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Re: [Shop-talk] Sawzall blades

To: shop-talk@autox.team.net
Subject: Re: [Shop-talk] Sawzall blades
From: John Miller <jem@milleredp.com>
Date: Mon, 20 Aug 2012 22:02:51 -0700
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References: <5031FA53.2020007@landform.co.uk> <50324387.7060107@hornesystemstx.com> <503278D1.9000401@landform.co.uk>
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> I was looking at the set as a tester for various jobs as well as the
> tree roots. Since the Sawzall type saw is not much used on this side of
> the pond it's a case of finding out what it can do. They're mostly seen
> on TV shows like "Scrapheap Challenge".

I'm trying to come up with an appropriate sexual analogy for the 
throbbing energy of the reciprocating saw...

Seriously, though...whether you're hacking old shock brackets off a car 
frame, doing a little manipulation of wall framing, any sort of rigid 
plastic or metal piping except cast iron, it's hard to imagine life 
without one.

A battery Sawzall (with two, maybe three if they're unbranded eBay 
Chinese, batteries) will take a complete IRS assembly out of a 
pull-it-yerself junkyard old-style Jag XJ in 20 minutes.  Cut the 
exhaust pipes, the driveshaft, cut above the trailing-arm mounts 
horizontally along the bottom of the floorpan (don't bother unbolting 
them, they're invariably rusted onto the pan and the bushing's trashed 
anyway), then cut the four cage mounts.  Plop, it falls to the ground. 
Now cut the parking brake cables and hoses, drag it out and go.

BTW, if you're foolish enough to listen to me, it's CRITICAL that you 
finish the undercar work BEFORE cutting loose the trailing arms, and you 
should in any case try to avoid EVER being directly under the IRS 
assembly.  Most of the time 1-3 of the cage mounts are broken anyway, 
and...well, if it drops you may well depart this mortal existence in a 
fashion too embarrassing for your descendants to explain, and without 
even a Nelson Rockefellerish dose of snickering prurience.

> Karl mentioned the Dewalt blades so I'll probably look at them too, in
> the 8 and 12 inch lengths you recommend.

The yellow DeWalt 6 and 8in 14tpi blades are good general-purpose 
blades.  There's other brands that've worked well for me e.g. Blu-Mol. 
There are specialty blades from other mfrs that suit specific purposes 
well.  I wish I'd had a couple of the Milwaukee 'Torch' blades when 
cutting up that well-tinwormed Mk1 Cortina parts car into 
scrap-bin-sized chunks a little while back...

John.
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