Cutting Metal Mouldings

[Dave]

Pardon my ignorance on this subject, but is there a saw blade that will cut both wood and metal mouldings? I only have my one saw and normally order chops in metal, but I have quite a few metal chops from many years of misorders, wrongly sent items, cancellations, etc. and would like to be able to cut metal.

It would be kind of a hassle to change the blade each time I need to cut metal and wondered if their is a Jinzu blade out there.

In lieu of that ...does anyone have any tricks up their sleeve to do it with a hacksaw or other such solution?

Thanks!

[Richard Darling]

I only cut an occasional metal with my saw. I use the same blade, but apply wax as a lubricant with a wax stick I got at United. I'm sure the metal chews the blade up a little quicker, but since I don't do it often, the cost of a dedicated blade seems to be too much.

[mik]

I use leitz blades to cut wood or metal - 80 tooth carbide tipped. I use them on all my saws, including the table saw to cut acryllic. You can order them on the internet or ask you saw/tool sharpening company to get one for you. I pay less than $100 each but just ordered one at $80.

Part # is 130022639 254x3x15.88 z80.

They can be sharpened and re-tipped many times. In twenty years, I have bought four blades. Hope this helps.

[Jerry Ervin]

Yes you can buy 'combo' blades. I used them for years.

Now, there is no way I would go back to the 'combo' blades. They do a decent job on metal and an acceptable job on wood but not a perfect job on either.

Suck it up and change out the blade. Use a non-ferrous blade for metal and the very best cross cut blade you can buy for wood.

I am using the Amana blades from www.toolstoday.com (http://www.toolstoday.com) and I love them. They are made in Germany and sold at a ton of wood working places. I just don't have any dealers around here.

It has been the best money I ever spent.

[FrameMakers]

I like you don't cut metal. My cheap metal is .77 a foot chop so I don't see the need to stock or mess around with it for a savings of only .25 a foot.

My supplier will chop down metal frames for $1.00 each. So again it is not worth the hassel.

PS this is from a confirmed lenght fan, I have over 600 wood profiles in stock and rarely order in any moulding on the short.

[Dave]

Good information, all ...Thank you!

[Framing Goddess]

One of my biggest sellers is a matte black aluminum moulding. Selling that pays a lot of bills 'round here.

I am on the fly in this shop most days and if I don't have time to go to the ladies' room to 'powder my nose' on some days I sure as heck ain't gonna be changing blades. I use a combo blade from Framesquare on my Framesquare saw. I have them sharpened very often, dulled more quickly by the aluminum, but the more I have to have them sharpened, the more I am cutting, the more I am selling and the more blades I can afford to buy several times over.

FramemakerDave, what I like is that they are fast and simple. No glue, no allowance for flaws, no v-nails, no compressor, no vise, no warping, no powder post beetles, they always match the corner sample and they are strong.

edie the nosawdusteither goddess

[QuickDraw]

The years I spent working with a saw manufacturer as a cutter/router/blade designer, the carbide used for wood blades is good for any nonferrous material. The cutting geometry is generally a little different, but for what we are doing you won't see a difference unless you are doing a huge volume. Just take a nice gentle and easy approach when entering the metal with your blade. Let the blade do the work and make it's way through the material. No karate chops with the chop saw please.