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Post by Condor on Mar 15, 2015 12:10:58 GMT -5
I have a 10 inch Covington trim saw. I know this is subjective, but about how long do saw blades last? I've cut a few hundred slabs. Some were rocks, mostly agates, up to maybe five inches that I cut slabs from, and others were slabs that I trimmed to make cabs. It's now time to get a new blade, because the current one is no longer cutting. Thanks folks.
Condor
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Sabre52
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Me and my gal, Rosie
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Post by Sabre52 on Mar 15, 2015 12:33:08 GMT -5
Think I'm running a 301 and I cut a lot of slabs, mostly all agate or pet wood. Must be a couple of years now and hundreds of slabs and still a lot of diamond on the blade. I sharpen a lot so that may help some but I'm guessing, barring some kind of destructive event, that it will go maybe four years or more at this rate of usage.....Mel
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Mar 15, 2015 13:00:27 GMT -5
I've cut probably 400-500 slabs on a 301,pretty much all agate and jaspers.how much of the diamond rim is left?but I'm with Mel,proper blade maintenance extends its life dramatically,and keeping a clean saw and aligned vise. Dave
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Post by phil on Mar 15, 2015 13:22:52 GMT -5
Can you feel/see that the diamond is gone? have you been reversing the blade every so often? How about dressing the blade?
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bushmanbilly
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Post by bushmanbilly on Mar 15, 2015 14:04:16 GMT -5
I have a 10 inch Covington trim saw. I know this is subjective, but about how long do saw blades last? I've cut a few hundred slabs. Some were rocks, mostly agates, up to maybe five inches that I cut slabs from, and others were slabs that I trimmed to make cabs. It's now time to get a new blade, because the current one is no longer cutting. Thanks folks. Condor Wow! A question that has stumped the wise one. This 303 is 2 years old and still cuts. Its now on my trim saw that uses water.
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Post by Condor on Mar 15, 2015 14:04:33 GMT -5
The diamond is gone. How do you dress the blade? Sunday best, or will jeans do? I take it that by reversing the blade is to just turn it over? Condor
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bushmanbilly
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Post by bushmanbilly on Mar 15, 2015 14:37:20 GMT -5
There is still about 1/16" left. I use a old 220 grit Silicon Carbide stone to dress mine. Just cut a piece off when ever you notice a slow down of the cutting speed. Obsidian works too, but I prefer SC.
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Sabre52
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Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
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Post by Sabre52 on Mar 15, 2015 16:38:34 GMT -5
Yep, I used to use devils toenails for dressing but the SC wheel works super well. You can run your thumb along the edge and really feel the roughness of the diamond after dressing.....Mel
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Post by phil on Mar 15, 2015 18:55:25 GMT -5
Condor, Can you post a pic of the edges of the blade? Maybe then we can give you a better answer. And yes, sunday best. <G>
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Post by Rockoonz on Mar 15, 2015 23:26:33 GMT -5
My 301 and 303 blades have arrows for blade direction and are not supposed to be reversed like the old style. The 303 in my 10 inch slab saw has well over 100 cuts and looks to have 80% left. Do you use water instead of oil? That will shorten a blades life by quite a bit, and it's like. It could also be the saw, what I hear aboul the Covingtons seems to indicate a small cooling reservoir, even for a trim saw. This heats the coolant causing it to lose it's lubricating properties. It's really a problem with all the trim/slab style saws, that's why I don't use them anymore.
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Fossilman
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Post by Fossilman on Mar 16, 2015 9:57:39 GMT -5
I bought my saw used (14") and I also have cut 100's of slabs and eggs on the same blade with no worries...I use an old rough file to dress the edges on my blade than the face of it too,than run Obsidian through it a few times-so far so good!!! As for what type of blade I have-that,I haven't a clue,but I like it...Thumbs up
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Post by phil on Mar 16, 2015 18:26:47 GMT -5
Then again, sometimes I'll buy a blade and know within minutes whether or not I like it.... I'va had a few that had a very short likespan... <hehehehe>
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Post by pauls on Mar 19, 2015 2:03:20 GMT -5
At my club we had a trimsaw blade last years then a new member turned up and wore the remaining bit of blade out in a week, we replaced the blade and the new one lasted 7 weeks. Its just him, you can't tell him not to push so hard, goes in one ear and nothing happens in his brain. He bought his own trimsaw and did the same to it, complained bitterly about the quality of the blade. Three blades only one common thing, him.
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Post by broseph82 on Mar 19, 2015 14:34:38 GMT -5
If it's a Covington Gold trim blade if stay far far away from it. I'm using a blade I got with a machine and boy has it done me well. Older blade but was new and awesome.
As mentioned above: treat the blade with care and make sure it always has a good lubricant.
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Post by Rockoonz on Mar 19, 2015 20:43:35 GMT -5
At my club we had a trimsaw blade last years then a new member turned up and wore the remaining bit of blade out in a week, we replaced the blade and the new one lasted 7 weeks. Its just him, you can't tell him not to push so hard, goes in one ear and nothing happens in his brain. He bought his own trimsaw and did the same to it, complained bitterly about the quality of the blade. Three blades only one common thing, him. You have kicked him out of the shop, right?
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