How to get the most life from your Oscillating blades
Even the best tool can wear out quickly if it is not used properly. Imperial blades prides themselves on producing some of the highest quality, American made Oscillating blades, and we agree. Not using the correct techniques can prevent you from getting the full life that these tools can offer.
Imperial Blades oscillating blades are made to fit just about any oscillating tool with their universal arbor design and can be used for a great number of applications including wood, fiberglass, drywall, plastic, metal cutting, and more. If you have ever seen the video of Imperial Blades zip through nail after nail while blades from Rockwell, Fein, and Bosch struggle through a few nails before finally wearing out, then you know just how good Imperial Blades really are. Imperial Blades are by far a cut above the rest, and using them the correct way can help you get even longer life and better cuts.
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With most power tools, material is either pulled out of the hole, or thrown out of the cut. With an oscillating tool, the material and chips have a tendency to get packed into the cut due to the rapid, short strokes. Having the material packed into the cut restricts the blades movement and cutting action and creates more vibration. It also increases friction, which increases heat. These things slow down the cutting speed and decreases the life of the blade.
To get longer life from your oscillating tools, you need to apply just enough pressure to engage the teeth into the work surface. Once you begin to create sawdust or chips, you need to move the blade back and forth in rocking motion. This allows the chips to exit the cut instead of getting packed into the cut, reducing friction and heat and increasing the blade life. The back and forth movement also increases the surface that you are trying to cut with so that the blade does not wear in just one small area.
When plunge cutting, you need to rock the blade slightly and move the blade up and down in the cut. The rocking allows the chips to come out of the cut and the up-down movement of the blade allows the blade to breath and prevents it from getting too hot. By using these techniques, you will actually be able to make faster cuts with less heat buildup in the blade.
If you use the proper techniques when cutting with your oscillating blades then you should notice longer tool life, smoother cuts and less heat and vibration.
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