Be careful with sheet metal-broken teeth

[mmcmdl]

I made sure I broke it in/up ! I'm sure I'll be walking into a disaster tonight . Someone is assembling my 80/20 project today who hasn't a clue .

 

[ACHiPo]

I’m always learning the hard way.

Umm, remembering the hard way Jeff?

 

[Tim9]

I had to go into work last night on a special call . They needed a frame cut out and couldn't use a chop wheel for fear of lighting the place up . I took my Sawzall in and my finest blade at the house was an 18 tpi . 1/4" tubing . I made it thru but the blade was still too aggressive . Bent it up big time . Of course , I was squished under a conveyor ramp with no room for me or the saw . Another night in paradise . ( no pun intended Jeff )

These are awesome for cutting steel. Diablo Carbide blades.

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Not really made for thin tubing because it’s 8TPI. They also have 10-tpi
But for cutting 1/8” or thicker steel... it’s like nothing I have seen with a sawzall. Only other advice is vibrations can break the teeth... so use the shortest blade possible for job at hand. I have an assortment of sizes for those times when I don’t want the angle grinder.
Also, I have even adapted a 12” Diablo carbide blade for my power hacksaw.

 

[Janderso]

Be sure to break-in the new blade.

I always thought that was a bunch of hooey.
You guys break in your blades?
What is the process?

 

[Jim F]

I always thought that was a bunch of hooey.
You guys break in your blades?
What is the process?

 

[Dabbler]

I always thought that was a bunch of hooey.

I suspected the practice, until I tried several different variants of the process on new offshore bandsaw blades. What it amounts to is to take very light cutting pressure until the very extreme end of the blade is a little less sharp. When I pushed harder than I normally do right off the start I did damage a few of the teeth.

Now I almost never push my equipment, so I run my machines like I'm always just breaking in the saw blades. It means I take a little less chip than the correct one so my ultimate cross section yield is less than the guys that push it. If you are going to push your baldes to the max, breaking in is essential.