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Just a "heads up"

Maybe it's been posted before, but not too long ago Harbor Freight had on sale a little "Mini cut-off saw". THis is like the cutoff saws used in metal working, and something like the miter saws used by carpenters. Very thin, fine tooth blade, but the blades are pricey, by their standards anyhow.

I've been playing with it, and have found that for wood, aluminum, brass, it's beautiful. Cutting the K&S brass angles, accurately, cleanly and fast, it's great. No distortion even when cutting 1/16" tubing, even the 3/16" X 3/8" rectangular tubing cuts nicely. Regular price is $29.95, but I'd wait until it's on sale, $19.95 sounds so much better.

The blade turns some 7800 RPM, don't even think about putting it down on steel, the blade will be gone instantly, and they're in packs of three for $10. I don't think I'd try NS track either, nickel silver is another name for stainless steel, and it's even nastier when the blade speeds are high.

Reply to
Nobody
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Nickel silver is not a stainless steel - that's why you can solder it. My understanding is that it is a brass type alloy with a high nickel content to give it the silver rather than gold color. Gary Q

Reply to
Geezer

Reply to
Billm10454

Actually, it's a variant on brass, and is composed mainly of copper.

A typical alloy recipe is 62% copper, 18% nickel, and 20% zinc.

Not that those blades might not fail - do they go dull rapidly om steel, or (worse) do they shatter?

Reply to
Steve Caple

The last two tell you why it's not a good idea with this saw.

This composition would put it somewhere between C97400 and C97600 alloys, but without other elements normally added to improve casting and machining ability. These elements being tin and lead. C97400, which would be the closest, machinability rating is .6, soft brass is

1.0 (For copper alloys anyhow). (And oddly enough, I found nickel silvers listed in the "food service alloys" section, which is why I lump it with stainless.)

Normal cutting speeds for steel with HSS blades is 90 to 140 feet per minute, this little saw is turning out almost 4100 fpm. They don't shatter, but after the first second, they don't cut either.

Reply to
Nobody

42307 If it ain't on sale, wait. $20 it's worth, $30, maybe not.
Reply to
Nobody

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