Starrett hole saws go deeper and faster
Two new bi-metal hole saws that promise significant performance gains are now available from Starrett. Fast Cut and Deep Cut will replace the existing Constant Pitch and Dual Pitch respectively.
The Fast Cut hole saw combines a new tooth profile and base material, with enhanced heat and wear resistance, to provide a smoother, faster cut on a wide range of materials. It is especially suited to cutting stainless and mild steel sheet, and Fast Cut will also cut through tubes with a wall thickness of up to 3 mm.
By changing the tooth pitch from 6 TPI to 5.5 TPI, Starrett’s engineering team has created enough space to dramatically improve the profile of the teeth to enhance the cutting action, and also increase the gullet to clear away the chips more effectively. This also results in a noticeably smoother cut. “The change from 6 TPI to 5.5 TPI does not sound much, however it is a fractional change that makes a big difference to the geometric profile of the teeth we can generate,” explains Marketing Manager, John Cove.
Changing the bi-metal base material specification has also enhanced cutting efficiency for the customer. Moving to a new material specification with 8 per cent cobalt has increased the saws resistance to both wear and elevated heat during use. As John Cove explains: “We know that our previous base material is a great bi-metal material: if it is run at the speeds and feeds we recommend. However, the problem is in the real world everyone runs the saw much quicker and if the blade gets hot it can wear quickly. Our new bi-metal material provides a much greater tolerance to wear under elevated heat generating situations. So, if the saws are run fast, as we know they will be, they will last longer.”
Compared to the previous Constant Pitch hole saw, Fast Cut can operate up to 30 per cent quicker and increases edge life by up to 20 per cent, depending on the application and cutting conditions.
The new Deep Cut saw combines the tried and tested tooth form and set from the previous Dual Pitch product with a new high cobalt material, for enhanced heat and wear resistance. It offers the same 20 per cent increase in cutting life under the right conditions. Deep Cut also features an increased hole saw depth of 51 mm, up from 41 mm, and is said to be ideal for cutting metal of more than 3 mm thickness, tubes with a wall thickness of greater than 3 mm and wood up to 51 mm.
John Cove says: “Demand for the increased depth initially came from our Scandinavian customers, as their construction industry required a deeper hole saw. Now Deep Cut offers all of our customers more flexibility. Although Deep Cut and Fast Cut are available now, both Constant and Dual Pitch will be available until the end of the year. However, from January 2016 onwards they will be replaced with the new products.”
The advances made with these new hole saws are, in part, a result of the continued investment Starrett has made in its manufacturing capability to gain production efficiencies that aid new product developments. This year around £300,000 has been invested in capital equipment for hole saw production at the company’s manufacturing facility in Jedburgh, Scotland, with this value set to increase further in the near future.
The L. S. Starrett Company Limited
Oxnam Road
Jedburgh
Scotland
Tel: 01835 863501
jcove@starrett.co.uk
www.starrett.co.uk
