All about miter saw blades

A tool such as a miter saw is not familiar to everyone. Despite the large number of materials that this tool can cut, its main purpose is specific. Therefore, such a saw is often used by professional finishers. At home, it does not become necessary so often. However, when you do not want to overpay for repairs, it makes sense to purchase all the necessary tools to make the work easier.

But in this case, you need not only to understand the principles of working with it, but also to understand the consumable parts of this tool. The main of these parts is the cutting disc.

A miter saw is a tool designed to make straight cuts at a given angle. The saw cut angle can be either 90 degrees or 45. Its main advantage is that it copes well with long details and unusual shapes of surfaces. A striking example of these is a plastic floor plinth.

But this tool has other features as well.

The appearance of this unit resembles a conventional circular saw (circular) mounted on a movable arm. It allows the discs to descend not only vertically, but also at any angle of inclination. This tool can cut various materials:

• wood;
• metal (in particular aluminum);
• plastic;
• stone.

Saw blades have a number of basic parameters that help you differentiate between the two.

Namely:

• outer diameter;
• inner diameter;
• number of teeth;
• tilt of the teeth;
• the shape of the teeth;
• product thickness.

Outside diameter is generally not a significant indicator for cutting speed. He is responsible for the cutting depth. It can be determined by the inner diameter of the saw cover. A large circle (305-355 mm) is not placed on a product with a smaller casing diameter. (By the way, it is not recommended to remove the protection for safety.) Most often, products with an indicator from 130 to 250 mm are taken for such a saw.

The inner diameter must have the same value with the dimensions of the power shaft on which this product is fixed. If it is larger, then during the operation of the saw, the off-center disc creates large vibrations, which leads to severe wear of the bearings and the shaft itself, as well as breakage of the disc or its teeth. In addition, such an attachment is a gross violation of the work regulations, and is dangerous for humans.

The cutting speed depends on the number of teeth on the disc in direct proportion. In addition, a large number of them gives a smoother and more accurate cut. But there is also a significant drawback of this approach - it is an increased load on the sawing tool engine. There are disks:

• with a large number of teeth (from 80 to 90 pcs.);
• with an average number of them (from 40 to 80 pcs.);
• small-toothed (up to 40 pcs.).

For high-quality sawing, the inclined angle of the teeth is also very important. It is fixed by the deviation of the cutting edge of the tooth from the radius of the saw blade. This parameter can be:

• standard (the angle varies in the range of 5-15 degrees);
• positive (tilt 15-20 degrees);
• negative (from 0 to minus 5 degrees).

Finally, the configuration of the prong. Each shape is designed for a specific cut. Therefore, a tooth is distinguished here:

• flat - cuts longitudinally at high speed;
• trapezoidal flat (alternation of high trapezoidal and low flat teeth) - cuts wood, plastic and soft types of metals (aluminum);
• replaceable (the teeth have an alternate slope to the right and left) - helps to cut wood, chipboard and composites cleanly both along and across;
• combined (one flat cutter follows four replaceable ones) - completely universal;
• Replaceable with a larger sloped side - used for choppy types of material, as well as for clean cuts at right angles.

As for the thickness of the saw blade itself, the thickness of the cut depends on it. The standard is 3.2 mm. If the indicator is higher, then this will reduce the amount of material, and if it is much less, then this will lead to overloading of the equipment and possible deformation of the disk.

In modern renovations, miter saw blades for aluminum, plastic and stone are most often required. These materials are actively used to create modern decor.

In order to choose a blade for soft metals and polymers, you need to know that there is a difference in sawing a hollow structure or a dense solid. The quality of the cut here mainly depends on the number of teeth. So, to obtain a result close to ideal, with hollow structures, it is better to use discs with a large number of teeth. Dense material is better sawn with a small-toothed nozzle.

An important criterion is the thickness of the disc and the material from which it is made. The best choice is a solid carbide (high carbon) metal cutting attachment. It lasts longer and can be re-sharpened. The same cannot be said for welded teeth.

This quality is inherent mainly in European brands. The cost when choosing an expensive brand name pays off during operation.

If we talk about the angles of inclination, then for soft materials such as plastic, it should be negative. This gives the cleanest cut possible. The shape of the teeth is quite varied. The universal drive may be the best option. You can never go wrong with him.

A simple alloy of metals is not enough to perform a high-quality cut in stone. A harder material is needed here, in the role of which is diamond sputtering. In this case, the decisive factor in the selection is the grain size of the abrasive coating. The larger it is, the less beautiful and high-quality the end cut will be. Fine diamond plating is much more useful and clean. But to prevent overheating of the engine, it is better to choose not the smallest value.

When performing repairs even at home, the periodic change of materials also requires the replacement of the saw blade. It is not difficult to change it, but it is still worth knowing the correct sequence of actions for your own safety.

It is necessary to start by installing the protective plastic casing (if any) in the upper position. To do this, unscrew the side auxiliary bolt, raise the structure, and then fix it with the same bolt, just in a different position.

Next, take a hexagon, which unscrews the clamping bolt in the center.In this case, on the back of the saw, it is necessary to press the button of the shaft locking mechanism, which is a stopper. It prevents the shaft from moving. Therefore, while holding it, you can press out the central bolt using the hexagon. Then the bolt must be unscrewed (you can use your hands), remove the side stopper (looks like a wide washer) and then the disk.

Installation is carried out upside-down. The disc is put on the shaft, then a lock washer is placed, then the bolt is screwed in by hand until it stops. To clamp the nozzle, you must press the button, and, while holding it, tighten the central bolt to the limit using the hexagon.

For information on how to sharpen a miter saw blade, see the video below.