Lenox Metalmax 14 Inch Segmented Rim Diamond Edge Cutoff Wheel for Metal

I don't know why some guys have submitted reviews on this 14 inch Lenox diamond cutting blade which list complaints about how it cuts metal or claims about how it doesn't cut metal better than standard aluminum oxide chop saw blades do. I beg to DIFFER!!!I have a Milwaukee 15 amp chop saw that I've been using for the past four years for cutting mild steel, ( the typical and common A36 steel). Mostly steel angle "iron" 1/4" thick, and occasionally up to 3/8" wall thickness and up to 3" diameter steel tubing with .134" wall thickness. I also sometimes cut mild steel band "iron" too.With angle iron, (which is made of mild steel of course) with a wall thickness of at least 1/4", this 4,300rpm 15 amp chop saw I have, makes cutting a lot of pieces a big chore when I use the standard inexpensive aluminum oxide cutting wheels, because I have to cut one wall of the angle "iron" first, stop the saw, flip the piece of steel over, and cut the other wall, trying my best to line up the second cut with the first, so that I'm not left with a big step in the work piece where the two cuts meet up.It's very difficult and very time consuming to cut through the other wall of the angle iron which lays flat on the table of the chop saw. The standard blades just don't want to do it. You can stand the angle iron up so that both walls are at a 45 degree angle, but it still makes for very slow cutting, with the 15 amp electric motor of the chop saw being labored.I just received this Lenox metal cutting diamond blade, and immediately installed it onto my chop saw, and tried cutting another .250" wall piece of A36 steel angle "iron". And I noticed an immediate difference. Using this Lenox diamond wheel I was able to cut right through both walls of the angle iron without having a wrestling match and without having to stop the saw to flip over the work piece to make a second cut on the other wall.Yes, there was slag or burs left in the work piece just like there is when using a standard aluminum oxide blade, but this Lenox diamond blade cuts heavier steel a whole lot easier, quicker, and without having to lay on the chop saw with so much weight, that the motor begins to labor and the rpm slows down, ( as is often the case with the standard blades). So right away the first day I've used this product, I noticed a big difference, and I consider this blade to be worth every penny that I paid for it. And it's made for metal cutting chop saws with 4,300 maximim RPM, ( very important for safety reasons).I was going to buy a 14" carbide blade instead to avoid the metal burs on the work pieces, but NONE of the 14" carbide blades that I found are intended for chop saws since they typically list a maximum rpm of 1,600- 1,800. I'm guessing they're made for using on miter saws, NOT on chop saws. When I want to cut wood, I'll use a Miter saw. For steel, there's the chop saw.And the other complaint I read in some of the other reviews here about this diamond blade being "louder" or the claims of some guys having to wear hearing protection??? Nonsense. This doesn't make anymore noise than standard blades do. It simply makes a different noise. But not any louder. And it isn't even a high pitched annoying noise either. It's a lower pitched ringing noise. I don't find it loud at all.And I always have to use ear plugs when I use a Dremel tool for light grinding work, since the Dremel tool does make a high-pitched annoying ear piercing sound. But that has a 20,000 rpm motor, ( a whole different animal). So I recommend this Lenox diamond blade to anyone cutting steel with a chop saw.

I probably am not the easiest person on chop saws. I have used abrasive wheels almost exclusively. I use a lot of old oil field pipe to build fence. When using abrasive wheels to cut pipe, they tend to glaze over and require additional pressure to continue cutting. When I do this I burn out my chop saw after a while. With these blades, I do not have to apply additional pressure because they cut pipe without extreme pressure, thus saving me the additional expense of buying chop saws. I have been cutting 2-1/2 in up-set pipe which is thick and hard and have made about a hundred cuts before I think about changing blades. With abrasive wheels, I change after about 6 - 8 cuts. I would recommend these blades for anyone doing a lot of heavy cutting.

so far so good.. wish it cut as clean as a carbide metal blade. cuts cleaner (less dust) than a traditional abrasive blade, but still melts the metal and leaves huge burrs to clean up with grinder/file/burr tool/etc.. carbide metal blades are soooo much nicer/cleaner to cut with or a band saw.. but this has its uses.. i've cut several stainless pie cuts with it and its still cutting like the first time.. well worth the purchase.

I did some direct comparisons to the old standard (and cheap) abrasive cut-off wheels in my 14" saw and while not really any worse with the diamond blade, it wasn't really any better either. The diamond did cut a bit rougher with a slightly wider kerf. Cut times were a hair slower with the diamond but not enough to complain about. Spark throw was lower with the diamond but still significant enough that it wouldn't make a difference in safety.These might be of benefit in that the diameter won't be getting smaller as you work (a common problem on standard abrasives) as well as some life benefit which I haven't been able to quantify yet. Noise is a little higher with the diamond blade--you absolutely cannot skip the ear protection. Also, the extra weight gives a lot of inertia when starting and stopping so on start-up the saw tries to really jump and on stop, it keeps freewheeling a lot longer (no brake on my saw).So..meh. I doubt I'll buy another but someone doing cuts all day long might get the improved life benefits they need so it's not a loser either. For the average user, I don't think the extra costs would generally justify it over the usual abrasive blade--even if you go through 10 or 12 abrasive blades for one diamond blade.

I like the design and price of the diamond cutter. Although it's not as fast as toothed blades, and about par with abrasive blades, it is great at cutting small diameter bundles of stuff, like bundles of tubing, or cables. It also excels at cutting ceramic, concrete, and other abrasive materials, if you need that feature. Lastly, it will cut hardened tool steels well, where toothed blades would fail, and abrasive blades would overheat the steel at the cut boundary. Good to have in your suite of blades.

Love this blade. I replaced an evolution brand blade in my Evolution cut off saw. The Evolution blade lasted a very long time but the carbide teeth eventually broke off. So I figured I’d try a diamond bit. Works just as well. This sparks a little more than the carbide terth that sheered the steel. But I like that this blade is much stiffer than the other and doesn’t flex. So it cut dead on straight and clean.

I wished that I'd found and spent the money on this blade years ago ! I installed it on my all purpose chop saw and it cut through thick steel and stainless like I was cutting wood. It's so much easier to use than disposable blades and doesn't get smaller as you use it. Just be aware that this blade does flex when cutting metal at an angle, so try it on scrap the first time to see how it behaves.

I was a little worried I have a small dish to go on a grinder and they don’t work very well but this thing cuts awesome fast, little work.