Need Good 10" Rip Blade???

[Rick Mellin]

I'm looking for a few recommendations on a good 10" full kerf rip blade, because I have around 200 - 13/16" thick hard maple shelves that I need to rip. Thanks-Rick

[Joe Chritz]

The Forrest blades get high remarks from everyone. The Freud 24T ripping blade is another really good blade. The Glue line rip blade also gets high reviews and remarks from anything I have read, although I haven't used one.

That's a lot of shelves. You will be wishing for a power feeder after about 50. :D

Joe

[Tom Veatch]

I'm using the thin kerf version of the 24T Freud blade and am extremely well pleased with it. I can't imagine the 30T Glue Line Rip doing any better nor would I expect the full kerf version of the 24T blade to do any less.

[Larry Rasmussen]

It is very good. I used to use a glue joint rip way back and have tried a few dedicated rips since before starting to use good combo blades instead. I picked up a couple months ago at Rockler for 40 bucks or so. It's got me taking the time to change blades again for different applications again.

Regards,
Larry R.
Seattle

[Sonny Edmonds]

I use and recommend SystiMatic saw blades because most of the professionals I know of also use them.
They are Industrial quality blades.
I have several that are over ten years old and running strong. Full kirf is the only thing I'll hang on my arbor.

[Ken Milhinch]

My vote goes to the Freud Glue Line Rip blade. It will rip perfect edges which require no cleanup and no burning. I use it and I love it.

[Stephen Edwards]

I use and recommend SystiMatic saw blades because most of the professionals I know of also use them.
They are Industrial quality blades.
I have several that are over ten years old and running strong. Full kirf is the only thing I'll hang on my arbor.

Sonny,

What's the reasoning behind full kerf blades only?

Thanks,

[Larry Edgerton]

FS Tool, an industrial blade company. I buy them from Ballew tool

[Larry Edgerton]

I use a heavy plate full kerf because I don't think that a thin kerf save you any wood. It always wobbles and makes you have to joint both pieces anyway, so what did you save?

With a thick blade you can jointone side, and if there are no big flaws that cause bows just keep ripping pieces off without running to the jointer. I then bundle and size in the planer, done.

[scott spencer]

Rick - 13/16" shouldn't pose much resistance for your saw with any number of decent blades including some with up to 60 teeth, so you're not necessarily limited to a ripping blade, though they're always handy to have on hand.

Hard to go wrong with Forrest, Infinity, Ridge Carbide, Freud's top line, Tenryu, or Amana Industrial. Most ripping blades typically have 20T-30T, though there are exceptions. Most will leave a glue ready edge. If all other parameters are equal, more teeth should equate to a cleaner cut, but with the caveat that there will be increased resistance, which can lead to an increase in burning depending on how many teeth, the wood, your feedrate, and the saw's alignment, etc.

One of the more versatile blades I've used for ripping is the Forrest WWII 30T (http://www.epinions.com/review/Forrest_WW10307100_Woodworker_Ii_10_30_Tooth_5_8_A rbor_3_32_Kerf_Circular_Saw_Blade/content_411771899524). It cuts nearly as cleanly as the 40T version, but rips much more efficiently in thick stock, and still offers decent crosscut capability.

I've also had good results from the 24T FTG rippers from Infinity, Freud Industrial, DeWalt Series 40, Leitz, Amana Industrial's 20T, and CMT 30T TCG Glue Line Ripper.

[Sonny Edmonds]

Sonny,

What's the reasoning behind full kerf blades only?

Thanks,

I ran some thin kirf blades to see what the hub-bub was about, in my shop, the way I work.
If anything they not only didn't make cuts any easier on my saw (then a 1940's era Craftsman 100 with a 1 HP induction motor), but they also caused the blade to become slightly unstable in tougher sections of the wood.
Solid wood always has harder and easier areas in it. The thin kirf blades would get a visable harmonic vibration in them. That caused the kirf to widen, and required trips to the jointer between rip cuts. :mad:
Full kirf blades do not develope that vibration and have done smoother cuts in all the materials I commonly use.
I have a glue line rip Systimatic blade that is my main rip blade. it is due for its first sharpening, after 12 years of doing ripping on two different table saws. The above mentioned Craftsman, and a 5 HP Unisaw from 2000.
If your saw is tuned up right, only the teeth ever touch the wood. If the blade is stable as it cuts, the result will be smooth enough to glue without jointing.
Full kirf blades have more meat in the plate of the blade aiding stability as it cuts. Also the flywheel effect of the heavier blade.
I have and use job specific blades for my work. I don't mind if I need to change a blade for a specific thing I want to do. ;)

[glenn bradley]

I'm using the thin kerf version of the 24T Freud blade and am extremely well pleased with it. I can't imagine the 30T Glue Line Rip doing any better nor would I expect the full kerf version of the 24T blade to do any less.

I share Tom's experience.

[Rod Sheridan]

Rick, I use a 24 tooth Dimar rip blade, standard kerf.

Any industrial blade supply place in your area will be able to supply you with an equivalent blade.

Regards, Rod.

[Greg Narozniak]

24t Freud Rip blade for me. I only use it when i am ripping a ton of stock but when I do it works perfect.

[Gene Howe]

Tenyru, here. Industrial quality.
It may not be, but it actually feels heavier than any other of my (no longer used) blades.
BTW, Their circ saw blades are awesome for breaking down panels. No chip out.

[Douglas Brummett]

CMT dedicated 24t rip here. I have pushed through a couple hundred linear feet of 8/4 poplar, some oak, and maple. I am pleased thus far. I picked it up at Woodcraft. The sales staff also recommended the Freud rip blade, but commented that the cmt had larger carbide pads and the guy who did sharpening preferred them.

[BOB OLINGER]

I just started using the Freud thin kerf rip blade and so far, great, very satisfied; so much that I ordered another Freud crosscut blade. Looking to do a substantial amount of resawing on oak and popular during next few weeks, so it will be put to further test.

[John Thompson]

I have two CMT 24 T full kerfs and two Amana 20 T Euro full kerfs which are actually made by Dimar in Israel. The CMT's get the call on 6/4 and under and the Amana's on 8/4 and over. You didn't mention the TS HP but I would run full kert if 3 HP or over.

I have used Freud and FS in 24 T and are fine for 13/16". For that matter you can probably get away with a 40 T but it will slow the feed rate down and especially in maple which has a tendency to burn anyway. But.... if you are going to the jointer anyway for your edge, just rip 1/8" over and take it to the jointer for a 1/16" pass on each side which I always do regardless of species.

Good luck...

Sarge..

[Tom Walz]

If you want a good blade spend $10 http://www.carbideprocessors.com/store/sawblades-Economyblade.html

If you want "like sanded" cuts spend $25.

http://www.carbideprocessors.com/store/finalcut.html

Maybe not as good as the $80 and $100 blades but still a good ripping blade.

tom

[Lee Schierer]

I have and use a Freud 24T thin kerf rip blade. It does an excellent job, leaving a glue ready edge. For years I would glue up boards without edge jointing because I didn't have a jointer. I can't recall a single joint failure from saw edge glue joints. If your saw is properly aligned you should get tooth mark free cuts and no burning.

The thin kerf blades are designed for less powerful saws. Because they take a smaller bite out of the wood, they need less power to make the cut. If your saw is porperly aligned and you don't force teh cut, you should not see any blade deflection. Freud blades have radial expansion slots to prevent blade warp should the blade get warm. I've never flet mine get much above room temperature even after lots of ripping.

[Myk Rian]

I use the Freud glue line up to 1". If it's real rough lumber, I'll use the blade that came with my Steel City TS.

[Travis Teichmann]

I have recently started using the Freud 24t thin kerf rip blade and love it! I haven't tried others, but I get great smooth cuts with this one.

[Mike Wellner]

I like the Freud Glu Lam 1/8 rip blade

[Randy Rose]

Another vote for the Freud 24T full kerf

[Jerome Hanby]

My vote goes to the Freud Glue Line Rip blade. It will rip perfect edges which require no cleanup and no burning. I use it and I love it.

Same here.

[Mitch Barker]

I was using a thick kerf WWII on my contractors saw. Slow ripping with lots of burning. Out of desperation I bought the freud 24t thin kerf rip blade at woodcraft. Wow, what a difference. The blade sliced through 2" wenge with little resistance. I was truly shocked at the difference.

I presume the freud is so much better than the WWII because the freud is thin, 24T and sharpened for ripping (flat tops). Not sure which of these factors was most important, but it made think about putting my barely used WWII up on ebay and get a think kerf crosscut or combo blade. As someone else mentioned, I've started switcing blades more often. The goal of one universal blade remains unachieved.

[scott spencer]

I was using a thick kerf WWII on my contractors saw. Slow ripping with lots of burning. Out of desperation I bought the freud 24t thin kerf rip blade at woodcraft. Wow, what a difference. The blade sliced through 2" wenge with little resistance. I was truly shocked at the difference.

I presume the freud is so much better than the WWII because the freud is thin, 24T and sharpened for ripping (flat tops). Not sure which of these factors was most important, but it made think about putting my barely used WWII up on ebay and get a think kerf crosscut or combo blade. As someone else mentioned, I've started switcing blades more often. The goal of one universal blade remains unachieved.

An FTG grind is definitely more efficient at removing material, and it was new and clean, but it's likely the combination of width and number of teeth that really reduce the feed pressure the most. Your WWII has 67% more teeth, and is 33% wider than the 24T TK ripper. No single blade will do all things extremely well....though good combo blades will do alot of things reasonably well...they faulter most in the extreme ranges of heavy ripping and ultrafine crosscuts.

A good dedicated 24T ripper and 80T crosscut blade will certainly give the best performance in the extreme ranges, but they offer little versatility outside of their dedicated range. I really like the range and performance that a good 30T ATB blade offers in conjuction with a good 60T crosscut blade with a Hi-ATB grind and moderate positive hook (ie: 30T WWII and Infinity 010-060). The 30T will handle thick ripping noticeably better than the 40T...even upwards of 3", yet still crosscuts reasonably well, so you can get general purpose use out of it. The 60T Hi-ATB crosscuts very cleanly, especially in ply and melamine, rips well to ~ 5/4" in most materials, and can also be used for many general purpose tasks. Both give a hint of the performance of a dedicated ripper and dedicated crosscutter respectively without giving up the versatility. Both can be left in the saw for most general purpose work, and often don't need to be changed out until a task comes along in the extreme ranges.

Rick, are you still following this thread?

[Bruce Page]

24t Freud Rip blade for me. I only use it when i am ripping a ton of stock but when I do it works perfect.

I use mine the same way with the same results.