Welding Tips and Tricks

Would anyone actually be interested to see a Benchmark Abrasives TCT metal cutting blade tested out? My saw has a 20mm arbor to begin with and I've just been getting by with surprisingly good luck using the diamond punch out with the 48 tooth diablo disks. As much crap as I put my saw through on top of that, I'm skeptical BA's blade will even be in the same ball park, but if I got egged on I'm sure I'd give in and test one out

What size saw/blade are we talking here?

7 1/4" 40 tooth.

If you want to buy a blade to test out, I can't imagine anyone not wanting to hear a review on it. But I wouldn't buy one just for that.

What RPM does that saw run at? Was it made specifically for metal cutting and runs at a slower speed like the chop saws do, or is it just a standard circular saw with a metal cutting blade in it?

I've got a 14"/15" Evo saw and I have no idea how they make these blades last the way they do.

I've wondered if the hand held saws tend to grab and bite if you don't hang on well enough, or when cutting out of the part if it doesn't tend to pinch. I've never used one or even seen one used for that matter.

BugHunter wrote: ↑Mon Apr 25, 2022 9:17 am If you want to buy a blade to test out, I can't imagine anyone not wanting to hear a review on it. But I wouldn't buy one just for that.

What RPM does that saw run at? Was it made specifically for metal cutting and runs at a slower speed like the chop saws do, or is it just a standard circular saw with a metal cutting blade in it?

I've got a 14"/15" Evo saw and I have no idea how they make these blades last the way they do.

I've wondered if the hand held saws tend to grab and bite if you don't hang on well enough, or when cutting out of the part if it doesn't tend to pinch. I've never used one or even seen one used for that matter.

Which blade do you run in your Evo saw? Project Farm did a 14" carbide blade comparison a few weeks ago. It was really interesting IMO.

I have a cheapie Harbor Freight Bauer cordless saw and put a Diablo 6½"Cermet metal blade on it because 1) I got it open-box for $20 and I already had the 5.0 Ah battery for it, and 2) the speed of the Bauer is perfect for it (4000 RPMs rated, probably measures out much lower, lol). It's kinda slow (and slows a bit when going through a cut, which is good too), and low-power, because the motor is small, but for times when I want to cut a couple pieces from my outdoor "scrap pile", it works out so I don't have to grab the 10ft long piece drag it all the way to the garage at the front of the house, just to get a small piece cut from it. The only tricky part about using these circular saws is you can't let either piece (the left side and/or the right side) capsize inward or it might stall the blade and cause chipped/broken teeth.

Buggy, I did get the evo 14/15 saw and like you, I don't know how those blades stay up to par like they do.
Oscar, I, with my tender hands and fingers, would hesitate using a hand held circular saw while cutting metal. I can understand being careful of one piece tilting causing the blade to be pinched. And with the speed of common hand held circular saws might cause unwanted kickback.

i got one of the makita hand held metal cutting circular saws. so far its been great for sheet. really clean edge, minimal clean up required.
so far i've only done thin stuff but i've seen guys use them on 1" thick steel.

Handheld metal cutting saws are definitely grabby when you get too pushing.

Or when your plunged down in way deep like say north of 1" deep.


I run a 5 3/8 dia blade on a ooold weak milwaukee 4 1/2" grinder and it works well enough for my needs.

Have run the same blades in both corded and battery powered skill saws meant for wood and had no issues with cutting.

Found if I try to push too fast though it causes the blade to wobble slightly and doesnt give a straight cut across 6 feet.

My saw is what appears to be an old discontinued northern tool equivalent to an evolution circular saw. It runs at 3500RPM rather than the more typical 5800 RPM of a standard circ saw. RPM does play a big role in tooth durability I believe, I've had occasions where my saw has been anything but smooth, and it's seen everything from aluminum to stainless flat bar, I've used it to cut a 2" piece of 1/4" thick AR400, and I've also made a half dozen cuts through 5/8" thick and 6-1/2" wide I beam sides.

I was tempted to order a Oshlun blade instead after PF's testing but decided to go with the original choice from Benchmark just to see if their TCT blades are worth a damn since I'd be saving 10$ as well.

The diablo blade I was using was the Steel Demon Cermet II 7-1/4 Inch x 48, which advertises being able to cut up to 1/2" steel while being ran on an ordinary 5800RPM circ saw, and while either this blade, or a blade prior cut quite well on a typical dewalt circular saw, however I tried to buy a cheap ryobi circ saw with a 5/8 arbor so that it would fit proper yet spare the dewalt the abuse, and about 3" into a cut on some 1/4" plate it immediately sheared 4 teeth off.

To made it short, I think there's to components to why certain saws make these blades last, lower RPM of course, but also I think more beefy and precise arbors/bolt clamp mechanisms where the blade can't begin to vibrate or deflect as easily. Just my theory anyhow.

https://youtu.be/Z7kX7pqaFmI

worth having a look at.

tweake wrote: ↑Sat Apr 30, 2022 12:10 am https://youtu.be/Z7kX7pqaFmI

worth having a look at.

Yup thats the video he mentioned that had the testing. Personally I really like the Diablo cermet blades. Great value for the money.

Oscar wrote: ↑Mon Apr 25, 2022 10:50 pm Which blade do you run in your Evo saw? Project Farm did a 14" carbide blade comparison a few weeks ago. It was really interesting IMO.

Believe it or not, I am still using the original blade it came with. After more than a year. I did buy a Diablo blade because you mentioned them here. That's a 14" 90 tooth, but it's still in the package, never been used.

I was going to buy a couple of the original bladed before the price of those skyrockets like everything else...

BillE.Dee wrote: ↑Wed Apr 27, 2022 6:56 pm Buggy, I did get the evo 14/15 saw and like you, I don't know how those blades stay up to par like they do.
Oscar, I, with my tender hands and fingers, would hesitate using a hand held circular saw while cutting metal. I can understand being careful of one piece tilting causing the blade to be pinched. And with the speed of common hand held circular saws might cause unwanted kickback.

Yea BillE, the contractor who is supposed to be doing my house has a hand that's only 1/2 there any more. I like mine all OEM. The less things I do that chance removing parts of me, the better.

I went ahead and ordered the blade, and so far I've cut a couple pieces of 2" 3/16 flat bar like butter and also a 3" 3/8 coupon in half just as a test, it went right through that as well so it definitely cuts well.
We will see in the upcoming weeks how well it lasts.

If my experience means anything, it's going to last a lonnggg time. Unless you use it hard every day, I doubt you'll see any loss of cutting performance in just a few weeks. They say 2000 cuts, and if I keep people who don't know how to use a saw away from mine, it will just about outlive me.