Archived from the Tools In Action forum (Power Tools). This thread is read-only.
As some of you may recall, I purchased a Ridgid chop saw awhile back to speed up cutting bar stock and the like. Today I was cutting up some 2″ angle (1/8″ thick) for a drill press mounting base and being only the second occasion I’ve really used the saw for more than 1 or 2 cuts, it was still equipped with the factory cut off disc.
About 1/2 way through the second cut I heard a couple of clicks and before I could even let off BOOM! The damned thing exploded. In an unusual stroke of pure luck, only the smaller pieces peppered my while the larger chunks flew the opposite way. Could have just as easily been a bad situation.
The wheel wasn’t overly worn (despite the small amount of shrapnel pictured) and I wasn’t putting excessive force on it, it just kinda happened. Guess it’s time for a new wheel 😆
I guess I don’t expect factory blades to be the greatest but I sure would think they should last a hell of a lot longer than that. Glad you are ok man.
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Working in a machine shop fab shop for over 30 years the least liked tool was cut off wheels of any size, torch is your friend…….
Yikes glad your ok Conductor!! I can’t even imagine how loud that was!!
I hate those things we always used a port a band or a steel saw blade
I need a porta band. It’s probably my most pressing need in all actuality. I just haven’t gotten around to working one into my budget yet partly because I’m torn between a cordless or electric.
When it comes to metal I’m a project guy rather than a production guy, so I think a cordless is the way to go……maybe 😆
It is on my short list for Christmas this year from my parents. My mom said the other night “I’ve been buying you tools for Christmas for almost 20 years. Isn’t there something else you want? Something other than tools?
Nope, I’ll just keep hoarding tools. The guy auctioning off my estate had better know his shit
Well the Milwaukee Fuel Portaband is pretty nice 🙂 I’m kinda surprised Milwaukee doesn’t have Fuel metal cutting circular saw out yet. Milwaukee positions itself as more of an electrical/plumbing trades brand compared to Dewalt which is defiantly more GC/Carpentry oriented.
ya that is the safer route
When I buy anything with a blade on it, the first thing I do is throw the one out on it.
Jimbo
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jimboslice wrote:
When I buy anything with a blade on it, the first thing I do is throw the one out on it.
Jimbo
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Church.
Man that sucks to hear Conductor!! Glad ur ok though bro!
Glad you’re ok Conductor. I’ve been on the lookout for a deal on a chop saw. I might re-think that now ….
Glad you’re ok. Good thing you weren’t one of those morons who runs bonded abrasives without a proper guard.
You may want to check the clamp because it looks like you’re cutting at an angle and if the clamp is mucked up the workpiece can slip and bind the blade when you’re cutting at an angle.
I’ve never seen a large blade shatter like that. Can’t even imagine how terrifying that would be. Thankfully most places are replacing chop saws with the ones using carbide blades since the cut speed and finish is so much better.
Glad to hear you are ok Conductor! I haven’t had an abrasive wheel shatter on me but I did have a rubber backing pad for fiber discs explode on me. Luckily I didn’t get much more than a bruise.
Glas you’re ok ! 🙂
Wow Conductor! Nothing like an under wear changing moment in the shop! Glad your okay dude!
That’s scary Conductor. I have used my Dewalt chop saw for many years, cutting kindorf (strut) no-hub cast iron, angle iron, pvc pipe, threaded rod,copper tubing, etc, etc, and have been lucky to never have a problem. A few years back I picked up an Evolution 14″ Cold Cut Chop Saw called the Raptor, paid about $450.00 for it. And it is an unbelievable saw. Cuts through steel and iron like butter, very little Sparks and you don’t have to worry about that 100 plus dollar blade exploding.. Very pleased with this saw…. Check out their too.s when you can they have a lot of quality tools.
Glad your ok, could of been bad.
I have the same ridgid saw, as this post an your other. Only problem I have is the screw thread holder clamp thing wore down. Can’t clamp anything tight. Anyway I used the original disk till it wore down. It wore quick but no exploding. After worn I bought a diablo steel demon metal blade. There over 100 bucks but if used often there worth it. I hate abrasive chop saw disks.
I got prota bands bands(corded an cordless),metal cutting circular saw, grinders, plasma cutter, oxy-acetylene torch, an chop saw. They all work but if I could only have one tool for cutting I would use my portable bandsaw.
This experience has quickly narrowed down my Christmas list. I really need to invest in band saw for cutting 45’s in angle iron.
What do you guys think, M12 or M18? I’m think M18
I would go with the M18 as the M12 was designed to cut EMT for the most part. EMT is pretty light weight stuff compared to angle iron.
I have the m18 fuel portable band saw. It is amazing for a cordless. By far worth the money for me. I have never had issues running out of batteries but now Ime up to 14 of em.
M18 C Man!!
I think M18 is the way to go. Hell, I might even consider this to be a candidate for going corded as it will be used almost exclusively in the shop
The corded and cordless non deep cut band saw is about the same price. I would probably go cordless just because I hate dealing with cords. Your also probably still within the 90 day return window at HD. Yes all fiber disks will explode, but that one definitely had something wrong with it to blow up after so few cuts.