who makes the thinnest (kerf) tablesaw blade

[Louie Ballis]

In cutting apart box carcasses (for jewelry boxes that are either dovetailed or box jointed) I have used both the table saw and my trusty 14 inch Grizzly bandsaw.

My problem is that with the bandsaw, even with a new blade and tuned to the best of my (limited) ability, I still get some blade drift, espcially when cutting a 14x10 inch box.

When I use my table saw (outfitted with a freud combo blade) I loss about .125 inches of material which make the box or dovetail joints uneven. But the upside is a very straight clean cut.

Does anyone know of an extremily thin table saw blade. Or better yet, another way to do this?

What about a Japanese pul/pushl saw? I have never used one before but would it keep straight? Are the HF versions any good?

Grateful for any help

Louie

[john bateman]

If you look through Freuds circular saw blades, they have 7" and 8" blades with a kerf of less than 1/16".
Here's one.
http://www.amazon.com/Freud-D0740X-Finishing-Knockout-PermaShield/dp/B00008WQ2H/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=1271431979&sr=8-3

[Philip Johnson]

I know nothing about this blade except its on the new Rockler ad

Called a Micro Kerf 40 blade not cheap at 175 but says cuts as thin as a dime.

Phil

[Louie Ballis]

Thanks for the info John and Phillip.

I never thought to look anywhere but a 10 inch blade.

A silly question but I have to ask anyway....OK to use this in a 10 in table saw (5/8" arbor so thats not an issue)?

[Paul Atkins]

Glue up your boards with paper and then do your joinery-pop it apart when done with no kerf loss.

[Dave Sepucha]

I was thinking the same thing...

http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=22633&filter=thin%20kerf

Supposedly the thickness of a dime which is about 0.054 or 7/128 of an inch

[Brian Greb]

Here is the thinnest kerf blade i could find... looks pretty good but I haven't tried it yet.

http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=22633&filter=thin%20kerf%20saw%20blade

[Kevin Groenke]

We often just use an inexpensive 7-1/4" circular saw blade for cutting scale lumber. We have a couple in the shop at the moment that are .070" with 24 teeth -- nice cut -- I cannot read the manufacturer anymore, but they surely just came from a BORG.


I was a bit late on the draw on this one:

If you want to spend real money, Rockler has a thin blade targeted more directly at tablesaw users. At $175, it better be good.
http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=22633

-kg

[Louie Ballis]

Thanks, that blade available at Rockler for 175 seems only 1/100th narrower (if I did my math right) than the thin kerf circular saw blade.

Paul I didnt understand your reply of gluing up with paper before cutting, could you please explain this technique?

Thanks

Louie

[Frank Drew]

Japanese hand saws cut a very, very thin kerf, and aren't too difficult to get the hang of.

Another idea, and this is a traditional method -- make the dovetails where the box is going to be sawn a bit wider than the others, by a saw kerf + (for cleaning up).

[Brian Kincaid]

In cutting apart box carcasses (for jewelry boxes that are either dovetailed or box jointed)...I loss about .125 inches of material which make the box or dovetail joints uneven...

Louie,
I have done this a time or two. I adjusted my DT pattern (Leigh jig) to make up for the saw kerf loss. It's not easy.
-Brian

[David Epperson]

I've got a metal slitting saw blade that is 0.014" thick and right at 3" dia. You could probably rig one up in an arbor and an adjustable speed router, if the box sides are not thicker than 1/2" or so.

[Doug Shepard]

Is 0.023 thin enough? Only cuts 1/4" deep though.
http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Tools/Special_tools_for:_Fretting/Fret_Slotting_Table_Saw_Blade.html?actn=100101&xst=3&xsr=8364

[Van Huskey]

On a different tack, what blade are you using on the BS? In the long run thats where you need to concentrate is getting the BS drift worked out.

[Dennis Lopeman]

why not make a fence on your bandsaw? unless I'm misunderstanding what you are trying to accomplish...

[Dennis Lopeman]

There was something I watched on wood whisperer recently...

is this what you are trying to do?
http://thewoodwhisperer.com/smc-collaboration-whisper-mini/

This box is actually a collaborative effort by Sawmill Creek folks!!

[Van Huskey]

why not make a fence on your bandsaw? unless I'm misunderstanding what you are trying to accomplish...

I think his issue was drift which he should be able to account for if he has the right blade and the BS is tuned up. I think thats where he should focus his efforts in the long run.

[Louie Ballis]

I am using a 105 inch 8 tpi timberwolf bs blade (new). I am indeed using the fence and feeding the box with even pressure.

Now in retrospect I might be trying to saw too fast, but what is happening is that the blade going into the highest part of the box seems to track just fine but the side resting on the Bandsaw table seems to want to drift a little.

What do you think about a Japanese pull saw for this? I could do one side at a time and not have the large kerf of a table saw blade to contend with.

For me setting up the jig is hard enough without having to make an allowance for one pin and tail.

Thanks in advance and I am sure glad I found this forum.

Louie

[Frank Drew]

What do you think about a Japanese pull saw for this? I guess I should have been more emphatic in post #10; a Japanese rip saw would work fine for this, you'd lose a minimal amount of material, and there's very little risk of a mishap ruining your work. Once you've marked the cut lines, the actual cutting would take a minute or two. You'll need a good method of holding the work, though, like a bench vise.

[Louie Ballis]

Thanks Frank,

Any preferences as to the which saw (tpi, manufacturer, size)? Bench vise I have.

Oh yeah and where to buy?

[Van Huskey]

I am using a 105 inch 8 tpi timberwolf bs blade (new). I am indeed using the fence and feeding the box with even pressure.

Now in retrospect I might be trying to saw too fast, but what is happening is that the blade going into the highest part of the box seems to track just fine but the side resting on the Bandsaw table seems to want to drift a little.


Louie


You didn't say how wide the blade was, the wider the blade the less chance of drift in general terms. With that high a pitch blade it is easy to over feed it, remember the gullets are small and will pack up quickly.

[Ellen Benkin]

I use a thin kerf blade on my tablesaw and you must remember that the "regular" splitter will not work with it.

[Louie Ballis]

I use a thin kerf blade on my tablesaw and you must remember that the "regular" splitter will not work with it.


Ellen,

Just between us I never installed my spiltter (or blade guard). But that is a very good point to consider when you change the blade.

[Carbide Processors]

Hi there,

At Carbide Processors, we do sell Thin Kerf saw blades, but also give information and articles on saw blades for free so you can maintain your saw blades for longer. Below is a link to our website for Thin Kerf saw blades, I hope this helps!

http://www.carbideprocessors.com/categories/World%27s-Best/Thin-Kerf-Saw-Blades/

Megan Pahl
3847 S Union Ave
Tacoma, WA
98409
253-476-1338