paul
Member
Posts: 8
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Post by paul on Apr 26, 2008 6:46:20 GMT
I bought a pack of no-name blades from 'Wickes' (UK builders merchant/DIY chain) yesterday. I can safely say they are one of the worst things I have ever bought in terms of quality - the first blade lost about 10% of it's teeth in the 'business zone' on the first cut (1/2" brass rod!). I should have known better anyway as almost everything I've ever bought from Wickes has been utter garbage. Still, the rest of the pack will make useful lathe tool shims when broken up I bought some 'Eclipse' blades a while back and some 'Lion' before that but I wasn't fantastically impressed with either - they just don't seem to last very long. Does anyone have any recommendations for decent blades or have I exhausted the options? (As the 'wandering hacksaw' seems to affect many people I wonder if it's because some of these cheapo blades suffer from too much lateral torsion?)
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S.D.L.
Seasoned Member
Posts: 107
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Post by S.D.L. on Apr 26, 2008 6:49:31 GMT
Use Eclipse pluss 30 all hard and a good frame so that you can get them tight, I like the sandvik bahco ones.
Dont twist or they go ping.
Steve larner
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Post by circlip on Apr 26, 2008 7:36:59 GMT
'Tall went downhill with the advent of "Bi-metal" They don't make 'em like they used to.
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Post by garethp on Apr 26, 2008 8:39:39 GMT
The last ones I bought were Irwin (HSS) from Screwfix at £12.99 for 10, they seem ok, they also do the eclipse Plus30 that Steve mentions (£24.99 for 10). Its another case of buy cheap, probably buy rubbish, I quite like Wickes for some stuff but some things are very ropey!
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Post by ron on Apr 26, 2008 9:20:59 GMT
I bought 100 Eclipse blades off Ebay for about £25 a couple of years ago and halved them with a pal, they don't seem to last as well as the good old days but at that price what the h*ll. Ron
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Post by Tel on Apr 26, 2008 9:46:59 GMT
The Eclipse all hard get my vote. What I'm having trouble locating is decent junior hacksaw blades.
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Post by havoc on Apr 26, 2008 15:48:30 GMT
Brand is "Ultra" type "Bi hard Cobalt", I don't use anything else if I can find them. Tried some Stanley and Sandvik but they wear much faster. If they wander sideways you put too much pressure on them.
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S.D.L.
Seasoned Member
Posts: 107
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Post by S.D.L. on Apr 26, 2008 17:28:35 GMT
. If they wander sideways you put too much pressure on them. Or the frame is twisting because it cant take the tension. Steve Larner
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SteveW
Elder Statesman
Posts: 1,395
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Post by SteveW on Apr 26, 2008 21:13:05 GMT
Guys,
Have any of you tried the Screwfix spray tapping lubricant when using your hacksaw? I've found it helps a lot and keeps the materials cool (cus it ain't rubbing).
The point being the effort goes to cutting and not heating the cut material and it reduces pinch which breaks blades.
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Post by Tel on Apr 27, 2008 7:39:05 GMT
Nope, but I use a smear of Trefolex on the blade - same thing.
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Post by ron on Apr 27, 2008 9:57:31 GMT
Tel The Screwfix spray is like watery Trefolex, excellent stuff, if you leave some to evaporate in a small dish it thickens up and you can use it like Trefolex as well. Ron
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Post by Tel on Apr 27, 2008 9:59:42 GMT
Thanks mate, I haven't come across it - have to keep me eye out.
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DaveD.
Involved Member
Posts: 68
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Post by DaveD. on Apr 27, 2008 10:39:55 GMT
Well, the 'no name' says it all. Lots of the stuff in the sheds is Far East manufactured, and is iffy to say the least. I have bought drills sets from them in the past which would be hard put to poke a hole in kitchen foil. I have a few Disston H/saw blades, HSS, which seem to do very well on Stainless, but as others have said, non bi-metal blades are easily broken. Have you thought of getting a reciprocating saw? I have a Bosch, and the blades seem to last very well, a few months ago I took a slice off 1.5 in. EN25 in about 3 mins. The Myford refused to part the stuff off, the blade was not new when I started, and it's still in use. Since I bought it I hardly ever hacksaw anything, nor do I intend to convert the S7 to treadle power.
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Post by Nigel Bennett on Apr 28, 2008 11:53:39 GMT
I once bought a pack of 10 very cheaply at a steam fair. Whe I got home, I found that only the outer (visible) two were Eclipse - I think the rest were made of mild steel....serves me right - if it seems too good to be true, it probably is!
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paul
Member
Posts: 8
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Post by paul on Apr 30, 2008 20:07:02 GMT
I once bought a pack of 10 very cheaply at a steam fair. Whe I got home, I found that only the outer (visible) two were Eclipse - I think the rest were made of mild steel....serves me right - if it seems too good to be true, it probably is! Aw, that wasn't very fair (punnage) was it? I'd phone the supplier about that unless it was a boot sale type set up.
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Post by steammadman on May 2, 2008 21:35:12 GMT
I USE CAN YOU GET ME'S son brings em home from steelworks best i ever had and cheap too
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Post by teakfreak on May 2, 2008 21:54:06 GMT
I cheat and use either my bandsaw or 1.0mm cutting discs in my angle grinder - save my elbow grease for when it is most needed!
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Post by Tel on May 3, 2008 7:37:29 GMT
Those thin cutting disks for the angle grinder have to be the best invention of modern times.
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paul
Member
Posts: 8
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Post by paul on May 3, 2008 8:22:50 GMT
Cheats!
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Post by ausdan on May 3, 2008 8:41:49 GMT
Those thin cutting disks for the angle grinder have to be the best invention of modern times. Just a pity you can get them in 9" ;D
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