Table saw is really important for fast and accurate wood cutting. A saw blade is used for the wood cutting process and regular wood cutting blades are not able to use to cut the nails or any metals. We have to accidentally cut the nails or any metals inside the wood that we have to cut using the table saw. In this guide, you can realize how you can cut the nails using the table saw and what you should have?
Generally, You can cut nails inside wood using a table saw with HSS or tungsten carbide saw blade. First, you need to detect the nail using a metal detector and then remove it to minimize any rusting problems. You can use a DIABLO saw blade for the cutting process.
Accidently, we may have to cut the nail or any metal inside the wood. In this process, our saw blade and tool should not damage. So let me explain to you all in detail about the possibilities of cutting the nails using the table saw. So let’s keep reading on!
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What Happen When Nail Inside the Wood?

Nail is used for the connecting wood parts. Using nails, we can connect woods together. Sometimes we have to use screws. Anyway, nails can remain deep inside the wood. Sometimes the head can be broken due to some reasons and the body can remain inside the wood. It is really hard to remove such a nail without disturbing the wood surface.
When we reuse those kinds of woods, we have a cutting problem due to inside nails or steel parts. When we reuse the woods, we may need to process them by cutting or drilling those. So inside nails will damage the cutting tools. So it will gain many problems.
When wood is open to the water, nails will be rusting due to water. So rusting marks will damage the wood surface visibility and some time shape can be changed. So make sure to remove any type of steel inside the wood.
When we consider the tool, those can be damaged if the blade is regular. Some times workpiece can backfire, and the saw blade can wobble. So you had better know what is inside of the workpiece. Small size nails can be cut easily. But higher diameter nails are not able to cut quickly.
Solutions for the Inside Nails Before Table Cutting
In this topic, we can have two main solutions.
Detect the Nail and Remove it
This is the most suitable solution. Before you cut the wood piece, you had better check it with a metal detector. If there is any metal part inside you had better cut and remove it. Removing such a nail part will damage the surface of the wood. So you have to add another filler material to fill the cavity of the steel part.
So many metal detectors are available in the market for the detect metals. So you had better check the wood before cutting it.
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Cut With the Inside Nail
If we are not able to detect it and remove it, we have to cut the nail. Before we do this, we must know what is the specification of the tool that we have. Normally table saws are with saw blades. We have to use the proper saw blade for cutting the Nail inside the wood.
If we use a regular saw blade, it can be broken due to the hardness of the steel part. But if you use the carbide saw blade, you can cut the Nail easily. We have to pay attention to two things here. Normally wood saw blades is with teeth. So the used saw blade should be powered by the carbide tips.
You can use a regular saw blade until the first hit of the steel and use the grinding blade to cut the Nail. That is not suitable. Because it will damage the cutting surface. Grinding will abrade the material, and as a result of it, there will be scorching marks. So do not use the grinder for cutting the steel part.
The coolest part is, there are saw blades that can use for both wood and steel together. If you use that kind of saw blade, you can cut it all together. These blades are made with carbide tips, and it is durable such as 40X of regular saw blades.
DIABLO is the most used saw blade, and you can buy it using Home Depot. It will cost about 31$, and it is available in various diameters up to 6 1/2″ with a various number of teeth.
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Recommendations
Do not use any grinder to cut the steel in the wood. It will keep the burning mark due to generating heat. Always use the saw blade with teeth to cut together. It will not remain any mark on it.
How to Cut Through Nail Using Table Saw?
Step 01 – Identify the Nail
First, you should Identify the Nail or any metal inside the wood. You can use the metal detector for this task. Take a pencil and mark the cutting path and make sure the nail has crossed the cutting path. To understand the effect of the nail to the cutting process.
Step 02 – Use the Proper Saw Blade
In this step, you must use wood and metal cutting blade for the cutting process. Normally, regular blades will damage the teeth when you use them for the cutting process. So you had better use a suitable saw blade.
Step 03 – Keep the Low RPM.
In this step, you should keep the low RPM for cutting the steel. Low RPM will not provide a smooth cutting surface. So you had better keep the right RPM in a mid-value as it matches to both wood and steel. If you use high RPM it will affect the blade performance because steel cutting is better to do at low RPM. But if you use lower, you can see bad surface finishing. So have the average value for the with your experience.
Step 04 – Feed the Workpiece With Lower Feeding Rate
After you set up the tool and then start it. Then you have to feed the workpiece by checking the RPM and surface cutting.
Step 05 – Hold Tight When Cutting the Nail
This is essential. You can observe workpiece can be shocked when the blade starts to cut the Nail. So touch it hard as it moves forward when you cut it. Do not much lose it.
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Effect of Nail Cutting Using the Table Saw?
Imagine you cut the wood with the nail without removing it. So what is the problem here? You can observe the nail surface has opened to the wood surface. When the water touches the surface, it will start to rust. So the surface will damage due to the corrosion effect if that is not covered by the atmosphere.
If it is subjected to wet, it will speed the process. So I can strongly advise you not to keep any metal parts inside the wood. It will gain many problems.
On the other hand, it will negatively affect the tools. The tool can be damaged due to wrong usage, misuse, and improper cutting speed.