Blade diameter and cutting depth: verify the capacity of your saw
To confirm cutting depth, use the saw manufacturer's capacity data for the exact model and approved blade configuration. Do not calculate usable depth as half the blade diameter. The flanges, guard and other machine components limit how far the blade can enter the work.
Two blades with the same nominal size do not establish the same depth on every saw. Even a depth claim printed on blade packaging may differ from the depth available on the machine. Husqvarna's selection guidance explicitly identifies the actual blade diameter, saw type and flange dimensions as relevant factors.
Keep three dimensions separate
- Required cutting depth: the depth specified for the particular joint, repair or removal cut.
- Blade outside diameter: the supplied blade's actual specified diameter, checked against the saw's permitted sizes.
- Machine cutting capacity: the manufacturer's maximum depth for the relevant configuration.
The first is a project requirement. The other two are equipment facts. A maximum-capacity figure does not tell you what depth the pavement design requires or how much to cut in each pass.
Use a model-specific verification record
Complete one record for each saw and proposed blade combination. Keep the manufacturer's units and record the source beside each value.
| Record | Where to obtain it |
|---|---|
| Required depth and applicable cut detail | Approved drawing or work instruction |
| Saw make, model, variant and identification | Machine plate and matching manual |
| Permitted blade diameter or diameter range | Manual's blade and technical-data sections |
| Proposed blade's actual specified outside diameter | Blade marking and confirmed supplier specification |
| Guard and flange configuration | Manual and inspection of the isolated machine |
| Maximum cutting depth for that configuration | Manufacturer's applicable capacity data |
| Depth-indicator setup and verification method | Model-specific operating instructions |
Do not fill missing values using an inch-to-millimetre conversion of a product title. A nominal sales size is not a measurement of the supplied blade. If the listing and manual use different descriptions, obtain the exact dimension before ordering.
Read the capacity statement in context
As a worked document-checking example, the Husqvarna FS 400 LV product page lists maximum blade diameter and maximum cutting depth as separate specifications and provides operator-manual downloads. That is the type of evidence to collect for your own model. It is not confirmation that any Jagson blade fits this saw.
Check the manual against the actual machine, particularly where a model has different variants or has been supplied with different equipment. If the documents do not establish the depth for your configuration, ask the machine manufacturer or authorised service provider to resolve it. A physical clearance check alone does not approve a blade size.
When the required cut is deeper than the verified capacity
Choose equipment or a cutting method approved for the required work. Do not remove or alter a guard, change flanges outside manufacturer instructions or install an oversized blade to gain depth. Additional passes do not increase the saw's maximum geometric reach.
Once capacity is established, set and verify the depth indicator using the manual. Follow the specified cutting procedure; the machine's maximum depth is not a universal single-pass recommendation.
Turn the record into a blade enquiry
If you are still comparing machines, use the road cutter machine selection guide. If the machine is fixed, compare road cutting blade listings and send Jagson the verification record, material details and proposed product link. Diameter and depth are only part of fit: check the bore, arbor and RPM requirements as well.