Need a new Table saw blade

[drw]

Jim, as you have seen with your inquiry we all have our opinions about the best saw blade. My only comment is that I use my table saw primarily for rip cuts and my miter saw for crosscuts. That said, I always use blades designed for ripping on my table saw, ripping with a crosscut blade typically results in ragged cuts.

 

[pop-pop]

This has become my choice for a “leave it in the saw most of the time” table saw blade. Decent quality crosscuts and rips. Kerf is flat top. Less than $40 at Klingspor’s.

An odd minor downside is it tends to accumulate pitch around the laser cuts when sawing SYP.

 

[mkepke]

FWIW, I use a Forrest WW2 and before that a similar CMT. I’m sold on the ATB as a general purpose table saw blade.

Like Donn, my ‘general purpose’ TS-use is mostly ripping tho which plays to the 40 tooth count and ATB profile.

Crosscut is an 80 tooth DMT on the 10” mitersaw and a 100 tooth 14” Forrest on the RAS.

-Mark

 

[tvrgeek]

Been trying a multi-purpose blade. Leitz/Harvey Destroyer. Nope. Going back to my rip and crosscut. Not bad and better than the Freud if I remember, but not as smooth as my Amana 60 tooth crosscut and way slower on rip than my 24 tooth CMT. I got it as a thank you from Harvey for buying multiple tools. I do appreciate that. Most of the time my saw has the rip on it as that is 90% of what I use the TS for. Now, if I had a job-site saw and used it for carpentry, then a multi-purpose is a no brainer. I was cutting up the 1/2 inch phenolic for my router sled, and the multi is probably a good choice. Had a thought. If doing raised panels on the TS, one cut is cross, one rip. What the best blade would be. Guessing the crosscut for smoothness but the outline cuts need to be a flat top rip. I'm still not ready to spin a router bit that big in my router table. I wonder what a outer DADO blade would do. Flat top but designed to shear.

Never bought a specific melamine blade as if I am being critical, I just to a 32nd or so scoring cut first. Had one of those Ridge super 2000 somethings on the old contractor saw and it was underpowered. Tried the super-duper Freud job and besides not that great a cut, lost teeth. I had two Freud lose teeth and had chips on another when only cutting wood. They were thin kerf as it was the contractor saw. Their Hardi-Board circ saw blade did hold up reasonably well. I had a cheap one, Home Depot something. Lasted two cuts before it lost a tooth. So, a fan of blue and orange. Hmmm. Better not let any Irish hear that.

Happy with the Festool blade on the miter saw so did not put my 80 tooth Amana on it. I have not experimented with 8 inch or smaller blades. I know some instrument makers swear by them. Well, DADO set if that counts.

 

[goodmanbass]

I like CMT. Freud blades are good but don’t hold an edge as long.

I’ve never unplugged a table saw in my life to change a blade. Its almost impossible to turn the switch on accidentally, but whatever makes you feel safe.

When changing blades on the SawStop you should turn the on/off button off to deactivate the brake, so there’s no need to unplug it.

Another vote for the orange brand here. They're the sweet spot for price/performance for me.

 

[bob vaughan]

Whenever I'm sizing furniture parts, I'll switch to an 8" Woodworker II. It can't be beat for that purpose. Also works great on furniture grade plywood.
Someone gave me one to try because they knew darn well I wouldn't buy one on speculation. His point was made and now I'm a convert like so many others.

 

[Rwe2156]

IMO you can’t really recommend a single blade for everything, although a really sharp blade can just about everything. A 40t comes close bud it’s gotta be sharp. I’ve always found rip blades rip better for ripping especially hardwood. I‘m not a huge Freud fan but the glue line rip is pretty awesome - as long as it’s sharp.

Plywood blades best to use high tooth count. I use double side melamine blades.

I also have duplicates of everything so when blades are off to sharpen I’m not down. They are an investment so buy a blade worth sharpening.

 

[JRedding]

Jim -

While my blades are primarily Freud, I’ve got different blades for different functions and switch them out regularly - it‘s a quick and easy process. I have a 24 tooth and 30 tooth glue line rip blades, a 40 tooth general purpose, 60 tooth crosscut and 80 tooth ply/melamine. Maybe it’s overkill or some will think it’s buying into hype, but I’ve seen differences particularly with a 40 vs 80. The 24 vs 30 difference in what I’m using it for - creating a straight edge in thick wood (8/4) on a sled gets the 24, while the 30 will actually give a glue ready edge.

It’s an initial investment, but given my weekend usage since I still work they last.

John

 

[Westpacx3]

Jim -

While my blades are primarily Freud, I’ve got different blades for different functions and switch them out regularly - it‘s a quick and easy process. I have a 24 tooth and 30 tooth glue line rip blades, a 40 tooth general purpose, 60 tooth crosscut and 80 tooth ply/melamine. Maybe it’s overkill or some will think it’s buying into hype, but I’ve seen differences particularly with a 40 vs 80. The 24 vs 30 difference in what I’m using it for - creating a straight edge in thick wood (8/4) on a sled gets the 24, while the 30 will actually give a glue ready edge.

It’s an initial investment, but given my weekend usage since I still work they last.

John

Hey John, I like my 2 Freud blades. The glue line works really well and the 60 flat tooth does as well. My rip blades at this point are craftsman or dewalt I think from Lowes..sometimes ignorance is bliss but I need a to get those off when I get to better and more critical projects.

 

[bob vaughan]

IMO you can’t really recommend a single blade for everything, although a really sharp blade can just about everything. A 40t comes close bud it’s gotta be sharp. I’ve always found rip blades rip better for ripping especially hardwood. I‘m not a huge Freud fan but the glue line rip is pretty awesome - as long as it’s sharp.

Plywood blades best to use high tooth count. I use double side melamine blades.

I also have duplicates of everything so when blades are off to sharpen I’m not down. They are an investment so buy a blade worth sharpening.

That pretty much says it all.
I've been sucked in by the "latest and greatest" sawblade fads over the years. A lot is going to depend on your past experience and expectations.


Taken in 2011

 

[JimD]

I have a drawer full of table saw blades of mixed manufacture. I have at least one CMT. It was fine but I don't think it was better than a Freud. I have a Freud that was resharpened by Ridge and it was better than new. But the sharpening cost more than the blade. I leave a 50 tooth Freud that has 40 ATB teeth and 10 flat topped ripping blades on the saw most of the time. It rips pretty well and crosscuts pretty well. For a really critical or deep cut I may switch it out but it does most things well. Freud blades are inexpensive enough I do not usually bother to have them resharpened. That is important for a SawStop because the safety system will not work if the blade is ground a little smaller in diameter. A Ridge or Forrest blade could be made more economical by resharpening but not on a Sawstop.

 

[Gofor]

I have mostly Freud blades (full thickness for the most part). The cut I am least happy with is the 50t (10") general purpose, but use it for rough cuts. Doesn't seem to do either cross cut or rip good. OK maybe, but not finish work. The glue-line rip is very good, and the higher count ATB cross-cut does good as well.

 

[tvrgeek]

I have a drawer full of table saw blades of mixed manufacture. I have at least one CMT. It was fine but I don't think it was better than a Freud. I have a Freud that was resharpened by Ridge and it was better than new. But the sharpening cost more than the blade. I leave a 50 tooth Freud that has 40 ATB teeth and 10 flat topped ripping blades on the saw most of the time. It rips pretty well and crosscuts pretty well. For a really critical or deep cut I may switch it out but it does most things well. Freud blades are inexpensive enough I do not usually bother to have them resharpened. That is important for a SawStop because the safety system will not work if the blade is ground a little smaller in diameter. A Ridge or Forrest blade could be made more economical by resharpening but not on a Sawstop.

A few thou? I find that hard to believe. The shoe slams in a good distance from all the pictures I have seen. 1/4 inch at least.

Too bad the old woodworkers shows are pretty much defunct. Ridge used to have a booth at the entrance and would do one blade for free.

My experience puts Freud along with DeWalt tools. Only if no other option is available but my last choice. All advertising and placement, not performance. For carpentry, sure disposable Diablo blades are better than most cheap ones.

 

[Rwe2156]

That is important for a SawStop because the safety system will not work if the blade is ground a little smaller in diameter.

I don't believe this is correct. I researched this as I have several blades that are outside the recommended gap. What I found in researching is it will still work, but will be a few milliseconds longer to stop. My assumption is this is something SS figured out. I'm sure you'd probably get a more severe injury and it a blade out of spec protects SS from lawsuits.

 

[bowman]

SawStop includes a gauge to check the gap between blade and brake. There is an adjustment if the gap is too wide.

 

[Rwe2156]

SawStop includes a gauge to check the gap between blade and brake. There is an adjustment if the gap is too wide.

I have blades that even when the brake is adjusted to maximum closeness, the gap it still too big.