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Looking for battery powered demolition saw

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Mr. Wonderful

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I'm looking for a cordless saw that can cut through nail encrusted wood. NOT a Sawzall. We have already tried that. The problem is, with a reciprocating saw it just flops the material back and forth. I've seen the saws fireman use to cut through roofs and that's the way I want to go. If anyone knows of a saw like that which can accept a circular blade capable of cutting nails and wood, I'd love to see it. I've seen some of the Milwaukee and DeWalt offerings that take a 9" blade. The only blade I've found that can do what I want had a 1" arbor hole. The two saws have a 7/8" arbor. I'm ok with going up to a 14" saw if it has the appropriate blade. It doesn't have to be able to cut concrete. I would prefer to stay with one of the big-name brands, but function is more important here.
 
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Dakotadadv8

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Interesting I have used Sawsaws and Circular Saws for demolition as well as angle grinders, all corded. Also use gas chainsaw but only for wood.
 
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signcrafter

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Is this for personal use or for a company with employees? Something tells me putting a toothed blade on a demo saw and using it to cut wood with nails may get a little dicey. I have the milwaukee 9" saw and love it. But just the way the saw is makes it easy to bind up. Cutting cement or rebar that isnt an issue. But with a toothed blade in wood that may become a real issue with no guard on it if it kicks back. I'm the farthest from a safety nazi, but may want to think about that.
 
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GeoBruin

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signcrafter said:
Is this for personal use or for a company with employees? Something tells me putting a toothed blade on a demo saw and using it to cut wood with nails may get a little dicey. I have the milwaukee 9" saw and love it. But just the way the saw is makes it easy to bind up. Cutting cement or rebar that isnt an issue. But with a toothed blade in wood that may become a real issue with no guard on it if it kicks back. I'm the farthest from a safety nazi, but may want to think about that.
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You nailed it. Those saws, (yours and the "big brother" the OP is looking at) run segmented "abrasive" blades at over 5,000 RPM. The max RPM rating on a TCT blade like the Evo "multi-material" blade OP is looking at is around 1,600 RPM. It's the same thing as trying to run a toothed blade in an abrasive cut-off saw that we see on the front page every week or so where everyone says "don't do it"!
 
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Mr. Wonderful

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I'm not so arrogant that I can't take holes being shot in my idea. So, what you guys are saying is that tool is not designed to work with a "toothed blade"? Fair enough, I see no reason to tempt fate. Is there another type of blade that is safe to use in this type of saw for nail encrusted wood??? Like I said earlier I've seen that firemen use them to cut open roofs. Anyone know what kind of blade they use? Thanks for all the input!
 
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GeoBruin

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Mr. Wonderful said:
I'm not so arrogant that I can't take holes being shot in my idea. So, what you guys are saying is that tool is not designed to work with a "toothed blade"? Fair enough, I see no reason to tempt fate. Is there another type of blade that is safe to use in this type of saw for nail encrusted wood??? Like I said earlier I've seen that firemen use them to cut open roofs. Anyone know what kind of blade they use? Thanks for all the input!
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I've got an idea that might save you some coin, save your back, and maybe save you a finger.

I just made this video of my Milwaukee M18 8" metal cutting circular saw. I set up a little "obstacle course" with a 2x4 (including a couple nails, and a decking screw), some PVC, some black pipe, and a piece of unistrut. Note the battery was running low, but it also sounds like it's bogging down because most people are used to hearing a skill saw spinning much faster. The saw actually has a thermal overload protection that will stop it if it actually gets too bogged down.,

This saw spins at the RPM range you need to run a toothed TCT blade. I use it exclusively for steel, so I have a (dull) steel cutting blade in it. I use it to cut steel plate (1/8" to 3/8" typically but I've cut thicker), cut the flanges off I beam, and really anything deeper than I can cut with a portaband. They're used a lot for steel roof decking. Google the saw and you'll see some of the crazy things it can cut.
 
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signcrafter

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Mr. Wonderful said:
I'm not so arrogant that I can't take holes being shot in my idea. So, what you guys are saying is that tool is not designed to work with a "toothed blade"? Fair enough, I see no reason to tempt fate. Is there another type of blade that is safe to use in this type of saw for nail encrusted wood??? Like I said earlier I've seen that firemen use them to cut open roofs. Anyone know what kind of blade they use? Thanks for all the input!
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I have seen them also. I googled fireman demo saw and a few results came up.

Oshlun SBR-CH14 14-Inch Carbide Chunk Blade with 1-Inch Arbor for Rescue and Demolition https://www.amazon.com/dp/B006XBXPL6/?tag=atomicindus08-20

If you look at the blade they call it a carbide chunk. Doesnt have real teeth.

I'm just worried about the saw twisting and binding and kicking back. Im sure we all have had a circular saw bind and see what that does. The handle is close to the blade on a circ saw. The cut off saws the handle is a foot or more away from the blade so it would be very easy to move the handle one way or another and have the blade get bound up. And with no guard if that catches and pops out back at the person using it you may be in a world of hurt.
GeoBruin said:
I've got an idea that might save you some coin, save your back, and maybe save you a finger.

I just made this video of my Milwaukee M18 8" metal cutting circular saw. I set up a little "obstacle course" with a 2x4 (including a couple nails, and a decking screw), some PVC, some black pipe, and a piece of unistrut. Note the battery was running low, but it also sounds like it's bogging down because most people are used to hearing a skill saw spinning much faster. The saw actually has a thermal overload protection that will stop it if it actually gets too bogged down.,

This saw spins at the RPM range you need to run a toothed TCT blade. I use it exclusively for steel, so I have a (dull) steel cutting blade in it. I use it to cut steel plate (1/8" to 3/8" typically but I've cut thicker), cut the flanges off I beam, and really anything deeper than I can cut with a portaband. They're used a lot for steel roof decking. Google the saw and you'll see some of the crazy things it can cut.
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I have the little brother to that saw, think its 5 1/2" blade. Cuts metal like butter. Havent tried it on wood yet. But I would think it would do fine.
 
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rust in the eye

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Did you say that you are cutting up pallets?
Lenox makes a "Sawzall" blade specifically for this, # 810RPC
If pallet demolition is the end and you have employees doing this I would imagine them as minimum wage types. Handing over such a powerful saw with a gigantic toothed blade to them may prove counterproductive. Best grap your phone and dial 91...........
 
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GeoBruin

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rust in the eye said:
Did you say that you are cutting up pallets?
Lenox makes a "Sawzall" blade specifically for this.
If pallet demolition is the end and you have employees doing this I would imagine them as minimum wage types. Handing over such a powerful saw with a gigantic toothed blade to them may prove counterproductive. Best grap your phone and dial 91...........
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They specifically said they have tried a Sawzall and it has been problematic.
 
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Mr. Wonderful

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rust in the eye said:
Perhaps not using the correct blade or methods.
I've cut up pallets too, it ain't that hard.
@OP What's the goal? Reclaiming the lumber? Wood for charcoal? Less room in a dumpster?
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We have a lot of damaged wood items that come through. Yes, more room in the recycling dumpster is the end goal. Some boxes are 8’ square or even bigger. Some have intricate laminated plywood sections. It’s really not a lot of the same thing. There is a ton of pallets though. Chainsaw is a definite no go. We have the sawzall already and it’s slow and doesn’t work well on the big stuff. This would only be used by two experienced people.
 
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mike93lx

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In a workplace? Terrible idea. One injury and osha will be up your *** in ways that you can't even imagine.

Slow is safer and smarter in this case.
 
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RTM

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Mr. Wonderful said:
We have a lot of damaged wood items that come through. Yes, more room in the recycling dumpster is the end goal. Some boxes are 8’ square or even bigger. Some have intricate laminated plywood sections. It’s really not a lot of the same thing. There is a ton of pallets though. Chainsaw is a definite no go. We have the sawzall already and it’s slow and doesn’t work well on the big stuff. This would only be used by two experienced people.
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Just give it too your forklift drivers, tell them that it’s highly valuable, and to be extra cautious. You’ll have kindling in no time.
 
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KnurledNut

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signcrafter said:
I'm just worried about the saw twisting and binding and kicking back. Im sure we all have had a circular saw bind and see what that does. The handle is close to the blade on a circ saw. The cut off saws the handle is a foot or more away from the blade so it would be very easy to move the handle one way or another and have the blade get bound up. And with no guard if that catches and pops out back at the person using it you may be in a world of hurt.
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Doesnt really work like a circular saw. Different reaction. The blade spins the opposite direction, pulls and climbs out of the cut.
 
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Firebrick43

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Mr. Wonderful said:
We have a lot of damaged wood items that come through. Yes, more room in the recycling dumpster is the end goal. Some boxes are 8’ square or even bigger. Some have intricate laminated plywood sections. It’s really not a lot of the same thing. There is a ton of pallets though. Chainsaw is a definite no go. We have the sawzall already and it’s slow and doesn’t work well on the big stuff. This would only be used by two experienced people.
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Why is a chainsaw(electric) a no go? Its safer than a cutoff saw?
 
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signcrafter

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KnurledNut said:
Doesnt really work like a circular saw. Different reaction. The blade spins the opposite direction, pulls and climbs out of the cut.
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I get that. They also not made for toothed blades. Doesnt change the fact that a little left or right and it binds and goes where it wants. Chainsaw also climbs and people respect that and get tore up all the time.
 
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Mr. Wonderful

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Firebrick43 said:
Why is a chainsaw(electric) a no go? Its safer than a cutoff saw?
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It’s not just my decision, it is perceived that the chainsaw is more dangerous. I’m not saying it is or isn’t. Both have their dangers. I have a former firefighter on staff. He said departments use both the carbide tipped chains and the rescue saws for roof ventilation. I just don’t need the depth of cut that a chainsaw has so I figured the demo saw would be the way to go.
 
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KnurledNut

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Mr. Wonderful said:
It’s not just my decision, it is perceived that the chainsaw is more dangerous. I’m not saying it is or isn’t. Both have their dangers. I have a former firefighter on staff. He said departments use both the carbide tipped chains and the rescue saws for roof ventilation. I just don’t need the depth of cut that a chainsaw has so I figured the demo saw would be the way to go.
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The rescue chainsaws typically use depth limiters. Something similar could be used/fabricated for a battery saw.
 
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KnurledNut

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@Mr. Wonderful
I asked an acquaintance that is a pallet rebuilder what they use to break them down and he said a dismantler, basically a horizontal bandsaw. They are salvaging good materials to reuse, so a different end use, but I found it to be a really unique machine I didnt know existed:


 
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Zewnten

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KnurledNut said:
@Mr. Wonderful
I asked an acquaintance that is a pallet rebuilder what they use to break them down and he said a dismantler, basically a horizontal bandsaw. They are salvaging good materials to reuse, so a different end use, but I found it to be a really unique machine I didnt know existed:


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Good find but probably too specialized to break down crates. OP I think a battery powered chainsaw with a carbide blade is the best option. Toothed blades and nails leads to metal splinters.
 
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Firebrick43

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To add to GeoBruin, you can buy short 8" bars for saws as well. May need to have custom chain made but that is not hard if the shop you purchase it from is set up for it. And I cant see any shop selling carbide tooth chains not being set up for it.

 
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