idea.

Geerock , actually metal cutting circular saws run SLOWER than a regular wood saw 3200-3900rpm vs. around 5200rpm for wood saws ,do appreciate knowing I can drop cut the blade though
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





I want to do everything I can to keep from warping the door and make as small and clean a kerf as possible.
[h1] [/h1]


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## ribwizzard (Jul 29, 2013)

These blades are what most people refer to as a cold saw. They have been around for a while and yes, they do work well. Most of the time you will see them used in a stationary cut off saw. The advantage is that they do not heat up the metal like a cut off disc will, giving you a cleaner more precise cut with out the roll over and grinding dust. . You will end up with chips though, a lot of them. So , by that alone, I would recommend using a saw like the Milwakee that is designed for these blades and will catch the chips. You dont want them in your eye, and believe me, there will be hundreds of them embeded in the soals of your shoes. Completely forget it if you want to work with shorts, you will be picking the little half moon metal bastads out of you for weeks after using it.

With the correct saw, they are a wonderful addition to your workshop,....... with out it, your better off with a regular cut off wheel. Good news is the price has come down on these saws.


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## geerock (Jul 29, 2013)

Tobycat said:


> dbourg you are correct   "Discretion "caution" is the better part of valor" I have been working on and around and operating machinery and tools all my life.  I am usually the worry wart about safety and it has served me well to be that way. I have pissed off a few shop owners in my time but I'd rather roll my box out of a job than take a chance that would get me or somebody else hurt. Scolded the neighbor the other day after I saw him trying to remove a brake spring by pulling back on it with a pair of needle nose pliers,  there's a lot of one eyed guys that will tell you why that's a bad idea.
> 
> Geerock , actually metal cutting circular saws run SLOWER than a regular wood saw 3200-3900rpm vs. around 5200rpm for wood saws ,do appreciate knowing I can drop cut the blade though:points: I want to do everything I can to keep from warping the door and make as small and clean a kerf as possible.
> 
> ...



Tobycat
My mistake on the speed.  I have the milwaukee 8 inch metal cutter and was thinking it was 7300 rpm when it is actually 3700.  Sorry for the mis info....I'm getting old.


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## tobycat (Oct 10, 2013)

The other night I found a post and pics somewhere on these forums of a member who had successfully used a metal blade in the same skil saw that I have.  I found it by accident and forgot to mark the thread and now I cannot find it.


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## daveomak (Oct 10, 2013)

If you go to your local welding supply house, they have many different types of metal cutting blades to be used with a circular type saw....  metal blades for cutting steel also...  I saw them a couple years ago and was surprised at the selection...  probably a better selection now.... 

Dave


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