brobo vs bandsaw vs metal cut off saw

[Pete F]

Today I found a TC tipped steel cutting blade designed for angle grinders, though unfortunately it doesn't state any maximum speed on it. The manufacturer is "Mars" made in Japan. The only information on it says suitable for 4" portable saw, 4" disc grinder. On the blade, 110x24Tx1.6x20mm. I can't find anything on the net about the blade or the company so not sure if anyone knows anything about it or them?

It wasn't exactly expensive, so thought I'd buy it in the interests of fellow wood/metalies and report back as to how well it works, even if I personally find the concept of putting something like this in an angle grinder just plain scary!

The tooth profile is quite interesting, nothing like a normal TCT wood blade. The teeth are negative rake with a flat chip limiting profile behind them.

Pete

[19brendan81]

Let us know how it goes pete. Fear not, no pain no gain as they say ; )

[wannabe]

I'd be interested in knowing how this would go using it as a slitting saw in a mill. As for using it in an angle grinder!! I like all the parts of my anatomy just where they are thanks. That would be one dangerous piece of gear.

[Pete F]

Sorry for the delay guys, took me a while to pluck up the courage to use this thing!

So, armed with my thickest welding gloves and a full face Triton respirator/hard hat I threw caution to the wind and tried it to cut out some SHS from a stand I was modifying to a welding table.

In fact the blade was fine and had less kick than an abrasive blade, certainly not what I was expecting. I was using a 100 mm Metabo grinder and the bore washer needed to be bored out slightly for the grinder, but otherwise it was all quite straight forward.

In use the blade initially cut well but the downside is that instead of fine grinding sparks, this thing throws back red hot chips which are quite large (relatively speaking) and doing about Mach 3 so they hurt. Next time I'll drag my leather gear out of the bedroom.

I was actually pretty chuffed but sadly the blade didn't last too long before it was blunt! I was cutting out some welded sections and I think the welds were hard and destroyed the blade, it certainly doesn't cut not as it did and I only got a few cuts out of it! So it was off with it and a good old abrasive cutoff disk fitted.

It wasn't expensive so it was a good experiment, but I'm not sure I'll rush out and buy another one.

Pete

[Harry72]

Those rotary hacksaw blades for angle grinders work ok but they die very easily if you plunge into the cut, they are only ment to cut thin steel like tin/corro.
Dont even contemplate anything thicker than 2mm, the trick is to pivot off the grinders guard keeping the guard against the material at all times... otherwise it'll get nasty real quick.

[Pete F]

Ah ok, I was plunging each time as I thought it was the "safest" way to try it out Yeah that thing cars the heck out of me, even though it was very easy and comfortable to use I reckon it would be a false sense of security before it neatly ripped your arm off.

[19brendan81]

With the world as litigous and regulatory as it is at the moment, you would think that if this tool were really dangerous, it would never be allowed on the market. Are the teeth designed to prevent it from running away on you if it bites in?

Check out this photo I just found online, designed for hand held grinders.

Actually, I cant insert the image. Google "BORS blade" under google images and check it out. Its a chainsaw blade wrapped around a disc and designed to be mounted on hand held grinders!

[BobL]

Actually, I cant insert the image. Google "BORS blade" under google images and check it out. Its a chainsaw blade wrapped around a disc and designed to be mounted on hand held grinders!

the link is hooftrimmingtools.net/mcart/index.cgi?code=3&cat=3

As the link says it's exclusively a hoof trimming tool. It uses anti kickback carbide chain and would probably also gnaw away at a piece of wood and also cut through thin sheet metal and fibre cement sheeting baut I wouldn't like to be holding onto it.. I'll ask the lads on the aborist site if they have used one.

OK I asked the guys and the directed me to the wood carving version such as those called lancelot, they use a chain with no skip chain ties, ie all cutters. They are also used by log cabin builders to hog away large joints etc. Apparently they work better when they are a touch blunt.

[Pete F]

With the world as litigous and regulatory as it is at the moment, you would think that if this tool were really dangerous, it would never be allowed on the market. Are the teeth designed to prevent it from running away on you if it bites in?

Well I guess there are all sorts of power tool accidents each year, so it happens. Yes the teeth have very aggressive chip limiters behind them. They seem to work very effectively and even if I pushed on the blade it didn't seem to want to grab. In that regard it was actually even less difficult to use than a bog standard abrasive blade. I still don't trust it though

[19brendan81]

I reckon my dad could use one of those BORS things for trimming his toenails.

No way im letting anyone near my hooves with it though.

[Pete F]

BTW I found the chips that come off the TC metal cutting blades are nasty! Unlike an abrasive blade, where the sparks are nice and small, the TC blade throws red hot chips which burn like heck! If used in saw frame they should be throwing the other way but I was using a blade designed for a grinder which was throwing at me. Not a pleasant experience.