Wood vs. Metal Saw Blade
According to the professionals at Tools Today, there are many styles of wood blades and metal blades for both ferrous and nonferrous applications. The most common saw blades are circular blades for the many types of circular-style saws, from hand-operated cordless models to edgebander saw tables.
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Circular Saw Blade Types
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Almost every blade uses teeth manufactured from steel or carbide, according to Tools Today. Both steel and carbide come in various strengths for various applications. Steel and carbide teeth are occasionally combined with industrial diamonds to create exceptionally strong teeth.
Wood Blades
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Wood blades include ripping blades designed to cut parallel to the grain, and melamine blades designed to cut woods finished with melamine--a low-pressure laminate. Wood blades differ from one another in teeth shape, size and count. Most cutting applications require a specific saw blade, but there are several blades manufactured for nonprofessional general purpose use, according to Tools Today.
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Ferrous Blades
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Ferrous saw blades are designed to cut iron-based metals such as steel. Tools Today lists ferrous blades that run the gamut from metal chop saw blades designed to be used with miter boxes to demolition-quality saw blades similar to those used by the fire department to extract trapped persons from wrecked cars. Special dry-cut blades are available for cutting steel and other materials without cutting fluid--a lightweight lubricant that aids blade passage through the material being cut.
Nonferrous Blades
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Nonferrous blades are designed to cut softer metals, such as aluminum. Nonferrous blades are occasionally referred to as aluminum blades. Tools Today reports that blades are available, such as panel saw blades, that will cut nonferrous metal, melamine, plywood, plastic and wood.
Industrial Blades
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Tools Today also mentions industrial saw blades. Industrial saw blades are described either as blades manufactured from industrial-quality materials, typically thicker and stronger than home-use blades, or as blades used for industrial purposes, such as continuous rim diamond saw blades able to cut through "most building materials [including] roofing, shingles, wood, nails, sand and other nonferrous materials," according to the Tools Today professionals.
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References
- Photo Credit spinning-saw image by sumos from Fotolia.com
