Dremel Saw Max Dated Blades

Don,

I've used a lot of different saw blades during my time but have never seen any dated with an expiration date.

I am not familiar with Dremel blades but I am wondering if they are made from some type of composite materials vs metal.  If so maybe the composite material loses integrity over time.  I would think the metal cutting blade would be made from metal and not composite.   

If you find out please post the reason for the expiration date.  I am curious to know the reason in case it is a safety issue.

Thanks,

Ed

That's odd. I just picked up one of their combo packs with 3 Dremel tools, one of them being the Saw Max.

I bet the expiration date is due to the Aluminum Oxide composite it's made from. It probably breaks down over time.

We all have expiration dates.

I just don't want to know mine.

Maybe the saw blades are made at the same factories that re-discovered how to make things with zinc-pest issues 75 or more years after the first problems.

On a more serious note, this is extremely disturbing if it is indeed safety related and the material breaking down. 

-Dave

WTH??? This is nuts!

just checked my small blades for the dremel,no dates..maybe the expiration date is to cover them in our suit happy society 

totrainyard posted:

We all have expiration dates.

I just don't want to know mine.

Like the minister told the parishioner, "The good news is there is golf in heaven. The bad news is you have a tee time at 7:00 AM tomorrow morning."

Maybe Dr. Oz had that expiration date put on the blades to keep us safe.

After suffering Zinc Pest issues with modern production from two train manufacturers, I'm beginning to think that these trains should have "best if used before" date.  I guess anything die cast in the Orient should be suspect.  Around here, we have an expression WRT low bidders: Any one can do it cheaper and worse.  At least Dremel is honest about the stability of their materials.

Don Merz 070317 posted:

huh?? I ordered a pack of blades for my Dremel saw max. It uses different types of blades depending on the material that you are cutting. The WOOD/PLASTIC and TILE blades are normal with nothing unusual about them. But and however, the METAL, and MASONRY blades all have expiration dates! The metal ones say "Do not use after 6/2019." And the masonry ones say the same but the date is 4/2020. I can't say that I've ever seen saw blades with dates on them beyond which they can't be used! I guess the message is "don't stock up!" What next? Expiring drill bits?

Don Merz

Well, that's the first I ever heard of an expiration date, and I used to do quite a bit of steel fabrication and metal work back in my earlier days.  To be fair however, I have been out of that loop for several years now.  Out of curiosity, I've spent the last hour or so trying to search into the matter on the internet.

Unable to find any super-definite facts and figures as of yet.  But what I have been able to surmise is, the resin bonding agent used in the manufacture of abrasive metal and stone cutting wheels can start to deteriorate after a few years.  And I'm not sure what this quite means either.  Does the resin just start getting brittle after awhile?  That would be my best guess for right now, anyway.

Something else I found, if the abrasive wheel has fiberglass reinforcing mesh bonded into it, then the expiration date is 3 years after the date of manufacture.  If there is NO reinforcing mesh in the wheel, then the expiration date drops down to 2 years.

Also mentioned was that if the wheels are stored somewhere where they can get damp, that doesn't do the shelf life a whole lot of good.  I have to wonder if that dampness may include the humidity we can get throughout the year, but no information I found elaborated on that.

Expiration date or not, one should ALWAYS wear protective eye wear, face shield, and clothing when using abrasive wheels.  When cutting metal, they throw hot sparks.  If they explode, they just throw chunks straight out from the spinning shaft.  Always keep your face out of the potential explosion path of wheel fragments, and your body too if at all possible.

Personally, as for myself, and considering my past experiences, I would continue to use abrasive wheels even if they are outdated.  But that's just me.  Unless others have my kind of experience, I would encourage them to heed all the warnings and expiration dates.

Paul 

It is most likely the glue, but aluminum oxide content is a possibility. A disc shattering at 7-15 thousand rpm is no joke, no matter the size.

   Kinda like food; storage can have an impact on shelf life here as well. I take these dates with a grain or two of salt too, but "best by" and an "expiration date" are two different warnings.

   Keep the radial plane from a disc free from as much of your body as possible and say a prayer as well. I've had enough grinding disc injuries in both small and large size to fill this page. Even the dentist has been involved. I've seen some that were truly horrific too.

   The worst is, when despite best efforts, debris bounce off your forehead and drop between mask, and glasses; a funnel into the eyes. But still better than driven deep into a naked eye by speed.  Some metal can easily be pulled out of an eye with an electromagnet at the hospital. Not so for the disc fragments.

Be careful

They are saw blades..... it is the glue.