Another UHMW cutting question!

[torker]

I have a bunch of body lift "pucks" I'm making from 2 1/2" UHMW. I've used this before but never this large of dia.
I usually cut it on my H/V saw with 10/14 blade. It won't work with this thick stuff so I need to buy a courser tooth blade. Any suggestions what would work?
The saw is a 4X6. Thanks!
Russ

[winchman]

Since UHMW cuts so easily, seems like using a lathe and parting tool would work for you. If the stock is long, chuck one end and use a steady rest. Or, you could just cut partly through with the parting tool and finish up on the saw with the blade you've got.

The finish with the parting tool will probably be a lot better than what you'd get with a coarser blade.

Roger

[Shuswap Pat]

You can cut it fine with a carbide blade in a tablesaw or chop saw.

[StephenK]

Just asked my brother in law about cutting polyethylene. He is a consultant dealing with polyethylene and other plastic materials. His recommendation is to use a course blade and cut at a slow speed. You do not want to build up heat.

[japcas]

Buy a 6 pitch blade for your saw. I have one for my 4x6 saw and it works great for wood. Also I would run it as fast as possible. Should do fine.

[Peter S]

I recently did a job where I needed uhmw about 50x50x300mm, we had a 50mm sheet, so I cut my strip using a skilsaw with normal timber blade. It worked perfectly, no burning or grabbing.
I could say be careful, but you know that, eh!

[beckley23]

I use a 3-4 pitch band and flood coolant, cut it as fast as the band will tolerate. I also drill a 1-3/16" hole all the way through as fast as as I can feed the drill at 850 RPM, dry. The stock is 3-3/4" dia.
Harry

[gunsmith]

I cut round stock on a regular basis and it cuts fine in a chop saw (power miter saw) but watch the chafe. If it gets wound up in the blade and tries to return through the cut your going to get severe kick back. Course tooth carbides with lots of side clearance work fine.

[wierdscience]

Oh boy motzerella pizza cheeze!

Carbide blade,thin kerf is best and a wood cutting chopsaw,but lock the stock down or you may have a spiral grooved milled the full length of the part,how rude

[torker]

Thanks guys! I should have thought of the chopsaw. Going to be tricky getting the last few short pieces cut though. If I do any more of this I will get a course tooth blade for the H/V saw.

[gunsmith]

Torker: I am going to disagree with myself when I said "course tooth carbide". I was comenting as though you may have only that to choose from which is most common in our shops today. Weird is absolutly right and I have the blades he is speaking of. They are made specificly for cutting plastics of all types. They cut most plastics like butter including UH with no binding. The ones I have are very expensive and I keep them specificly for plastic. If you should deside on such a purchse I could look up the numbers and brand names for you if you wish.