Getting burr-free clean cuts in nonferrous metals like aluminium, brass & copper comes down to having the right blade for the task. Regular generalpurpose blades just won’t give the precise finish a professional’s project requires, and they certainly won’t last long. Teeth round off and the blade starts to buckle or twist in fairly short order.
To counter these common problems Diablo has produced Aluminium blades to last 5x longer and cut burr free, all while reducing stress on the saw motor. A super-thin kerf design produces fast and effortless cuts and a triple-chip tooth design gives burr-free finishes and an increased lifespan. Diablo has used Ti-Co high-density carbide to cut nonferrous metals and rigid plastics.
These blades have been specifically designed for on-site cutting of copper pipe, aluminium extrusions, brass plate, plastics and laminated materials.
I grabbed Pat ‘The Foil Lord’ Jacobs to help out with this review. Pat’s been a carpenter for 14yrs and works for Cre8ive Building Projects. He’s a gun chippie who also makes custom furniture.
Pat put the Diablo Aluminium blades to the test with some impressive results.
TEST#1: CUT
After fitting the Diablo 165mm Aluminium blade to the cordless circular saw, we figured we may as well slice straight into some ali rectangular tube and angle. Easing the Diablo blade through the tube produced what I would have to call a perfect finish. There were no burrs whatsoever. We repeated the process until we had sliced through all our tubing and the results were identical every time.
Next, we moved onto the ali angle which was a little thicker than the tube, but again the Diablo went through like a hot knife through butter.
Pat said “The cutting process felt silky smooth. You could hear the brushless motor in the circular saw wasn’t straining or struggling at all. It was just cruising through, and the quality of the cut was perfect, with zero requirement to clean the cut edge.
“I’ve been a big fan of Diablo blades for a while now. I currently have a Diablo on my drop saw, which has been on for 3 or 4 months, and it hasn’t missed a beat. It’s still super sharp and producing amazing cuts. Even cutting the thick ali angle didn’t cause the saw to raise a sweat. The ultrathin kerf allows the blade to slice straight through, yet the build quality provides a strength a durability you would expect from a thicker blade.”
TEST #2: LONGEVITY
It’s hard to really showcase the longevity of a product like the Diablo Aluminium blade as each blade will literally last for weeks or months of use. Pat’s drop-saw blade is proof of that. But in our testing, we cut through a pile of aluminium, copper and PVC piping (I’m going to have fun explaining those expenses to the boss). To see if the blade had dulled at all, I pulled out a brandnewblade and swapped between the testing blade and the newie and there was absolutely no difference in cutting quality, speed or performance between the two. Pat’s thoughts on the cutting experience of the Diablo were interesting.
“Tradies know the feel and sound of a cut is a great indicator of the quality of a cut. The Diablo blade sounds and feels amazing. There is less vibration and noise than you would expect cutting non-ferrous metals, and features like the Perma-shield coating, superthin kerf design, laser-cut stabiliser vents, trimetal shock-resistant brazing and laser-cut expansion slots aren’t just marketing hype. They are the technologies and features that allow a saw to perform as well as these Diablos do.”
THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY
Increased lifespans and cuts of this quality mean two things: money and time saved and happy clients.
For tradies it’s a double winner. The Diablo Aluminium blade is just one blade out of the impressive Diablo range which covers everything you need to cut onsite, including framing, fibre cement, plywood, ultra-finishing, ferrous metals and general purpose.
Check them all out next time you’re in the store.
Visit: www.diablotools.com.au