Official Luthiers Forum!

Has anyone tried making their own with a backwards spinning plywood blade and an angle grinder? I've seen it mentioned a few times and seems pretty straightforward. Maybe trickier than it sounds?

Pat

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Pat

What could possibly go wrong? Why take the risk? The Blade Mfg. Co. made me a 10” blade to my specifications for just over $100 a few years ago.

I tried it. I didn't grind it down enough to really be effective. You have to go slow so as to not take the temper out of the blade.
I went with the 3 3/8th Makita battery saw blade (plain steel- not carbide tipped) and cobbled together a simple small "arbor saw" like a miniature version of those crude and dangerous saws farmers used to use. To adjust the depth of cut you raise one end of the table with shims.
I have also used the Makita battery saw to cut fret slots by hand (slower but quieter).
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Makita-3-3- ... /204382617

Yeah, "what could possibly go wrong?" Lol that's what I'm thinking!

Clay, what's the kerf on those?

Pat

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Pat

Hi Pat,
I don't remember exactly what the kerf measured, but the Stewmac wire works O.K. with it (.023?). If you find the kerf is too wide for your wire you can "stone" the blade lightly to narrow the kerf, and if it's too narrow you can bend the teeth slightly to increase it.