Smaller Table Saw Blades

[Harvey Pascoe]

Just thought I'd throw this out there FWIW. One solution to turning too much very expensive tropical hardwood to sawdust. I cut lots of small pieces of wood and have long choked over how much wood I turn to sawdust with my WWII blades. So I tried using relatively cheap 7-1/4" blades from the hardware store. Quality of cut was totally unsatisfactory.

Then I discovered Matsushita 7-1/4 blades on line for only $16 each. Decent quality blades with a 1/16" kerf which I now use almost exclusively except for very thick stock. Cuts my sawdust waste down by half and makes me very happy.

For cutting shop-sawn veneers such as delicate spalted maple and burls, try a 7-1/4 plywood blade that usually avoids ripping the corners off of weak woods. In this way I avoid the risks of trying to hold a back up piece in place to prevent corner chipping.

[mark kosse]

Just curious, have you tried the frued 7.25"?

I have a 8" Rockwell 34-600 table saw that I've been using the 1/16" kerf Frued 7.25" circular saw blades with no complaints. I too like the smaller loss and the cost difference between the 7.25 and a 8" is significant. Most of the stuff I do is 1" or less and the 7.25 does it fine.

[Don Alexander]

one of the best portable table saw setups i have ever used i made myself utilising a Milwaukee 7.25in circular saw

2 things i wish ...........

1. that i had not dismantled the saw when i moved the last time
2. that i had thought to take pictures of it before i dismantled it

oh well if the need arises i can always make another one

[Tim Put]

Just curious, have you tried the frued 7.25"?

Big +1.

The 24 and 40 tooth Freud Diablos are fantastic and pretty cheap.
Look for 740A/X and 724A/X.

[Bob Elliott]

I bought a Freud Diablo at Home Depot that I use exclusively for breaking down plywood. Now I found another use for it. Thanks!

[Gene Howe]

I like the Tenryu 7.25 blades on the TS as well as on my Skil Worm drive.
But, I've got to try the Matushita thin one. that sounds pretty neat. About the same price, too.
Where did you find them?

[Van Huskey]

It isn't cheap but the best cut I have gotten from a 7.25" blade is the Freud Indutrial LU79007R especially for breaking down plywood. The quality of cut is better and the high quality lasts much longer than the Diablo versions but it isn't uber-thin kerf at .079". The 160mm version is better than the Festool blade IMHO.

[Dell Littlefield]

I agree with the Matsushita blade. Ive had one about 10 years. When ripping 1/4 inch strips to make a canoe, the smaller kerf makes good sense. Additionally, an underpowered saw has less trouble with this blade.