curved decking

[losttool]

I recently took a cruise and was watching a decking company replacing the wooden deck. To cut the radius they had a special blade in a circular saw that was making various curve cuts without binding the blade. The carpenter said it was an Arcus Blade and to quit asking questions. Has anyone tried this new Arcus Blade? The website videos look real.

[Landlubber]

Don't tell anyone now fellas or I will have my balls removed, but a skip tooth saw in an angle grinder has been doing that job for years.....you never heard it from me......this is very dangerous, do not do it, think before you act etc etc etc.....but it works great!

If you are not used to working with 4" angle grinders then DO NOT try it, if you normally use a grinder without a guard, you will find it easy.

[losttool]

Your right, the grinder sounds dangerous. These guys had a compass attached to the saw which made it look easy and they didn't have to sand it when they were finished.

[ancient kayaker]

The arcus blade has 24 carbide teeth which look like ripping blade teeth, probably with fairly thick carbide chips for a wide kerf since that would provide extra clearance between the edge of the cut and the blade disc.

Some ripping blades have a similar tooth shape to the Arcus. Some have several extra long "raker" teeth to keep the cut clear of the disc but I see no signs of that in the Arcus. I don't know how it can cut down to 30 inch diameter with a vertical cut edge; maybe it doesn't. Theoretically for thin material the limit radius is smaller so that diameter might be for thin ply.

For marine ply I use a small panel saw with a 85 mm thin kerf carbide blade which gives a fast and clean cut but is limited to about 20 ft (6 m) radius curves, although it can be forced round much smaller radii.

[losttool]

I couldn't figure out how the carbide tips could make the Arcus Blade cut these curves either so I called them. It turns out this is a genuine mom and pop company in Louisville, KY. Jeff told me that the blade is contoured shaped and that is what enables it to cut curves. There's only one way to settle this so I ordered a blade a guide. Jeff said that the blade works with or without the guide, but the guide is good for making precision circles. I'll let you know if this really works.

[lazeyjack]

Originally Posted by Landlubber

Don't tell anyone now fellas or I will have my balls removed, but a skip tooth saw in an angle grinder has been doing that job for years.....you never heard it from me......this is very dangerous, do not do it, think before you act etc etc etc.....but it works great!

If you are not used to working with 4" angle grinders then DO NOT try it, if you normally use a grinder without a guard, you will find it easy.

tee hee, meet me some time, I have some scars close to jugular, from blades on grinders, we call em meataxes

[Landlubber]

Hey lazy, hope that wasn't addressed to me....remember I said don't tell anyone!

They are good fun though just the same....

[waikikin]

Lazyj, I wield the meataxe too & only engage the blade from 2 oclock to 6 oclock. All the best from Jeff.

[Landlubber]

True, you only kiss the blade on the job, no pressure at all, the cutter does all the work, very relaxed hold on the grinder (but firm just the same).

Enough of this, lets just let it alone, i do not want anyone thinking it is actually easy if you have not done hundreds of hours on a grinder.

[ancient kayaker]

Originally Posted by losttool

I couldn't figure out how the carbide tips could make the Arcus Blade cut these curves either so I called them. It turns out this is a genuine mom and pop company in Louisville, KY. Jeff told me that the blade is contoured shaped and that is what enables it to cut curves. There's only one way to settle this so I ordered a blade a guide. Jeff said that the blade works with or without the guide, but the guide is good for making precision circles. I'll let you know if this really works.

LostTool: I am curious to know what you find out about the Arcus blade. Did it arrive yet?

LandLubber: do you have pictures of you kissing the blade?

[lazeyjack]

the best waY TO CUT CURVES AND QUITE TIGHT ONES TOO, EVEN IN UP TO 8MM ALLOY IS TO TAKE THE FOOT off THE SKILLSAW,And JUST SINK the blade enough to cut through,dont stand behind the saw,in case of jamb and kichback the reason you take foot off saw, is you can then look at the blade and cut extrmely accurate lines, quickly and safely, When I plate a yacht, I weld from inside first, then come back and cut slot in from outside with skillsaw, the meataxe is no good for this as the cut is too wide, make sure that the guard spring works and that the guard snaps back this does not work on heavy thick timber, but is far more accurate than a jigsaw on up to 3/4 ply

[ancient kayaker]

I work exclusively in wood at present. Commercial saws have wide slots to clear the blade when cutting bevels so I add a 3/8 ply plate under the saw foot. I drop the blade through the ply plate to get a zero clearance slot. When cutting ply I get clean fuzz-free cuts. Can't see the blade though so I have to use a guide.

I did the same for my jigsaw but I can still see the blade on that one. I now buy Bosch jigsaw blades since reading a thread on accurate jigsaw cutting, I test them and save the ones that cut straight for precision work and use the others for junk. Now at last I can cut as accurately with the jigsaw as I can with a handsaw. Not all blades are created equal.

I heartily recommend zero clearance footplates for quality cutting in wood. I wouldn't dare cut metal with a circular saw ...

[Boston]

that's funny
I thought Ild heard it all
Ive been a carpenter my hole life
built everything from log homes to wood boats
half the stuff that ends up working best
Ild never cop to
and dam straight never let any one else try
Ive plunge cut with a chain saw
and frisbee'd every guard on every tool
but sticking a skill saw blade on a grinder
I owe you a beer for that one

[Boston]

I saw a triangular blade once
would hack
and I mean hack a circle of really small diameter
not sure how clean it would cut on larger radius's
the guy I saw with it was cutting roof vents in
and didnt seem to concerned about ragged edges
I never picked one up cause it seemed like pure wood butchery
but it did blast a round hole in a square world pretty fast
not sure what it was called
but you might try looking it up
B

[losttool]

Yes, the Arcus blade did arrive. I bought the whole kit which included a steel guide that acts like a compass. My first cut was crap so I went back and read the instructions. I had put the blade on backwards. The blade is concave shaped and it was easy to fit it on with the writing facing out. Anyway I put it on correctly and set the beval to 6 degrees and made a curved bench for a friend's porch deck. This is the first tool that actually does what it says it will do. Arcus has a masonry blade advertised for cutting curves in concrete and tile, I'm feeling adventurous so maybe I'll try it this fall. The website is: www.arcusblade.com.