Increasing ROI for You

This title implies the return on our investments in woodworking can be increased by taking a couple easy steps. We will learn to recognize the dullness in saw blades before burn marks appear in the wood, and before feeling the "draw down" in cutting power. Because a dull tool will use greater energy (electricity) (an expense), quickly turning our expense cents into dollars. The reason is that the increase in radii of the bevel in the teeth signifies an increase in dullness in turn requiring more energy(an expense) to cut through material. This same principle results in more surface area being removed at sharpening (an expense) resulting in a shorter life for that blade/tool (another expense).

And so in the first step, we should be checking the cutting edge of saw teeth with a good light. Light reflection will indicate dullness. Remember, dullness is light, darkness is sharp. This phrase seems like a misnomer. Make inspections of saw teeth routine an in doing so you'll prevent the burn marks and all those expenses covered in the preceding paragraph. And for other step, begin making routine saw blade/tool turnover, by putting dull tools in an area to be sharpened. This is a time saver as well as a penny saver.

Statistics in business reveal that frequent, smaller expenses adversely effect profits more than infrequent, larger expenses.

Best wishes to everyone this holiday season. Next, on my list is to see if an angle of greater than 0° in the bevel will increase the life of the tooth in a blade. A prominent Japanese manufacturer puts a 5° bevel in the teeth of their blades. I may need that calibers, a dynamometer and i am not sure what other tools yet to do this analysis... well until next posting, take care and best wishes!

Matt L.

p.s. " A wise old owl lived in an oak;

The more he saw, the less he spoke;

The less he spoke the more he heard.

Why aren't we like that wise old bird?" -nursery rhyme