Abrasive Blades for Circular Saws Masonry Cutting. Masonry skill saw blade

” x 1/8″ Abrasive Blade for Concrete-Masonry 25/Pkg DIA-5/8″ Arbor D

I just recently got a bit from builders depot and it lasts a lot longer than the other brand I was getting. They have very good core bits.

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Can You Cut Asphalt With a Masonry Blade

Masonry blades are designed to cut through hard materials like brick, stone, and concrete. So, can you use a masonry blade to cut asphalt? The answer is yes, but it’s not the ideal tool for the job.

Asphalt is a softer material than concrete, so it will wear down a masonry blade more quickly. And because asphalt is black and sticky, it can gum up the blade, making it difficult to cut cleanly. If you need to cut asphalt, it’s better to use a diamond blade designed specifically for cutting asphalt.

• Turn on your power saw and allow the blade to reach full speed
• Position the blade on the asphalt where you want to make your cut
• Apply pressure to the saw and guide it along the line you want to cut
• Allow the blade to do its work and cut through the asphalt
• When you’ve finished cutting, turn off the power saw and remove the blade from the asphalt

Can You Use a Concrete Blade for Asphalt?

No, you cannot use a concrete blade for asphalt. Asphalt is a much softer material than concrete, so using a concrete blade on asphalt would just result in the blade chipping away at the asphalt without actually cutting it. You would need to use an asphalt-specific blade in order to make clean cuts in asphalt.

What Blade Do I Use to Cut Asphalt?

When it comes to cutting asphalt, there are a few different blade options that you can choose from. Here is a look at some of the most popular choices:

Diamond Blades: When it comes to cutting asphalt, diamond blades are often the best option. They are specifically designed to cut through hard materials like concrete and asphalt. Diamond blades come in a variety of sizes and can be used with both hand-held saws and walk-behind saws.

Carbide-Tipped Blades: Carbide-tipped blades are also good for cutting asphalt. These blades are similar to diamond blades, but they have a carbide tip instead of diamonds. Carbide is a very hard material that can withstand lots of wear and tear. Carbide-tipped blades will last longer than regular steel or alloy blades.

Abrasive Wheels: Abrasive wheels are another option for cutting asphalt. These wheels are made from abrasive materials like aluminum oxide or silicon carbide. Abrasive wheels can be used with both hand-held and walk-behind saws. However, they tend to wear down quickly, so they may not be the best choice for large projects.

Masonry Blade: Masonry blades are designed for cutting brick, stone, and other masonry materials; however, you can cut asphalt with a masonry blade.

What’s the Difference Between Asphalt Blade And Concrete Blade?

There are a few key differences between asphalt blades and concrete blades. The first is the thickness of the blade. Asphalt blades are thinner than concrete blades, which allows them to cut through asphalt more easily.

Concrete is a much harder material, so concrete blades need to be thicker in order to make clean cuts. Another difference is the tooth count. Asphalt blades typically have fewer teeth than concrete blades.

This is because asphalt is a softer material, so it doesn’t require as many teeth to make a clean cut. Concrete is much harder, so it needs more teeth to get through it without leaving behind jagged edges. Finally, the two types of blades also differ in terms of their durability.

Asphalt blades are not as durable as concrete blades because they’re thinner and made of softer materials. However, they don’t need to be replaced as often because they’re not used on as hard of materials. Concrete blocks wear down quickly, so concrete saws need new blades more frequently.

What Can a Masonry Blade Cut?

Masonry blades are designed to cut through a variety of materials, including stone, brick, cinder block, and concrete. With the right blade, you can make clean cuts in these materials without having to worry about the blade breaking or becoming dull. Masonry blades come in a variety of sizes and can be used with a variety of power tools, making them versatile tools for any home improvement project.

DIY – cutting Asphalt with a circular saw – walkway/driveway project Part 1

John Carry

Hi, I’m john, I, ve spent my time helping people to successfully do their DIY projects.I’m a professional saw expert for over 10 years. I’m working with every type of saw and always try to find out which is best for my project. See more report this ad

Circular Saw: How to Choose the Best for your Circular Saw

Going with one type of blade or the other for your circular saw requires in-depth thinking and consciously weighing the available options. Numerous factors contribute to the final product you decide to go with, and these factors will have a tremendous effect on the performance and lifespan of your machine in the long run. The article guides you in choosing the best blade for your circular saw between the options available.

Section 1: What is a Circular Saw? And its Common Types.

A circular saw is a power saws using a toothed or abrasive disc or blade to cut different materials using a rotary motion spinning around an arbor.

Circular saws came into the scene in the 18 th century but only received extensive usage in the United States in the early 19th century. There are numerous types of circular saws, and in recent times the term circular saw has been used to describe any saw with a round blade that rotates on an arbor.

1.1 Types of Circular Saw

As earlier said, there are numerous types of circular saws. This is not enough if we don’t discuss some of them in this article. Because apart from the traditional circular saws, other kinds of saws use the circular saws blade, putting them into the category.

This guide will help you identify other saws types that use the circular blade and differentiate them from other models. Here are some of the most common types of saws with circular saws:

The Abrasive Saw

The abrasive saw is also referred to as the Chop or Cut-off saw primarily because it is useful in cutting actions on hard materials.

An abrasive saw is a competent machine that cuts through hard surfaces such as concrete, tiles, and metals around the home and in construction projects. The abrasive saw is a standard power tool used during construction projects to cut through the hardest parts of a metal material or other hard surfaces.

The Biscuit Joiner

The Biscuit joiner is a powerful tool for combining two pieces of wood. A biscuit joiner uses a circular saw blade to cut a hole in the opposite edges of two pieces of wood.

This circular saw is mainly used in woodworking tasks and is handy in home construction or interior decoration. It is used by carpenters and other woodworkers who need to join one piece of wood to the other.

The Cold Saw

The cold saw is the direct opposite of the abrasive saw. It is a circular saw designed to cut through metal materials using a toothed blade to transfer heat generated while cutting. Thereby allowing the circular saws blade and the cut material to remain as calm as possible.

A cold saw is usually equipped with an electric motor and a gear reduction unit to help reduce the speed of the circular saw blade while cutting through metal.

Section 2: What is the Difference Between a Diamond and Carbide Tipped Circular Saw?

A circular saw can be fitted with two blade tips that are effective in their different service areas. Whether you own a circular saw for personal or commercial uses, it is vital to understand what blade tip your machine is critical. This knowledge helps you to work with your circular saw more effectively.

2.1 What is a Carbide Tipped Circular Saw?

Carbide-tipped circular saws are very common in the industry today. They include saw blades, lathes, drill bits, and other relevant cutting tools. Carbide-tipped circular saw blade generally stays sharp for longer than regular steel-tipped saw blades.

Although in the long run, carbide-tipped circular saws also get dull. They can also be brought back to life like you do the steel-tipped saw blade. The only difference is the abrasive used to clean the blades.

• Also known as the Square top tooth saw, carbide-tipped saws are famous for heavy-duty cutting. The carbide steel is perfect if you need to cut through some of the hardest materials and have tons of them, as it can stay sharper for longer periods than regular steel.

Carbide-tipped saw blades are also effective in precision cutting and are used mainly by woodworkers who need to make accurate cuts.

A carbide-tipped saw is also appropriate for cabinet or furniture-making as they require minimal tear-outs.

2.2 What is a Diamond Tipped Circular Saw?

While diamond-tipped circular saws are not as popular in the industry as carbide-tipped saws, it is equally effective and a choice alternative for numerous active users.

When you use a diamond-tipped blade for your circular saws, you can rest assured that your machine is in for the performance of a lifetime and optimized service life. Diamond-tipped circular saws are usually best for cutting through the hardest concrete materials without fearing wear and tear for a long period.

How to Choose the right Circular Saw Blade

Functions of a Diamond-tipped Circular saw.

• Diamond-tipped circular saws are used to cut through the hardest materials because they are equipped with diamonds. It is the hardest material known to man and can cut through anything.

A diamond-tipped circular saw is perfect for cutting through tiles, masonry, and other hard materials.

A diamond-tipped circular saw is also perfect for cutting through concrete because it is generally more durable than any abrasive blade.

2.3 Which Works Better?

Choosing the better type of circular saw between diamond-tipped and Carbide tipped saws is a complicated affair as they’re both effective in their rights. While the Carbide tipped circular saw is particularly effective in cutting through metal materials, the diamond-tipped circular saw is ideal for cutting concrete.

It is equally essential to include that the diamond is the hardest material known to man to date. And when machines such as the circular saw get fit with diamond edges, they become unstoppable against some of the hardest materials known to man.

On the other hand, the Carbide tipped circular saws blade is more widely used in the mainstream market and by the construction industry.

How to Choose the Perfect Blade?

Choosing the perfect blade between a carbide tip and a diamond tip is very straightforward, but you still need to be careful. Because the two blade types are best suited for use in different situations.

The diamond tip circular saw is perfect for cutting through the hardest materials, which can be found in the construction, military, and other heavyweight industries. The diamond-tipped circular saws blade is the best bet for heavy-duty cutting.

On the other hand, the Carbide tip circular saws are perfect for wood cutting and other precision cutting endeavors. Which do not require intense tear-outs, making it perfect for use around the home and in your kitchen.

The Diamond tip circular saw is the best circular saws for commercial purposes, while the carbide-tip circular saw is best for personal or mild uses. So when in the market for the best blade tip for your circular saws, it is best to consider the uses for which you will deploy them as a guide to choosing the perfect blade.

Section 3: How to Properly Care for Your Circular Saw Blade

The blade is one of the most critical parts of your circular saws. Whether diamond-tipped or Carbide tipped, without the proper care, the blade of your circular saw is bound to wear off after some time. And thereby take a chunk of your machine’s service life.

Here are the necessary steps to take to give your circular saws machine the proper care and attention:

Oil the Blade Frequently to Avoid Dullness

One of the best ways to keep the blade of your circular saw sharp and useful for an extended period is to frequently apply grease. Consistently cleaning your blade edges with grease or oil will remain very sharp and avoid rustiness as much as you want.

Buy Coated Blades

Another effective way to care for the blade of your circular saw is to soak it regularly in a washing solution or kerosene.

Soak it in these liquids overnight and watch the blade of your circular saw glow in the mornings like a flower.

The three methods discussed above have proven effective in cleaning up the blade of your circular saws and preserving it for consistent use inside and outside the home.

Section 4: Summary

The circular saws are an umbrella name for various saws machines that accomplish tasks by rotating around an arbor. You need to know that a sizeable majority of circular saws are useful in accomplishing similar tasks, and the power tools are very dependable on the job.

Whether you choose a Diamond tipped or Carbide tipped circular saws. You can rest assured that your circular saws will cut through the hardest materials whenever possible. Please feel free to contact us if you have any needs.

Masonry Saw. Uses Comparison with Tile Saw

Although saws are typically used to cut wood, there are actually saws out there that are designed to cut tougher materials, including metal, tile, concrete, brick, and masonry. In this article, I’m going to introduce you to the masonry saw, which is a tool capable of cutting the toughest materials.

Masonry saws aren’t all that well-known to DIYers and hobbyists when compared to more popular saws, like table saws and circular saws. This is partially because most people aren’t cutting things like concrete and brick on a regular basis, meaning that these saws tend to only be used by professionals. But that doesn’t mean that they can’t be useful for non-professionals as well. In this article, you’re going to find out everything that you need to know about masonry saws.

What is a Masonry Saw?

A masonry saw is a power tool with which you can cut granite, marbles, stones, tiles, brick, concrete, and other masonry used in construction. In order to cut through hard materials, the masonry saw utilize a diamond blade that spins at high speed. While you can get a dedicated tile saw or concrete saw, the masonry saw is a more versatile power tool and hence is a better choice for home improvement work.

Depending on the design, the masonry saws can be classified into two.

Masonry Table Saw

The table type saw has a blade attached to a drive motor and a sliding table that can move towards the rotating blade. Generally, masonry table saw is wet type and is able to cut masonry slabs accurately along a straight line. The one with the table is the most commonly used by building contractors and construction workers.

Handheld Masonry Saw

The handheld masonry saw which is also known as disc cutter is mainly used for cutting through reinforced concrete, bricks, paving stones, etc. for demolition and repair works.

As you can see in the above image, the head-held version is a portable saw that works similar to a circular saw or an angle grinder. But it is a piece of heavy-duty machinery and with powerful drive motors. These types of saws are usually dry cut type with some models equipped with dust collection systems. This saw is also often referred to as handheld concrete saw.

Masonry Saws Uses

What is a masonry saw used for? Masonry saws have a wide variety of uses. They are mainly used for the construction of buildings, roads, home improvement, and repair works. Unlike regular saws, which can really only cut wood, masonry saws are capable of cutting a wide variety of tough materials provided that it is equipped with the correct blade.

Cutting tough materials

So, the first and foremost use of a masonry saw is to cut through tougher materials. Now, let me be clear, you can use table saws, circular saws, and most other kinds of saws to cut through tougher materials like metals.

All shapes saw blades grinding wheel, woodworking tools grinding wheel, Superhard

If you use a regular circular saw on stones you are going to run into the problem of the saw dying quickly. Regular saws simply don’t have the horsepower to cut through harder materials effectively. They also cannot cut very straight unless you use a guide rail system.

If you use your table saw or circular saw to cut through something like a brick, it’s going to break very quickly.

Masonry saws have the horsepower and durability to reliably cut through tough materials that are commonly found on construction sites (which is where the masonry saw gets used the most). So, what exactly qualifies as tough materials? Well, think of things like stones, bricks, or concrete.

A masonry saw can make easy work of those sorts of tough materials. Likewise, materials like metal can also be cut using a masonry saw, although it does require specialty blades. However, if your main task it to cut lot of metal, I would suggest you use a metal cutting chop saw for this purpose.

What type of blade is used on a masonry saw?

The most commonly used wheel on a masonry cutting saw is the diamond wheel. To cut any material you need a blade that is harder than the work-piece. Here the minute diamond particles that is welded over the wheel acts as the cutting blade.

The reason a masonry saw is able to cut through these tough materials is that they don’t really “cut” in the same way that most saws do. Most blades on a masonry saw are going to be what are called “abrasive blades.” These kinds of blades use abrasive particles to “cut” through materials. The fact that they don’t use teeth like most saw blades, is what enables them to cut through hard materials.

Dry vs Wet Masonry Saws

One of the main ways of categorizing masonry saws is by the way that the saw is cooled. Because masonry saws use friction to cut through materials, they generate a lot of heat. If that heat wasn’t cooled, the saw would eventually overheat and break. Masonry saws are generally cooled in one of two ways. Dry masonry saws have internal mechanisms to prevent overheating. Wet masonry saws utilize water to prevent overheating.

Since water cooling is more effective, wet masonry saws tend to be a bit more powerful because there is less of a fear of overheating.

A dry saw can produce a lot of dust filled with harmful silica particles. This is another advantage of wet masonry saw where the water jet washes away the cutting dust that contains silica.

Masonry Saw vs Tile Saw

Masonry and tile saws fulfill the same general role as concrete cutting tools, but they go about it in different ways. The main differences between a masonry saw and tile saws are the depth of cut and the blade to workpiece movement. A masonry saw has a higher maximum depth of cut that enables it to cut thick granite slabs, stones, and bricks. On the other hand, the tile saw lower cutting depth which is suitable for slicing tiles.

You also have to use them differently as well. With a masonry saw, you bring the material to the rotating blade. With a tile saw, it’s the other way around where the rotating blade is fed across the station work-piece.

Masonry Saw	Tile Saw
Design	Fixed blade and sliding table. Or handheld saw.	Fixed table, moving blade
Working	Move the stone against the rotating blade.	The blade is moved across the stationary tile.
Cutting Depth	Higher maximum depth of cut	Lower depth of cut
Types of Cut	Generally only straight cuts. There are masonry saws with miter options.	Straight cute, miter cut and bevel cut.
Accuracy	Less accurate when cutting miters.	Better accuracy and more options to cut angles.
Uses	To cut granite, marble, stone, bricks etc.	To size ceramic and porcelain tiles.

Masonry saws can also be portable, handheld saws. These are similar to a circular saw; but much larger in size. Tile saws, on the other hand, have their blade attached to a table. While the table is fairly portable, it doesn’t offer the same amount of mobility that a masonry saw does.

Masonry Saw vs Concrete Saw

Despite sometimes being used interchangeably, masonry saws and concrete saws are actually different things. A masonry saw as I have already discussed, is meant to cut tough materials like stones, granite, concrete, brick, etc. A concrete saw is an even more heavy-duty tool meant to cut through things like asphalt, a concrete wall, thick slabs of concrete, etc.

The concrete saw is also called slab saw or road saw because it is commonly used to cut large slabs of concrete from the road and asphalt during repair and maintenance.

A concrete saw is not going to be useful for your average DIYer and is basically only used in select professions. A masonry saw has a lot more practical use for your average person.

Final Thoughts : Masonry saws are incredibly useful tools, and not just for professionals either. Next time you have a heavy-duty cutting job, considering investing in a masonry saw and see if that doesn’t make your life easier.

Understanding and Choosing a Circular Saw Blade

As part of White Cap’s series of helpful articles created exclusively for our customers, this article covers circular saw blades for wood, sheet goods, and metal.

Why Does Selecting the Right Blade Matter?

Selecting the right saw blade allows you to produce a better product, deliver it more quickly, as well as save money in the long run. High-quality blades offer longer life spans, more heat resistance, and more durability than budget blades. High-quality blades will also yield superior results and save money in the long run. Let’s look at three key areas where blade selection matters most.

Cut QualityAll blades cut, but there’s a big difference between the final cuts made by high-quality blades vs a cheaper blade. Cheaper blades eat through more material, generating more waste. They need sharpening more often which means more labor spent changing blades more frequently, as well as the added cost of sharpening or replacing more often than premium blades.

Longer Blade LifeYou get what you pay for. With premium quality saw blades, you’ll save money due to the exceptional construction and better grade of materials used in constructing the blade. These and several other influencing factors we discuss further in this article, all add up to a stronger, longer blade life.

Always buy the best you can afford. When you buy a premium tool or blades, you’re making an investment in the quality of the product that you’ll produce and an investment in your professional reputation. And because a cheaper blade is usually made by less expensive manufacturing process with standard materials, you’ll achieve less precise cuts, resulting in an inferior product. When you invest in premium tools, you achieve high-quality results.

The saw blade is the most important consideration in the tool/accessory relationship.

Blade Anatomy Construction

Saw Blade EssentialsMost saw blades are designed to do their best work in a certain type of cutting operation. There are blades designed for ripping lumber, crosscutting lumber, cutting veneered plywood and panels, cutting laminates and plastics, cutting melamine, and cutting aluminum. There are also general purpose and combination blades designed to work well in two or more types of cut. What a blade does best is determined by the number of teeth, tooth configuration, and the angle of the tooth (hook angle).

Let’s look at the main influencers for buying a circular saw blade:

• Diameter. Considered as a blade’s size. All circular saw blades, and even saws, are identified by this measurement. Diameter is the length between the tips of two teeth on opposite sides of each other. As the diameter increases, so does the need for a high-quality plate.

These are discussed in more detail later in Tooth Geometry.

Kerf and Blade Width. Kerf is the thickness of a cut that a blade makes, usually 3.175mm wide. Kerf width describes the blade thickness. The kerf width, the teeth’s vertical angle, and blade wobble determine a blade’s kerf. For smooth cuts when working with furniture, cabinets, and other fine woodworking applications, use thin kerf blades with many teeth with little-to-no angle.

o Thin kerf blades (1.5mm or thicker). The thinner the kerf (cutting width) on a blade, the less material waste. Use this blade with expensive hardwoods, hardwood plywood, dimensional, or engineered lumber for precise cuts, better finish, and save up to 30% of materials compared to full kerf blades. While some thinner blades may overheat on rip cuts and long cuts, kickback, and offer little side clearance, manufacturers have created vibration-dampening systems, and thin kerf blades that rival industrial-quality full kerf blades. White Cap has a large selection of thin kerf blades for rip cutting, crosscutting, or combination.

o Ultra-thin Kerf (1.35mm or less; same thickness as a dime). Useful for applications that require thin-strip ripping. These types of blades produce more precise cuts and waste less material.

RPM (Revolutions Per Minute) – Listed on all blade packaging, this important safety information is to ensure that your saw’s maximum RPM is less than your blade’s maximum RPM.

It’s important to look at the RMP rating of both the tool and the blade, and match them accordingly. This is particularly true when it comes to steel cutting blades. It’s critical to run large diameter steel cutting blades (8” and greater) on low-RPM, high-torque, specialty metal-cutting saws.

It should be noted that the RPM of a circular saw does NOT indicate its cutting speed. That’s determined by the number of teeth and the diameter size of the blade. A 10” blade is going to cut faster than a 7 ¼” blade because it’s bigger and can eat through more material quicker than a smaller blade even if both blades are revolving at the same RPM.

How to Select the Right Blade

Choosing the right blade depends upon what kind of material will be cut and what tool will be used to cut the materials. Here are some recommended blades for some common applications.

For use with table saws (standard 10” or 12” blade) and portable circular saws (6 ½” or 7 ¼” blade):

Natural wood. use a 24T (teeth) to 30T premium quality blade for ripping.

When using a miter/chop saw and the standard blade 8”, 10”, or 12” diameters:

Saw Blade Materials

The plate quality of circular saw blades is important, especially when purchasing larger diameter blades. When constructed from a high-quality material, a blade will have a longer life span, be wobble-free, and run true, producing a good finish and cleaner cuts.

HSS (High speed steel): Though rapidly becoming obsolete, HSS blades are made of ferrous metal with chrome-vanadium or cobalt alloy for longer use and less warping. Use to cut thin-walled steel tubes and profiles, pipes, sheets, plates, non-alloy tool steel, extrusions, structural and solid sections.

Carbide Teeth: Carbide is an extremely hard but somewhat brittle compound metal created by combining tungsten carbide particles with specific amounts of cobalt. Many saw blades today have teeth that are enhanced with carbide tips welded directly onto the saw tooth. This creates an incredibly hard-cutting tooth that does not wear down quickly, is impact resistant, withstands high heat, cuts clean, and is cost effective with a longer life span than non-carbide-teeth blades.

Cermet (Ceramic and Metallic) Teeth: Lasts up to 40X longer than standard carbide metal cutting blades due to their high-heat tolerance, increased hardness, and superior wear. The Triple Chip Tooth design provides less sparks, burr-free finishes that require no-rework, and longer cutting life.

Standard vs Premium Blades

This table shows several of the advantages of premium blades over standard blades.

Wood Cutting:

o Make sure the machine’s RPMs are less than the max RPMs advised for the blade.

o Mid- range teeth count for general purpose, crosscutting, and ripping. (Ex: 10” diameter blade with 40 teeth.)

o High teeth count for crosscutting or cutting sheet goods. (Ex: 10” diameter blade with 80 teeth.)

o Hi-Alternate Top Bevel (Hi-ATB): An exaggerated top bevel enhances the scoring action of the blade for fine finish cross cuts or cuts in sheet goods.

o Quality carbide is a game changer. Inferior carbide will wear quickly – the geometry of the teeth will degrade and so will the blade’s cutting ability.

o High-quality micrograin carbide is intentionally designed for controlled wear and long life.

Steel Cutting:

• Material: Cutting mild steels and stainless steels

o Steel cutting blades 8” diameter or larger must be used in low RPM stationary or handheld dry cut saws (not a chop saw).

o Steel cutting blades smaller than 8” diameter can be used in specialty metal cutting saws (for optimal performance) or in traditional handheld framing circular saws.

Note: It’s extremely important to wear safety equipment such as protective eye goggles, cut-resistant work gloves, plus hearing protection.

Aluminum Cutting:

• Material: Cutting blades for aluminum, copper, and brass, as well as for plastics (acrylic, Lexan, polycarbonate, etc.)

o Table saws, miter saws, and handheld circular saws. Do not use aluminum cutting blades on sliding compound miter saws.

o Triple Chip Grind (TCG): This is a durable two-tooth sequence. The first tooth, with chamfered corners, hogs out the material. The second tooth follows to finish the cut.

o Quality carbide is a difference maker. Inferior carbide will wear quickly – the geometry of the teeth will degrade and so will the blade’s cutting ability.

o While manufacturers like Diablo have designed their aluminum cutting blades to cut dry (without lubricant), the use of cutting lubricants can dramatically increase the life of a blade.

Specialty Cutting:

o Specialty blades can typically be used on traditional wood cutting saws: Table saws, miter saws, and handheld circular saws.

• Polycrystalline Diamond (PCD) blades for cutting cement fiberboard (Hardie)
• Polycrystalline Diamond (PCD) blades for cutting laminate or pre-finished flooring (Pergo, for example)
• Composite decking blades with a modified triple chip grind (TCG)
• Wood and metal dual use blades – a single blade that can cut both mild steels and wood.

Teeth Geometry

Teeth geometry is the particular grind applied to the blade’s teeth which determines how they cut. Here are the most common grinds.

Alternate Top Bevel (ATB): Cutting like knives, teeth alternate between a right- and left-hand bevel, making a cleaner cut than flat-top teeth. Produces a smoother crosscut on natural woods and veneered plywood. For crosscutting, cut-off, trimming, and ripping.

Triple-Chip Grind (TCG): With beveled corners, teeth alternate between a flat “raking” tooth and a higher “trapeze” tooth. Very durable. Good for working with hard, abrasive materials like non-ferrous metals, hardwoods, laminates, MDF, and plastics.

Flat-Top Grind (FTG): Use mainly for ripping when fast feed rate is important to prevent overheating. Best for ripping hard and soft woods.

Teeth have steeply beveled angles which affect cut and feed rate. High/positive angle means the teeth lean forward, cutting very aggressively with fast feed rate. Low/negative angle teeth lean back, opposite direction of the blade rotation. Slow feed rate, and inhibits blade’s tendency to “climb” the material being cut. Good for cutting melamine and hardwood plywood.

Number of Teeth

It’s a common misconception that the number of teeth on the blade determines the quality of the blade. The reality is that the number of teeth affects speed, type, and finish. Blades with fewer teeth cut faster, but with a rougher finish than blades with more teeth which cut slower and much smoother.

Ripping blades have the least amount of teeth; panel blades have the most. Crosscut blades, combination and general-purpose blades fall somewhere in-between.

Expansion Slots

An expansion slot is an innovative curved laser-cut or stamped vent on the blade plate designed to keep the blade from warping when overheated.

As they cut, a blade’s teeth are cooled by moving air. However, the blade plate gets extremely hot from the cutting friction. With nowhere to go, the ever-increasing heat expands sideways unevenly thorough the plate, warping and destroying the blade. Without expansion slots a blade will cup when it overheats.

Expansion slots allow the blade to expel its heat, preventing warping and reducing vibration. On premium blades, the expansion slots will be laser cut and connected to rounded holes near the arbor.

Contactor blades offer stamped expansion slots.

Checking Blade Quality Condition

To create a quality product, you need to have high-quality tools. Besides your saws, circular saw blades are your most important tool accessories. It’s important to periodically check them to make sure they’re in perfect condition, need sharpening, or replacing.

Inspecting your blade’s quality

• Check for pitch. Poor cutting can be a result of a dirty blade.
• Look for signs of wear or damage. Any missing, chipped, broken, or worn-down teeth?
• Check the wear line of carbide edges.
• How does the blade cut? Sharp? Dull? Wobbly? It may be time to sharpen. A good quality blade can be sharpened many times.
• If you frequently cut metal or hardwoods, consider replacing.

Factors that influence blade quality

• The type of work you do
• The quality of your tools
• How often you use your blades
• How often you clean and maintain your tools
• Are your blades properly stored?
• How often are they sharpened and cleaned?

Symptoms of a dull blade that needs sharpening:

• Increased resistance to feed
• Burning
• Increased noise
• Chips or splinters
• Increased motor load
• Rounded teeth

Storage

When creating storage, consider: Convenience, function, and protection. Let them be your guide in creating storage. Whatever style storage you choose, always keep blades away from moisture and humidity. There are so many storage options available; you’re only limited by your creativity.

Hang blades individually on the wall with hooks.

Circular Saw Blade Safety Best Practices

Always follow OSHA manufacturers’ guidelines.