Should I use a blade stabilizer with my thin kerf 10" saw blade?

[dennis thompson]

As the title says: should I use a blade stabilizer with my 10" thin kerf table saw blade? What are the pros & cons of them? If yes, which one?
Thanks
Dennis

[Chris Rosenberger]

I use Forrest stabilizers with all blades on my table saws & radial arm saw, except Dado blades. I have them in several sizes for different size blades & different depths of cut.

The only con I can think of is the cost.

The pros for me are a smoother & quieter cut.

[Lee Schierer]

I've used a Freud thin kerf ripping blade on my TS for over 12 years and I don't use stabilizers. My cuts are so smooth you have to look extremely closely to find any tooth marks. There have been several previous threads regarding this topic over the years and the consensus seems to be that they add little if any value. If they are precision machined they might help. My father had a set that were slightly concave on one side and you put the concave side toward the blade so that when you tightened the arbor nut they would actually compress the blade at the rim.

They do add weight to the blade and increase the inertia slightly, but they also limit the height of the cut you can make. They also move your blade to one side so if you use a splitter you may have alignment problems between the blade and the splitter.

Here's a previous thread: Blade Stabilizers (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?98641-TS-Blade-Stiffeners&highlight=blade+stabilizers)

[John Schweikert]

Stabilizers/dampeners won't move the position of the blade. You're only supposed to use one on the outside of the blade, so no change where the blade sits relative to a riving knife or splitter. I use a Forrest 5" dampener with a 10" WWII and find my cuts are as perfect as they could ever be. I have from time to time used the same dampener with a Freud thin kerf rip blade. If anything, the dampener helps to lessen any blade deflection on long rips in case the wood gets tweaked at all side to side. Yes, a dampener does reduce the depth of cut, but it requires little time and effort to pull off the dampener if you really need 3" deep cuts.

As said before, smoother and quieter cuts. Whether full kerf or thin kerf shouldn't matter, a dampener will benefit them both the same.

[Matt Day]

Stabilizers/dampeners won't move the position of the blade. You're only supposed to use one on the outside of the blade, so no change where the blade sits relative to a riving knife or splitter.

John,

I don't think all blade stiffeners are the same. I actually just ordered some of these from Lee Valley:
http://www.leevalley.com/US/Wood/page.aspx?p=30075&cat=1,41080,51225&ap=1
And clearly they go on both sides of the blade, and move the blade out.
If you had basically a flat washer you could just use one, but if you have the style that apply pressure only at one spot (like the LV) you need two.

[scott spencer]

I wouldn't buy one unless it was obviously needed, and even then it's often a bandaid for a bigger issue. The vast majority of high quality 3/32" thin kerf blades that are mounted to a well tuned saw with an arbor that spins true won't need them in most materials. I've never noticed a difference with or without on any of my saws.

The downsides are cost, loss of cutting height, and masking an issue with the saw or a defective blade.

[glenn bradley]

I stopped using stabilizers once I got my C-man 22124 aligned correctly. They were unnecessary. I did use them on my contractor saw as the saw was not super stable in and of itself. Anything I could do to minimize transfer of this to the blade was worthwhile. Your benefit will vary with your saw. For the most part I would avoid them unless they actually fix something that you cannot correct some other way.

[dennis thompson]

Thanks for the responses. I also looked at the thread Lee mentioned. I don't think I'll be buying one right now
Thanks again
Dennis

[George Bokros]

I use stabilizers and they are designed to go on both sides of the blade and have specific sides that need to be against the blade.

George

[Ole Anderson]

I used one previously, but that was on a RAS that did not have a large machined stabilizing "washer" to go under the nut as my G1023 now has. With my 3 hp cabinet saw, I see no value in going with a thin kerf blade. If kerf thickness is an issue, I step to the bandsaw.

[Chris Rosenberger]

I use stabilizers and they are designed to go on both sides of the blade and have specific sides that need to be against the blade.

George

Not all stabilizers are designed to be used on both sides of the blade. The Forrest stabilizers being one of them that are used only on one side.

[Julie Moriarty]

I use Forrest stabilizers with all blades on my table saws & radial arm saw, except Dado blades. I have them in several sizes for different size blades & different depths of cut.

The only con I can think of is the cost.

The pros for me are a smoother & quieter cut.

Ditto. Word for word.

[Howard Acheson]

>>>> You're only supposed to use one on the outside of the blade,

That's not true. There are two types of stabilizer/dampers. One is nothing more than a flat plate.(Forrest type) The flat plate is used singly typically on the outside of the blade. The second consists of two plates (Freud type) that are shaped so that the blade is gripped by the outer flanges of the stabilizer. If only one is used, it will produce forces that can distort the blade. This type will cause a pre-existing kerf to be moved by the thickness of the kerf.

Be sure you know which type you have. Those that require two will be sold with two in the packaging.

Now it is my opinion after many years of woodworking that it you purchase good blade initially, you are only feeding more money to the blade manufacturer if you elect to purchase stabilizers.

[Jim Neeley]

Ditto. Word for word.
Double-ditto. :-)

[Mark Burnette]

Without a stabilizer the 3/32 Forrest blade on my RAS "zings" annoyingly. With the 5" stabilizer mounted it's as quiet as my Unisaw, with equal or better cut quality.