This may not be the best forum for this question but figured it might get me the most exposure to my question. I am rebuilding my shop built skid steer mounted rotary brush cutter and would like to find an 18-24" heavy carbide saw blade to mount in place of the 4 swing blade boom axe style head I had on it. I am running into a lot of broom handle sized and smaller saplings amongst the larger stuff I cut with my shear and can't leave a clean job as they mash instead of cut. Also imagine giving a haircut cutting one hair at a time :cussing :dizzy. I don't have the prime mover for or justifiable demand for a Turbo Saw ($$$) and the head I had worked but wouldn't stay together. I have searched the internet and search results only come back with 8" x 18 or 24 tooth blades for hand tools. Anyone know where to look or are they made?
An 18" or 20" isn't that uncommon, and they're most common in a crosscut style that you want. I don't know if you'll find one as heavy as you'd like, but it should be fine for small saplings. Ebay is the place I'd go if I was going to ruin one quick. Have you considered a beefed up sickle mower? A typical sickle mower will cut through 1" saplings with no problem, just imagine what one could do if it was made out of thicker plate.
Delmer; I have a hydraulic Brush Shark head that is similar to a sickle which I even made to auto reciprocate. It works too slow though and tends to push saplings over and cut them at a nasty angle. A heavy duty one would be great but would take some engineering and machine work. I have been tag teaming with a friend who has a Turbo Saw with a 1/2" thick custom blade with replaceable inserts. It's like a weedeater on steroids but starts at 7K and requires high flow. I looked on Ebay for sawmill blades instead, and found several 20-54" 'antique' blades. If they are tool steel, can they be easily sharpened?
So you're part way there, you just need to take the hydraulic cylinder off and power it with a flywheel, crank and pitman A modern insert sawmill blade might work for you, but that might be hard to find in the smaller size. Non carbide blades are easy to sharpen, but if you hit a rock that's a lot of sharpening, even if you're using an angle grinder. Wouldn't hitting a rock hard enough take out all of the carbide teeth though? If you use relatively cheap used carbide cut off blades, I'd be taking teeth out with a grinder or torch as they loose the carbide, and then "sharpening" the rest (just keeping the steel lower than the carbide) If you're looking for a place to make a custom blade, go over to woodweb.com and ask there.