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Does anyone have any experience sawing Greenheart????

Started by joejeep, January 13, 2015, 07:44:56 PM

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Bluejay27

I don't know much about greenheart, but my dad cut some long beams for a pier in Boston about 10 years ago. Because of family issues, all I have of the story is that he had to get some carbide blades directly from Wood-Mizer.

I'm assuming it's tungsten carbide (WC) that's used and apparently alumina (aluminum oxide) is harder. However, it would probably still chew through the grinding wheels. I don't know if CBN is hard enough to grind WC without wearing the wheel excessively, but it definitely handles stellite fine (I've sharpened a few without any issues). I know Wood-Mizer has diamond wheels available and specified only for sharpening carbide blades. They aren't at all meant for sharpening normal steel blades because diamond (carbon) will diffuse into steel at grinding temperatures, eroding the wheel away. Given all that, if you don't already have a CBN sharpener, I would go with the carbide blades and use Resharp. Otherwise, the stellite blades might work well enough to end up being cheaper.

As far as using the lumber, I have the scraps from what my dad had cut, and despite sitting basically on the ground and partially in the woods for about 8 years, they had little or no rot. So definitely good for rot resistant applications and maybe an easy sell to people trying to avoid the chemicals in pressure treated lumber.

And I realized a quick way to see how grinding WC would work. If you have a worn carbide-tipped circular saw blade lying around, try grinding a tooth with a bench grinder (note: no idea if this is unsafe in any way).
'98 Wood-Mizer LT40HDD42 Super, '08 LT40HDG28, '15 LT70HDD55-RW, '93 Clark GPX25 Forklift, '99 Ford F550

customsawyer

If you are getting these logs for nothing or next to it I would recommend trying other blades to get them cut. You have a opportunity to develop a nitch market here. Don't pass it up. ;)
Two LT70s, Nyle L200 kiln, 4 head Pinheiro planer, 30" double surface Cantek planer, Lucas dedicated slabber, Slabmizer, and enough rolling stock and chainsaws to keep it all running.
www.thecustomsawyer.com

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