Metal is a different beast to timber when it comes to cutting.
From angle grinders fitted with bonded abrasion cutting discs to low-RPM drop saws, technique is very important to get good results. Diablo’s Steel Demon blades with Cermet II Blend teeth have made achieving burr-free, clean and straight cuts on metal material substantially more consistent, cleaner and quicker. The kicker is the Steel Demon blade will last 5x longer than standard saw blades and 40x longer than a bonded abrasive blade.
When working on prefinished metals there will be no discolouration. That’s due to the blades’ heat resistance allowing them to cut at a significantly reduced temperature. That makes them ideal for cutting thick, ferrous materials where high working temperatures are usually quickly achieved. We even cut through some 10mm stainless-steel bar and produced a stunning and straight cut edge.
If you are used to cutting steel, you will be aware that that bonded abrasive cutting discs have a tendency to flex when cutting and give an angled cut edge. That’s less than ideal, especially cutting mitres. It’s a big plus for the Diablo Steel Demon blades that the cut edge stayed straight and true.
Test #1: Cutting Metal Tube
For our blade testing we sourced two low- RPM metal saws, one for our Diablo Steel Demon blades and a second metal saw for our bonded abrasive discs. The idea was to show the difference in both cutting times, edge quality and the difference in heat and sparks produced in the cutting process.
We used a metal lubricant on the cold saw that was fitted with the Diablo Steel Demon and had the hot saw with the abrasion disc set up on the same table to keep all things fair and accurate (obviously we didn’t use any lubricant on the bonded disc).
For our first test we had a section of 3mm metal tube to cut. We clamped it in position and cut it with the Steel Demon. We didn’t want to rush the cut and instead let the blade effortlessly slice through the metal. There was a small spark at the very end of the cut, but generally speaking it was a very easy process which produced a stunning clean edge.
Next we moved the same material over to the saw fitted with the bonded abrasive blade.
As we dropped the blade on to the metal tubing the fireworks show started. It looked great for an action shot but wasn’t the ideal outcome when cutting metal.
The duration of the cut was significantly longer than with the Steel Demon, and on inspecting the metal tube afterward, it had changed colour due to the heat. It also didn’t have anywhere near the same quality of finish as the Steel Demon cut.
8.25″ (209mm) and larger diameters feature CERMET II teeth for stainless steel cutting
- Burr-free cuts
- Spark-free cutting
- No discolouration
- High heat resistance
Test #2: Cutting 10mm Flat Bar
We decided it was time to ramp things up a bit, so we grabbed some 10mm metal flat bar to really test the blades’ abilities. Again, the Steel Demon cut significantly quicker and truer. The cut edge was straight and beautifully clean, with only a few sparks throughout the process.
The second saw fitted with the bonded abrasive disc again put on a great fireworks show, so much in fact that the swar f produced during the cut actually melted the plastic foot of the saw and was smoking up the site. We had to remove it to ensure we had a safe work area.
Test #3: Cutting 10mm Stainless Steel
The ultimate test for any metal blade or saw is cutting stainless steel.
We had a small section of 10mm-thick stainless which was the perfect test material. We enlisted the help of Jimmy Sullman from SWAT Fabrications whose workshop we were using for the test. Jimmy has been cutting stainless for his marine/boating fabrications for years and has used pretty much every blade ever made for cutting stainless. Jimmy kept the lubricant spray up onto the material during the cut. This kept the blade in top shape and ensured the cut was pristine. To say Jimmy was impressed with the quality of the cut was an understatement. He will definitely be grabbing Steel Demon blades for his workshop, and especially for his onsite work.
The Good, The Bad And The Ugly
The great news is there are two new sizes added to the Steel Demon range, with both the 136mm 30T Ferrous Metals and the 355mm 72T Ferrous Metals CERMET II being added to the range. So now the Steel Demon range for ferrous metals consists of 5 blade sizes from 5 3/8″ (136mm), 6.5″ (165mm), 7.25″ (184mm), 8.25″ (209mm), 10″ (254mm), 12″ (305mm) and 14″ (356mm) blades.
For more information visit www.diablotools.com.au