Monday, September 30, 2013

Wood Saw Blade Basics - Your Quick Guide to Choosing the Correct Saw Blade for Wood Cutting!



Saw blades come in a wide variety of types, shapes, and sizes.  Choosing the correct blade for your application can sometimes prove to be a daunting task. In this blog I will outline some topics to consider when trying to select a blade that is right for you.

Purpose & Material:
What type of wood are you cutting?  When cutting wood will you be ripping (cutting with the grain) or cross-cutting (cutting across the grain)? At Panther Industrial we feature Oshlun Professional Saw Blades for general purpose, ripping, finishing, combination cuts, melamine & laminate, and demolition blades.
  • General Purpose Blades have been designed for quick, clean cutting.  They are ideal for cutting all types of hardwood, softwood, and plywood.  The thin kerf of these blades allows for extended battery life with cordless machines. Great for both cross cutting and ripping. 
  • Ripping: Rip blades have been designed for ripping woods on table and radial arm saws.  They feature low tooth counts, large gullets, and aggressive hook angles making them ideal for fast ripping applications.  
  • Fast Cutting / Trimming: Designed to quickly cut all types of hardwood, softwood and plywood.  These blades feature an anti-kickback tooth design; with their thin kerf and aggresive hook angle these blades allow for faster and easier cutting.  
  • Finishing / Framing: These blades are designed for the cleanest cutting action.  The higher tooth count allows for a fine and smooth cut on cross cutting applications.  
  • Combination: Great for both ripping and cross-cutting these blades have a 4 & 1 tooth grind.  They feature 4 alternate top bevel teeth and 1 flat top raker, this design adds more stability during the cut and helps clean and and eject chips.    
  • Melamine / Laminate: Designed with a negative hook angle these blades produce a very smooth, chip-free cut in both single and double sided melamine, laminates and veneers.  
  • Demolition Blades: These blades feature a reinforced shoulder design, heavy duty steel plate, negative hook angle and fracture resistant carbide tips.  These features allow this blade to easily cut through building materials such as roofing, shingles, and wood with embedded nails. 

Diameter and Arbor Size: 
There are many different type of tools that can use a wood cutting saw blade such as circular saw, table saw, radial arm saw, chop saw, miter saw.  You will need to find a blade with an arbor to fit your desired tool. common arbor sizes include 5/8" , 7/8", 1", 10mm, and 20mm.  Many of our saw blades come with bushings, which can reduce the arbor of the blade.   

Diameter size of the tool using is also an important thing to consider while choosing a blade.  Panther Industrial's premium wood blades range from 5-3/8" to 16" diameter. 


Tooth Count:
  • Higher tooth count: great for finishing work and on thinner materials.  The higher tooth count provides a smoother finish; however, having more teeth increases friction which could potentially could result in burning/melting of the product you are cutting. 
  • Lower tooth count:  great for faster feeding of materials. This faster cut can potentially leave more burr marks which would not be ideal on finishing work.  
Tooth Configuration: 
  • Alternate Top Bevel (ATB): The most common tooth configuration for saw blades. This design is suitable for both cross-cutting and ripping applications.  Typically used on general purpose and finishing blades. 

  • Triple Chip Grind (TCG): This tooth configuration provides a balanced cutting force, it has the best wear resistance, and it provides good chip flow.  This design is typically used for cutting metals, plastic, and solid surface materials. 

  • Flat Top Grind (FTG): Cuts on both sides of the of the kerf at the same time.  Twice as effective as ATB for fast cutting.  The balanced cutting reduces stress on the plate.  This design is typically used for ripping and specialty blades.  

  • 4 ATB & 1 FTG (4 & 1):  This blade design features 4 Alternate Bevel teeth followed by 1 Flat Top raker tooth that is then followed by a large gullet.  This configuration helps add stability during cutting and the large gullet helps clean out and eject chips.  Typically used on Combination Blades.   

  • High Alternate Top Bevel (Hi-ATB):  This is a similar design to standard ATB blades, but with a more acute top bevel grind with longer teeth.  This design provides extra fine cuts in man made materials.  This is typically used in plastic, melamine and laminate cutting blades. 








Gullet: 
Gullet space refers to the trough between the teeth on a saw blade. With a larger gullet space, the blade can eject more chips resulting in faster cuts.  Higher tooth blades often leave less spacing between teeth resulting in small gullet space.  

Hook Angle
Hook angle also known as rake angle is the angle a tooth leans in relation to the center of the saw blade.  Positive rake leans forward and is great for faster cutting.  Positive rake is desirable for ripping applications.  One must be careful with Blades that have a positive rake, because they have a tendency to pull the material.  Positive rake is ideal on table saws.

Negative rake leans back in relation to the center of the blade, these style blades require more feed pressure. Negative rake is ideal on miter and radial arm saws.

Kerf:
Kerf refers to the width of a cut that the saw blade leaves as it cuts through the material. With recent developments in saw blade technology, saw manufacturers are keeping the level of strength and longevity of saw blades with thinner kerfs.  Ultra thin kerf blades are ideal on cordless portable saws because the thinner blade requires less power to cut through material, which extends the life of the battery on your power tool.


At PantherIndustrial.com we stock a wide variety of Metal Cutting (Ferrous/Non-Ferrous), Wood Cutting, Plastic Cutting, and Specialty Blades!


The helpful staff at Panther Industrial would love to answer any questions and assist you in finding the perfect blade!  Please call (888) 857-0165 or stop by our site today www.pantherindustrial.com !






Monday, July 29, 2013

How do I know which flap disc to use?

Flap Discs are a Coated Abrasive that have been around for the last 20 years, but have yet to catch on in the metal working industry.  Flap Discs combine the grinding aspect of a grinding wheel and the polishing aspect of a sanding disc.  By cutting this typical two step process down, Flap Discs save the users time and money.  There are many different aspects to consider when deciding which flap disc is right for your application. At Panther Industrial we have a large assortment of Coated Abrasives, check us out on the web www.pantherindustrial.com or give us a call at (888) 857-0165. 

Abrasive Material:

Aluminum Oxide -  General Purpose, can be used on Ferrous and Non-Ferrous Metals. Great for rust removal, light deburring and all-purpose sanding/grinding.  It is more economical for smaller jobs.  Recognized by its red color. Click here to take a look at Garryson Brand Aluminum Oxide Flap Discs!


Zirconia Alumina -  Premium grain for heavy duty applications and longer working life. For use on ferrous and non-ferrous metals.  This abrasive material is great at grinding, blending, deflashing and stock removal.  Great for people who want to get the most life out of their flap disc. Recognized by its blue color. 
Click here to take a look at our Garryson Brand Zirconia Flap Discs!
 
 Design Type (Shape):

Type 27 -  This type has a more flat shape, it is great for use on flat grinding surfaces.  Most efficient when used between a 0-15° angle.  Great choice for smooth finishing.  
Click Here to take a look at our Mercer T27 Flap Discs.

Type 29 -  This type flap disc has a more conical shape, they are angled at 10°,  which is ideal for contour and edge work.  They are most efficient when used between a 15-25° angle. The angled flaps on this type provide greater surface contact resulting in a great choice for an aggressive cut. 
Click Here to take a look at our Mercer T29 Flap Discs.





Density Type:

Standard Density:  General purpose discs intended for heavy duty applications and rapid stock removal.

High Density:  Between 40-60% more material than standard discs, these high density discs are provide a longer life and softer grind.  The thicker design conforms to irregular shapes, which is ideal for working on curved surfaces. 


Grain Size:
Also known as grit.  This refers to the size of particles used in the abrasive material.  The grit sizes on flap discs range from 24 to 120.

24 being very coarse and used for extremely fast removal of material.
120 being very fine and used for finishing/polishing.


Why use flap discs over Grinding Wheels?
Flap discs have faster stock removal and provide a smoother finish. They provide cooler cutting that is less prone to glazing.  They are light weight and easy to control, with less vibration that results in less operator fatigue.  


Why use flap discs over Resin Fibre Discs?
Flap discs have can last up to 20  times longer than sanding discs,  fewer disc changes means reduced labor costs.  They provide a more consistent finish.  They also do not require a backing pad. 


 
 No matter what your use, Panther Industrial has the right flap disc for you.  Please check out our website at www.pantherindustrial.com or give us a call at (888) 857-0165 and we would be happy to help you decide which product will benefit you the most! 




Monday, July 15, 2013

Goodyear Water Hoses!


Our Goodyear water hoses are excellent for both residential and commercial applications.  These hoses are great for use on construction sites, agriculture, golf courses, or even for watering that flower bed in your backyard!  Goodyear industrial water hoses are both heavy duty and long lasting, standing up against all kinds of wear and tear.  These hoses are great at resisting effects of weather, abrasion and cracking.  Flexible, yet virtually kink-proof, these Goodyear water hoses includes machine brass fittings with steel banding for strong connections and fittings that are less prone to leaks.

Goodyear industrial grade water hoses come in two varieties:

Red or black Rubber.  These hoses are made from high quality rubber tubing with an oil resistant cover that is suited for professional water supply requirements up to 200psi.

Green or orange Pliovic®.  These are made from high quality polyvinyl chloride (PVC) tubing with an oil resistant cover that is suited for professional water supply requirements up to 250psi.

Goodyear is a quality name that you can trust; these hoses are all made in the USA. These hoses come in a variety of fitting sizes and are customizable in length.  Please visit www.pantherindustrial.com or call (888) 857-0165, so we can help you improve the water system at your home or place of business!





Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Mechanix Wear gloves were introduced in 1991 and became one of the best known gloves in the glove industry almost over night.  Mechanix Gloves offer premium gloves with the perfect fit for everyone including mechanics, construction workers, technicians, tradesmen, do-it-yourselfers, industrial safety personnel, military professionals, law enforcement, emergency service workers and anyone else in need of an everyday use premium glove. All Mechanix Wear gloves have their own story and their own way of providing hand protection from basic protection all the way to ones that are fire retardant.  Mechanix gloves have been tried, tested and proven for over 20 years by providing the perfect blend of flexibility and protection for all their trusted users.