# 14" wood saw blades???



## slp82 (Dec 17, 2016)

Ok, so I know this may sound crazy to some of you, but here is my dilema. I am a welder by trader and 99% of what I do envolves cutting metal. So I am looking for a new chop saw with angle adjustments (believe it or not, not all have this). From my research it seems that Dewalt, Makita, and Rigid are three that for sure have angled cut adjustments. I am refraining from saying "miter" as this is technically not a miter saw. So my question is, once a year or so, I may have a project (bed frame, deer stand, fence gate, etc) that needs to be built. Normally I just use a hand held circular saw for this, which is fine, but just thought it might be nice to be able to cut wood on the chop saw. I know Evolution makes a Rage 1 and Rage 3, but after some reseach (mainly 2011 to 2013 reviews) it seemed that the saw was on par with Harbor Freight tools, espcially if it is going to be primarily use for metal cutting and not wood, which is my case. So I decided to stick with a new chop saw with abrasive blade. So my question is, does someone make a 14" blade designed for cutting wood that could be swapped out for these once in a blue moon wood projects? I saw one post on Amazon for a "rescue 14" blade" that is designed to cut roofing, floors, wood, pretty much whatever, and a few reviewers said they used it on a chop saw to cut wood, but that it really is kind of dangerous as the blade is intended to cut very quickly, not neccessarily neatly, through wood and that it will try to rip the piece away from you. The manufacturer of the blade says it is not suppose to be used on a saw unless it has both a top and bottom guard that closes around whatever you are cutting. Anyways, just wondering if anyone has any ideas of a saw system I could get that could be used to cut primarily metal, but also cut occasionally wood if needed. All the wood cuts would not be anything like precision trim or anything... I am not a wood worker and don't pretend to be. I just build stuff strong, not pretty. :wink2:

Any ideas are welcome... again I can choose a different saw if need be, as long as it is a strong reliable saw that can cut through at least 1/4" steel angle iron or pipe.


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## slp82 (Dec 17, 2016)

Ok, so after a little more research, I found this:

https://www.amazon.com/DEWALT-DW715...d=1482046791&sr=8-1&keywords=dewalt+miter+saw

Now clearly this uses 12" blades... and according to the specifications, it turns 4,000 rpms.



Now here is a 12" abrasive cut off wheel made by dewalt that can handle up to 6,400 rpms...

https://www.amazon.com/DEWALT-DW8023-12-Inch-Abrasive-Cutting/dp/B00004YMCV


So as long as I removed the dust bag so it doesn't catch on fire, what would stop me from using this saw with the abrasive cut off wheel as a primary metal cutting saw, but then be able to swap the blade to the original wood blade for small projects once or twice a year?


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## slp82 (Dec 17, 2016)

I feel like I am talking to myself at this point, but figured what the heck... So after some more reading, it seems people have tried this before and the downside is that the miter wood saw has plastic parts usually that can melt from the heat of the metal cutting. The other concern most has was that miter saws are more precision than chop saws, so you may loosen up the unit from the vibrations of metal cutting. Last there was some speculation that miter saws are fan cooled (I have no idea, just repeating what I read), and the motors are not sealed. Supposedly the metal chop saws have sealed motors. This was never verified. Many did report melting parts of the guards though on their miter saw using a abrasive blade. 

So what about the opposite way... using a 14" chop saw designed for cutting metal, with a 12" wood saw blade (both have 1" arbors). I read a little about this and couldn't find anyone who has actually done it. The only 2 conerns listed were that the RPM's were different, but after going and looking up the specifications of both the Dewalt 12" miter saw and the Dewalt 14" chop saw, they BOTH turn at exactly 4,000 RPMs. So that should now be a issue. The only other issue is that chop saws are not as tight of tolerances as a miter saw and for any precision wood cutting, would not be useful. Again most of these projects are deer blinds, saw horses, robust (not pretty) bed frames that will be covered by a "skirt". So can anyone else think of a downside to putting a 12" wood blade on a Dewalt chop saw, other than it would kick saw dust everywhere with no dust collection? I know as the chop abrasive blades wear down, they shrink in size, and I have used them all the way until they were probably 8"... so the slightly smaller 12" shouldn't matter. Just trying to cover any and all concerns I have not thought of.

This is what I am leaning towards now:

This chop saw:

https://www.amazon.com/DEWALT-D2871...id=1482049369&sr=1-1&keywords=dewalt+chop+saw

With this blade to swap out for non precision cuts for basic wood projects:

https://www.amazon.com/Tools-MARATHON-Carbide-Circular-14080/dp/B00004YO7N/ref=sr_1_4?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1482049009&sr=1-4&keywords=12%22+wood+blade+saw


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

14" Saw blades are available and you could use one on a chop saw made for metal. I think if you are needing a miter saw though it might be easier and better to go with a 16" saw. Once you get above 12" though you will have to find a industrial supplier or order online. None of the box stores I've ever seen will carry such a blade.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*I have the same idea*

https://www.amazon.com/Oshlun-SBW-1...82064775&sr=8-4&keywords=Oshlun+14+wood+blade

I am going tom use a 14" Oshlun wood blade in my Milwaukee metal chop saw to cut firewood "splits" into shorter legths to fit in my wood stove. I haven't tried it yet, but it should be just fine. I will add a taller fence out of wood and maybe with some 60 grit sandpaper to hold the odd shaped logs. I may or may not use the clamping jaw ... I donno? I have to see how it works. I did the same thing last year using my 12" Dewalt sliding compound saw. It was a little "scary", but no mishaps.


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## slp82 (Dec 17, 2016)

I just ended up deciding to buy a horizontal band saw... I've read many people have cut wood with them, even with a bi-metal blade. I like that the blades are $25 instead of $100 like a carbide steel blade. Plus I can get a klutch brand horizontal/vertical band saw from northern tool for $250. That makes the saw, and blades cheaper than a carbide blade saw. I dont get any mess like with a abrasive chop saw, nice cuts, and as a bonus, those saws work them selves through metal using gravity and shut them self off automatically after the cut. That means I can go back to welding or grinding until the cut is done. Thanks for the info guys! Let me know how the firewood works out on you Milwaukee.


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## slp82 (Dec 17, 2016)

woodnthings said:


> https://www.amazon.com/Oshlun-SBW-1...82064775&sr=8-4&keywords=Oshlun+14+wood+blade
> 
> I am going tom use a 14" Oshlun wood blade in my Milwaukee metal chop saw to cut firewood "splits" into shorter legths to fit in my wood stove. I haven't tried it yet, but it should be just fine. I will add a taller fence out of wood and maybe with some 60 grit sandpaper to hold the odd shaped logs. I may or may not use the clamping jaw ... I donno? I have to see how it works. I did the same thing last year using my 12" Dewalt sliding compound saw. It was a little "scary", but no mishaps.


Oh by the way, they have another 14" blade on amazon for almost half the price of the blade you listed that has very good reviews...

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00L...9_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=SNANHABRB74HJACD0SYM


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## epicfail48 (Mar 27, 2014)

slp82 said:


> I just ended up deciding to buy a horizontal band saw... I've read many people have cut wood with them, even with a bi-metal blade. I like that the blades are $25 instead of $100 like a carbide steel blade. Plus I can get a klutch brand horizontal/vertical band saw from northern tool for $250. That makes the saw, and blades cheaper than a carbide blade saw. I dont get any mess like with a abrasive chop saw, nice cuts, and as a bonus, those saws work them selves through metal using gravity and shut them self off automatically after the cut. That means I can go back to welding or grinding until the cut is done. Thanks for the info guys! Let me know how the firewood works out on you Milwaukee.


Bandsaws are always a nicer way to cut metal. Less noise, no sparks thrown bloody everywhere, much less of a burr on the cut and almost no risk of burning yourself. The only thing better is a cold-cut saw, and i can imagine that pulling double duties as a wood cutter. 

If you hadnt already done with a bandsaw, i was going to suggest getting a good miter saw and picking up a metal cutting blade for it, something like this:
https://www.lowes.com/pd/LENOX-10-in-52-Tooth-Continuous-Carbide-Circular-Saw-Blade/3550662

Youd have to fabricate some sort of clamp on most standard miter saws to give you a little extra rigidity for holding steel, but it should work. An actual saw blade doesnt throw all the sparks and swarf that an abrasive disk blade does, so theres less risk of melting plastic parts. I actually use my miter saw for cutting 2 inch solid aluminium rounds, slow going but it works well. I havent tried steel, dont have the right blade, but the softer metals like aluminium and brass, and im assuming any of their alloying metals like copper, tin, etd, all cut well. Ive got no reason to suspect steel would be a problem


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