Lenox Die Master Bi Metal Blades

[Reed Gray]

Jim,
I have a 1/2 inch blade for my big saw (Laguna 16HD 150 inch blade), but have never used it. I do all my circle cutting with my smaller saw and a 1/2 inch by .035 thick by 3 tpi blade. I can see that with a smaller blade, it might want to wander. I prefer more 'heavy duty' with all my tools because I am rough on them. A 1/2 inch blade will cut a 6 inch diameter circle no problem. I have never used the circle guide things. I tried a home made one, and found that all of my bowls are different sizes, and I would spend far more time setting up than actually cutting. On my big saw, I use the Lenox 1 1/4 blade with teeth about 3/4 inch apart (can't remember the specific model). This one is used for cutting slabs with parallel sides. Then I scribe a circle with a compass. Not too hard to follow by eye. I have never had a blank mount perfectly centered, well, maybe a few times, but it was an accident. When your slab has parallel sides, it is easy to cut circles on a smaller saw. If my blank is higher than 6 inches, I nibble off the corners with my big saw. I have found it easier to slab if I take the log section and cut the ends square first, then stand the slab up, mark the thickness with some strips of plywood, then cut the slab with it standing on end. More stable that way than cutting on the side, unless I ever make a sled. Only problem with standing it on end is the inside of the saw gets big hair balls in it. Not too much trouble to pull them out as no dust collector will pull them all out.

robo hippy