Cutting g-10?

R

RicardoMagnificent

Joined
Jun 1, 2009
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22
I split some G-10 scales for a small knife handle on my bandsaw and it totally dulled the blade. :confused: There were sparks coming from the blade while cutting. Should I keep water on the blade? Should I invest in a better blade (it was a cheap one from Lowe's)? Everything I've read about G-10 says to use wood-working tools. Anyone else had this problem?
Richard
 
I burned up a blade on my wood-cutting bandsaw trying to cut G-11. A slow metal-cutting bandsaw works much better.
 
Well, since G10 is a high density fiberglass material, and fiberglass is harder than steel, it does tend to dull tools a bit.
 
you will need a metal band saw cutting blade and to slow the speed of the blade way down. I have cut some with a cobalt hack saw by hand and its hard stuff.
 
dl351 said:
and fiberglass is harder than steel
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Huh????? I defy you to find a piece of fiberglass that will cut steel. I guarantee I can find plenty of pieces of steel that will cut fiberglass. It may have higher tensile strength per pound than steel but it is not harder.
 
lol fiberglass is NOT harder than steel.

Run a fiberglass boat into a steel pier...the pier always wins.
 
Go to lowe's or home depot and get a diamond blade -one if the interrupted wet or dry ones- for your table saw. they canbe had for anywhere from $15 to $40. I got one and it works like a champ. Use it dry and there is a HUGE bunch of dust. Spray it with a water bottle with an extra pair of hands and there is no dust, only a wet mess on your table saw. I set up my table saw in the middle of the driveway to keep the dust out of my garage. Only other thing is the kerf is kinda wide so you lose some material.
 
dl351 said:
Well, since G10 is a high density fiberglass material, and fiberglass is harder than steel, it does tend to dull tools a bit.
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Just a little explanation there, fiberglass is highly abrasive to cutting tools. Harder? No. Kevlar thread is stronger by weight but it is not harder.
 
Fiberglass or fiber reinforced plastic resin as the industry refers to it, is made up of glass strands usually in a thermoset plastic resin base. When you cut through the composit, you slice off layers of resin, but you shatter the glass strands at the blade tooth edge and the shattered glass is kicked out with the resin. Glass is harder than unhardened steel, but not as hard as hardened steel. You can scratch mild steel with a piece of broken glass and you can scratch a mirror (glass) with hardened steel. Bottom line is cutting fiberglass is rough on saw blades, unless you use carbide blades.

Jim A.
 
Cut off disk in an angle grinder will cut it really fast........do it outdoors if you can as it makes a lot of nasty dust and stinks like crazy even through a respirator.

The sparks you saw on the bandsaw are the tips of the teeth breaking off.

Bruce
 
Hope you're wearing a respirator. Carbon fiber dust is crazy bad for your lungs. Just in case Bruce didn't make that perfectly clear....
 
gixxer said:
Go to lowe's or home depot and get a diamond blade -one if the interrupted wet or dry ones- for your table saw. they canbe had for anywhere from $15 to $40. I got one and it works like a champ. Use it dry and there is a HUGE bunch of dust. Spray it with a water bottle with an extra pair of hands and there is no dust, only a wet mess on your table saw. I set up my table saw in the middle of the driveway to keep the dust out of my garage. Only other thing is the kerf is kinda wide so you lose some material.
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Would a cheap (< $50) wet tile saw work better for this?
 
a77 said:
Would a cheap (< $50) wet tile saw work better for this?
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For what I need it for I need a 7" blade to split my G11. I got a wheelbarrow full from Jatmat and I use it to split 1 1/2 x 3/4 thick into scales. The tile saws with the 4"(?) blades do not have the height to get it in one pass. this also includes the 1 1/2 thick blocks I have too. So, if your pieces are not that thick or you do not mind making two passes then I am sure a smaller tile saw will work just fine.
 
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