If this is an archive Q, please let me know. I’m installing a lot of 1x Hardi trim: fascia, frieze board, beam wrap, etc., and I’ve been using regular carbide blades. They work fine for a few cuts, then start dragging. I’m thinking of popping a framing blade into my CMS, but is the Hardi blade for a circ saw any better than carbide?
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Jason,
The Hardie blade is much better, I used it in my wormdrive to cut angles on Hardie Plank. Luckly I didnt have to pay for it as the supply house gave it to me considering I bought the material from them. They aslo make a 12" for the chop saw. I think the 7-1/4 is 4 tooth and the 12" is 6 or 8 tooth. both of them lasted me the whole job (1800 Sq Ft. of plank + Corner boards and Freeze board). Also the Hardie blade is much better then the other brands available. Take a look at the link below. Keep in mind the dust hurts the tools!!!
http://forums.prospero.com/tp-breaktime/messages/?msg=58122.1
Chris
You should do what I did recently. I needed about a dozen pieces of hardie for a repair job on a masonite house. It was also time to replace my hardie-cutting blade.
The job was only a couple of minutes from a local Lowes, so I went there for the boards and blade.
I put the boards on a lumber cart, and parked it in an aisle to go get the blade. Tossed the blade on top of the hardie and headed for the checkout. Saw a buddie there and was cought up in talking while using a credit card to pay.
When I did the paperwork for the job later that day, I realized that they had never charged me for the ($50) blade.
Seriously, the specialized blades do a good job, and they put out a lot less dust than a regular carbide blade. Spend the bucks, you'll love yourself for it.
Unless you're the lead dog, the view just never changes.
Jason,
We did a whole house in hardi - started with circular blades and chopsaws, but the dust was getting to be a major hassle. We ended up with a power "nibbler" (we called it) - it's basically a pair of electric scissors. The downside is, it takes some skill to operate and doesn't make quite as clean a cut. Each cut had to be dresssed quickly with a rasp (although I seem to remember doing that with the circ. saws, too. But it was definitely a better way to go. You don't need to wear a mask, or worry about dust interfering with the paint bond. We usually had one guy measuring/ installing on the scaffold, while the other made the cuts off the stack on the ground and passed them up. As you know, it's a very labor intensive process no matter how you do it, but it's such a good product in the long run, it's worth the effort. BTW, I think the cut ends should always be dressed with a rasp so that caulking has a "key" to hold on to - especially in the butt joints.
We just starting using a fiber-cement shear (Porter Cable) and it makes quick clean work of it. Takes a little while to get proficient but once you do, it is good stuff. We tried carbide blades the dust is bad and you should really wear a mask. With the shears there is no dust.