Blade Sharpening

Too much pitch perhaps? Get some Simple Green and clean the blade it does
wonders...
BB

"dpb" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> J.F. Kirkland III wrote:
> > yea, it's smoking when I try and cut. Seem's as if it is not getting
enough
> > power to the saw. Sound's like it! Should I try a specific gauge
extension
> > cord?
> ...
>
> As Jim suggested, try w/o an extension cord--if there's any difference
> whatsoever, that's certainly dead-certain indication that what you're
> using is too small/long. I rarely if ever run the chop-saw off an
> extension, but it ought to be a 14 ga _minimum_.
>
> What size material are you cutting? Another possibility is the saw is
> out of alignment?
> What is the actual saw (make/model)? Maybe somebody has something on a
> specific saw. I've the original 12" DeWalt (although the current one
> looks to still be essentially identical) and after all these years and
> the abuse it's received it is still dead-on. That doesn't say there's
> not something going on or if you have a different saw.
>
> Whatever it is, I still don't much think the blades themselves should
> be showing actual loss in sharpness after only a few cuts in soft
> pine--it's something else or a remediable problem that's causing
> excessive blade wear/binding.
>

J.F. Kirkland III wrote:
> I have 2 Dewalt 80t blades. Both blades have lost there sharpness IMO to
> soon. About 150-200 cuts per blade. I am cutting soft pine for trim. My Q
> is, how many cuts should I get before having them sharpened?

I've several DeWalt blades including the one that came w/ the chop saw.
As Leon says, they'll stay sharp for a much longer time than
that---I've used this saw for several years between sharpenings on
everything from hardwood trim to the finish work on the old barn which
is 90+ yr old SYP (translation--harder than rocks w/ _lots_ of pitch)
and most of it is dirt-encrusted as well and have made literally
thousands of cuts w/ no real problems of excessively dulling the
blade(s).

Something just ain't right here--can you describe the problem? Soft
pine, other than the gumming problem, should have no discernible effect
on the blade in any short period of time. If it's burning, it's
probably either pitch or you're simply not cutting fast enough. If
it's something else, repost more details and somebody will have ideas...

Lew Hodgett wrote:
> Bob Moos wrote:
>
> > I recently got some of this at the local Woodcraft store. As I
> > recall it was something like $11 for a bottle with about 8-10 ounces
> > in it. It does indeed seem to do the job on all the saw blades and
> > router bits I've used it on.
> >
> > One thing I've noticd though, is this stuff smells exactly like
> > Formula 409. I haven't gotten around to trying it, but when I run out
> > of the CMT Formula 2050, I'm going to give Formula 409 a try. :)
>
>
> Get an automobile oil change pan (big enough bottom to let a 10" blade
> lay flat).
>
> Put blade in pan add 1/2" of simple green.
>
> Let stand 24-48 hours, then scrub with a soft bristle brush.
>
> BTW, that nice red teflon finish they put of Freud blades comes right
> off along with all the gunk.
>
> DAMHIKT.
>
> Lew

the lid to a 5 gallon plastic pail is just about right for a 10" blade.
hot water by itself will clean most wood residue off in a few minutes.
if that doesn't get it all a little laundry detergent will.

I don't get it about all of the oven cleaner/ specialty solvent/ toxic
chemicals people use to clean wood pitch off of saw blades.

J.F. Kirkland III wrote:
> yea, it's smoking when I try and cut. Seem's as if it is not getting enough
> power to the saw. Sound's like it! Should I try a specific gauge extension
> cord?
...

As Jim suggested, try w/o an extension cord--if there's any difference
whatsoever, that's certainly dead-certain indication that what you're
using is too small/long. I rarely if ever run the chop-saw off an
extension, but it ought to be a 14 ga _minimum_.

What size material are you cutting? Another possibility is the saw is
out of alignment?
What is the actual saw (make/model)? Maybe somebody has something on a
specific saw. I've the original 12" DeWalt (although the current one
looks to still be essentially identical) and after all these years and
the abuse it's received it is still dead-on. That doesn't say there's
not something going on or if you have a different saw.

Whatever it is, I still don't much think the blades themselves should
be showing actual loss in sharpness after only a few cuts in soft
pine--it's something else or a remediable problem that's causing
excessive blade wear/binding.

<[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> the lid to a 5 gallon plastic pail is just about right for a 10" blade.
> hot water by itself will clean most wood residue off in a few minutes.
> if that doesn't get it all a little laundry detergent will.
>
> I don't get it about all of the oven cleaner/ specialty solvent/ toxic
> chemicals people use to clean wood pitch off of saw blades.

The advantage to Formula 2050 is that it is safe to handle and is bio
degradable and fast. It is common to have a clean blade in 10 minutes with
out having anything but the cleaner and a paper towel. I spray around the
teeth and immediately start wiping the blade clean with a paper towel.
Other items work just as well but are IMHO slower and more trouble.

"Bob Moos" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Leon <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> Get some CMT Formula 2050, a biodegradable cleaner specifically made
>> to clean bits and blades QUICKLY.
>
> I recently got some of this at the local Woodcraft store. As I
> recall it was something like $11 for a bottle with about 8-10 ounces
> in it. It does indeed seem to do the job on all the saw blades and
> router bits I've used it on.
>
> One thing I've noticd though, is this stuff smells exactly like
> Formula 409. I haven't gotten around to trying it, but when I run out
> of the CMT Formula 2050, I'm going to give Formula 409 a try. :)


Probably not the same. ;~) It also smells like Fast Orange hand cleaner.
LOL

"J.F. Kirkland III" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>I have 2 Dewalt 80t blades. Both blades have lost there sharpness IMO to
>soon. About 150-200 cuts per blade. I am cutting soft pine for trim. My
>Q is, how many cuts should I get before having them sharpened?
>

I don't know about DeWalt but you will literally get 10's of thousands of
cuts out of a Forrest.

That said, I highly suspect that since you are cutting pine that your blades
may simply be dirty. Pitch build up on a blade will greatly reduce their
cutting ability and smoothness. Get some CMT Formula 2050, a biodegradable
cleaner specifically made to clean bits and blades QUICKLY.

Bob Moos wrote:

> I recently got some of this at the local Woodcraft store. As I
> recall it was something like $11 for a bottle with about 8-10 ounces
> in it. It does indeed seem to do the job on all the saw blades and
> router bits I've used it on.
>
> One thing I've noticd though, is this stuff smells exactly like
> Formula 409. I haven't gotten around to trying it, but when I run out
> of the CMT Formula 2050, I'm going to give Formula 409 a try. :)


Get an automobile oil change pan (big enough bottom to let a 10" blade
lay flat).

Put blade in pan add 1/2" of simple green.

Let stand 24-48 hours, then scrub with a soft bristle brush.

BTW, that nice red teflon finish they put of Freud blades comes right
off along with all the gunk.

DAMHIKT.

Lew

Leon <[email protected]> wrote:

> Get some CMT Formula 2050, a biodegradable cleaner specifically made
> to clean bits and blades QUICKLY.

I recently got some of this at the local Woodcraft store. As I
recall it was something like $11 for a bottle with about 8-10 ounces
in it. It does indeed seem to do the job on all the saw blades and
router bits I've used it on.

One thing I've noticd though, is this stuff smells exactly like
Formula 409. I haven't gotten around to trying it, but when I run out
of the CMT Formula 2050, I'm going to give Formula 409 a try. :)

On Mon, 10 Jul 2006 16:46:21 GMT, "J.F. Kirkland III"
<[email protected]> wrote:

>yea, it's smoking when I try and cut. Seem's as if it is not getting enough
>power to the saw. Sound's like it! Should I try a specific gauge extension
>cord?
[...snip...]

If you want to make a test, try using no extension cord and see what
the effect is.

I vote for gummed up blade as well. There are lots of cleaners, I use
Simple Green. I soak it for about 30 minutes and then scrub with a
toothbrush. I favor the yellow kind because I hate the odor of the
green stuff.

On Mon, 10 Jul 2006 14:20:27 GMT, "Leon"
<[email protected]> wrote:

>
>"J.F. Kirkland III" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>news:[email protected]...
>>I have 2 Dewalt 80t blades. Both blades have lost there sharpness IMO to
>>soon. About 150-200 cuts per blade. I am cutting soft pine for trim. My
>>Q is, how many cuts should I get before having them sharpened?
>>
>
>I don't know about DeWalt but you will literally get 10's of thousands of
>cuts out of a Forrest.

I'd love that to be true. I don't know what it actually is, but
whatever it is is a lot more than 150-200.

>
>That said, I highly suspect that since you are cutting pine that your blades
>may simply be dirty. Pitch build up on a blade will greatly reduce their
>cutting ability and smoothness. Get some CMT Formula 2050, a biodegradable
>cleaner specifically made to clean bits and blades QUICKLY.
>

Pine's not the only wood that leaves a deposit. Many others do too.
And the pitch they leave on the blade is visible. No guesswork there.

Cleaning is good.

yea, it's smoking when I try and cut. Seem's as if it is not getting enough
power to the saw. Sound's like it! Should I try a specific gauge extension
cord?
"dpb" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> J.F. Kirkland III wrote:
>> I have 2 Dewalt 80t blades. Both blades have lost there sharpness IMO to
>> soon. About 150-200 cuts per blade. I am cutting soft pine for trim.
>> My Q
>> is, how many cuts should I get before having them sharpened?
>
> I've several DeWalt blades including the one that came w/ the chop saw.
> As Leon says, they'll stay sharp for a much longer time than
> that---I've used this saw for several years between sharpenings on
> everything from hardwood trim to the finish work on the old barn which
> is 90+ yr old SYP (translation--harder than rocks w/ _lots_ of pitch)
> and most of it is dirt-encrusted as well and have made literally
> thousands of cuts w/ no real problems of excessively dulling the
> blade(s).
>
> Something just ain't right here--can you describe the problem? Soft
> pine, other than the gumming problem, should have no discernible effect
> on the blade in any short period of time. If it's burning, it's
> probably either pitch or you're simply not cutting fast enough. If
> it's something else, repost more details and somebody will have ideas...
>