Bi metal blades

Crossroads · June 09, 2021, 10:22:44 PM

Last year I switched to a local shop to grind my blades due to the extended turn around time. I'm pretty happy with the turbo 7's, but today when I dropped off more blades. The owner gave me a 10° bi metal blade to demo. He claims that I should be able to run it about 6 hours between changes. I haven't ran it yet, so I have no idea if I'm going to like it or not.

2308500 · June 10, 2021, 08:48:44 PM

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Crossroads · June 12, 2021, 12:47:33 AM

I ran it today and while I'm not totally sold, I wasn't disappointed either. I got about 4 1/2 hrs out of it, which I like. It didn't seem to saw as flat as the turbo 7's though. Twice I had to go back and clean up a wave that I really couldn't explain. When I get it ground, I'm going to ask if they can add a little more set to see if I can push it a little harder and see if it will flatten out.

DocGP · June 12, 2021, 10:46:35 AM

Still quite green here, but I do like my bimetals. They last a good bit longer for me (although I can't quantify). They do seem to take nail strikes better, but I did find out that 6 nails in 4" will trash them none the less!!!

Although on a positive note, it did cut through the nails!!

Doc

Crossroads · June 12, 2021, 07:56:14 PM

Quote from: DocGP on June 12, 2021, 10:46:35 AM
Still quite green here, but I do like my bimetals. They last a good bit longer for me (although I can't quantify). They do seem to take nail strikes better, but I did find out that 6 nails in 4" will trash them none the less!!!

Although on a positive note, it did cut through the nails!!

Doc

I could see 6 nails taking it's toll on a blade lol

Beavertooth · June 13, 2021, 09:40:49 PM

I normally run Turbo 7s double hard 1 1/2 x .055 . I bought one box of bimetal 1 1/2 x .050 as woodmizer does not offer them in a .055. You can definitely run them 2 to 3 times longer than the double hard before becoming dull. But I can not run them as fast without getting waves because they ar thinner. As far as the nails I have lost 4 of them to nails. I see no difference in being able to stand up to metal than the double hard. You could cut metal with them if the blade was turning slow but of course that is not the case. They are suppose to have a lot longer flex life than the double hard though. And I just remembered they are actually 1 5/8 even though woodmizer calls them 1 1/2. You would think you could shove it just as hard because it is wider even though it is thinner but that is not the case. You can tell a whole lot of difference in the stiffness of them by just folding them up compared to each other. The .050 is definitely a lot more limber and it also could have something to do with the material it is made of as they do flex a lot longer before breaking.