plunge cut recip saw blades

[Fred]

Hi,

I am looking for a blade to cut floorboards so that I can lift them.

I used to do this by hand with a floorboard saw. When I bought it, I didn't have a clue how to sue it. Why don't they print instructions for newbies on the cardboard sheath that covers the blade?

I guessed that to start the cut you use it "upside down" using the teeth on the curved nose and once you have got a cut going, you use the saw "conventionally". Did I get that about right?

Then s aw that Toolstation were selling blades that looked like this for reciprocating saws. I bought a couple of them:

first blade I used seemed to last forever but subsequent blades seem go blunt very quickly. Perhaps they have changed how they make them?

The packaging says they can also be used on metal. Again, I used mine to cut through the odd problem nail and I had no problems but heavier duty jobs either blunt the teeth or snap them off, so I use hacksaw blades for metal.

The blunting I am experiencing now is only from use on wood, so I am looking to upgrade. The blurb on the TS web site says that the Bosch blades will plunge cut and yet they don't have a bull shaped nose. can anyone confirm if they are good for cutting through floorboards? I am trying to cut the T&G from the sides and cut across the joist to reduce one long board into a long board and a small board, to gain access for wiring etc.

TIA

[Dave Plowman (News)]

I've mentioned it before, but I use a broken off jigsaw blade to cut floorboards over a joist. Snap it so the maximum of the stroke is the thickness of the board. You can start in the middle of the board with the blade near horizontal then pivot it into the work. Most jigsaws have a curve on the front of the bed which helps this. Jigsaw blades can be bought pretty cheaply - but one of these will do many cuts if you don't hit any nails.

My Fein Multimaster can do the same thing, but it's much slower and the blades expensive.

[Tabby]

If you want something many times faster, a low performance cordless circular saw can be held against kickback, making it usable for plunge cutting.

NT

[Dave Plowman (News)]

It can - but won't make a clean cut to the edges on a floorboard. A jigsaw will.

[Fred]

Is there a reason you recommend a cordless circular saw? Are they less likely to kickback because they re lower powered or something or is it just that cordless is more convenient? Can you adjust the blade depth on the cheap ones? Thanks.

[Fred]

I suppose you need to have lifted one board already to know the thickness. Mine are only 16mm, so it's going to be a pretty small blade. Are they easy to snap accurately or should I get out the angle grinder. Thanks.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Snap off with two pairs of pliers.

[Andy Dingley]

Just spend the =A3500 and get a real Festool plunge cutting circular saw with the guide track.

It's only money...

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Still won't make a neat job of cutting across a floorboard in situ.