Skip,
I like Lenox blades. They stay sharp longer than any other blade I
tried. I have cut through lock shackles when I have forgotten the
combination, or lost the keys like they were soft steel.
Sheet metal is probably the hardest on blades, being as thin as it is.
Go for the highest teeth per inch you can. Usually you try to keep 3
teeth in contact with the metal you are cutting to keep teeth from
breaking off. On sheet metal try laying the saw over at a flat angle to
keep more teeth in contact with the metal. It will take a bit longer to
make the cut, but the teeth will stay on the blades better!
There is another option instead of buying expensive blades, that is,
find a really cheap blade (also high tooth count) that doesn't wear out
as fast as the other cheap blades, then buy a bunch of them. Keep track
of how much it costs you per foot/hour/car, etc and you will find out
which blade is the best deal.
One other thing that kills blades is heat. On metal don't run the saw at
full speed. Slow down a bit and see how much longer the blades last.
Finally, there are blades designed to cut cast iron. They may be hard to
find, but most plumbing supply houses will have them. They have carbide
grains welded to the blade blank, You might get better life out of these
blades, though the sheet metal may actually peel the carbide off, I
don't know, but they are worth a try. I haven't used them for sheet
metal, only concrete siding and heavier steel plate.
Peace,
Pat
Skip Albright wrote:
>
> I use a sawzall to dismember cars. works well, but I use up blades at
> an alarming rate.
> I have tried several brands and tooth sizes, all either break off at
> the tang or go dull in moments.
> todays batch are Bosch 14 tooth blades. I have tried "bi-metal blades
> with little difference , except on my wallet.
>
> Any hints or favorites?
>
> thanks
>
> skip
>
-- Support Habitat for Humanity - a hand UP, not a hand OUT --
|