If you could have only one 10" TS blade

[Ron Taylor]

what would it be?

I'm lazy when it comes to changing blades. If I have a High DPI paneling blade on and need to do a quick rip... I use the fine-tooth blade. Ripping stuff and need to do a couple of crosscuts, I usually use the rip blade unless its for something really important.

Consequently, most of the time I buy moderately priced ($20-$40 depending on sale prices), combination carbide blades. But, I don't have a "favorite".

What about you?


Conversely, what do you consider a good selection of blades to have on hand.

[Ron Taylor]

WHY?

[Ken Salisbury]

This is a real easy one to answer !!!! Forrest WWII - regular kerf
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"nothing runs like a Deere and nothing cuts like a Forrest"

You get what you pay for !

[Lee Schierer]

Give Freud blades a spin. You'll not regret it. The cuts are dramatically better than the other brand blades in the same price range. The Freud LU82. List price is $60, but you can usually find a sale where it is $40-45.

[Dave Arbuckle]

Takes me less than a minute to change out a sawblade. If I get out of bed in the same amount of time I get dizzy. Why compromise? ;)

Dave

[Jim Becker]

I'm also a Forrest fan and the WW-II 40t is on my saw most of the time. Since I recently destroyed my Freud 24t ripping blade (ripping a couple of screws right down the middle...) I picked up the new Forrest 20t ripping blade. Yea...I'm hooked. :D

[John Longwitz]

...the Borgs sell mostly, if not all, TK (thin kerf) series Freuds. I have had decent results with them but prefer the LU's. The LU series (full kerf) are not so prevalent but rather good. I have not yet graduated to the Forrest WWII but may do so soon.

[Phil Phelps]

Originally posted by Dave Arbuckle
Takes me less than a minute to change out a sawblade. If I get out of bed in the same amount of time I get dizzy. Why compromise? ;)

Dave
I'll bet he get's out on the left side. :p

[Dave Avery]

I'm with Mr. Arbuckle, separate blades. I use a 24T Leitz for ripping and Ken's beloved WWII (thin kerf version) for crosscutting. If given a choice of only 1, I'd choose the Leitz. Dave.

[Ace Karner]

I have a WWII thin kerf with stabilizers since I only have a 1 1.2 HP contractors saw. I get glue quality rips and smooth crosscuts every time.

I also have an Oldham 8 inch stacked cutter dado set which does a fairly good job.

[Kent Cori]

I use the Forrest WWII 40 tooth, regular kerf. It is one of the best investments I've ever made. I use it on almost everything except pressure treated wood. I have an OEM junk blade for that stuff.

[JayStPeter]

WWII. I only change it when I'm cutting something nasty (MDF, Plastic, Aluminum) or putting the Dado on.

[George Summers]

I have two Freud LU84, full kerf, 50 tooth combo, plain steel (no teflon, no chrome). I change them out when one goes to sharpening. I may someday, in the distant future, try a Forrest. They may, as people say, cut better than the Freud, but I cannot see how they will cut twice as good as my Freud for twice the price. These are used on a 1.5HP contractors saw and I have had no power problems. There are new Freud designs out that are said to be better than the LU84 and I may try them someday also (after Freud discontinues the LU84 maybe). If ripping thick lumber I will switch to a cheap ripping blade but that doesn't happen too often.

Yep, you get what you pay for, and if I'm going to pay twice as much, I will expect twice the cut and I don't think I will get that from Forrest.

George

[John Snyder]

Forrest 10X30 ... I also have the 10X40 & imho, you don't lose that much cross cut smoothness with the 30 & it rips practically like a rip blade. IMHO, its the best combo blade on the planet...

JS

[Jim Young]

Another WWII fan here. I only remove it when I know I'll be doing a lot of ripping.

[Joe_Ott]

Systamatic Plymaster - for plywood
Systamatic Rip/Glue Joint - for ripping
Frued F80 (I think it is) for Crosscuts
Frued stacked dado set (sd508? I think)
Other cheapos for junk woods like PT or something. I don't exactly remember the models numbers/names.

I don't see how you can have just one blade do all things equally well. A combo blade makes sacrafices in its design, doesn't it? (I don't know - I'm asking). A single purpose blade, a rip blade for example, is engineered to rip the wood with the best possible cut/results. It seems to me that a blade designed to both rip and crosscut compromises a little in order to have acceptable cuts with either use. Again, I don't know, I'm not an expert. It seems logical though.

I suspect a lot has to do with your TS set-up and quality as well.

To answer Ron's question, I wouldn't have just one. Just like I can't have just one Bud lite.... :)

Joe

[nic obie]

I also am with Arbuckle on this one.

I use a old (and much loved) Delta industrial 18 tooth for ripping and a 80 tooth Frued for most everthing else.

However I bought a Leitz 50 tooth combo a few months ago and am amazed how good it works for everything. In fact this blade might change my mind about combos. But if it's a crucial cut, I still switch blades.

[David Ripley]

I too use the ww-2, thin kerf with stabilizer.

[Rob Sandow]

40T standard kerf WWII. There's nothing it doesn't do well (except make flat bottomed slots), and lots of things it does exceptionally well. Chip-free melamine and cross-cuts in even "luann" veneer plywood. You can get a blade that'll rip faster, no doubt, but not one that'll leave a smoother edge. on a rip.

Rob

[steve banks]

For money, you can't with the value of Jesada.

[Bob Reilly]

WW11 hands down,it doesn't get any better

[Bill Esposito]

My blade compliment is as follows.

LU84 50T combo (chrome) $49
LM72 24T Rip (teflon) $44
LU85 80T Crosscut (teflon) $45

My next blade will be a LU91 60T SCMS blade

I use the LU84 for most things and pop in the Lu85 when I need a polished crosscut or when cutting plywood. I use the LM72 when ripping larger than 4/4

[Glenn Clabo]

Well...
I haven't been able to get down in the shop for the last few weeks...our submarines are a little busy lately. So when this thread came up I went over to Rockler and it just so happens that there is a sale on. So...following in the footsteps of my lady with shoe purchases...I spent some money to make me feel better and today it was sitting on the front steps when I got home.

So now I have a Freud TK306,TK206,L084 AND a Forrest WWII for the old TS.

Thanks everyone I feel MUCH better.