Freud LU87R010 TK Rip blade, different tooth/gullet design?

[Leo Aliaga]

Hi everyone,


I recently got a Freud LU87R010 thin kerf rip blade from Amazon and noticed the tooth/gullet design is different from what's pictured. This is my first time buying this blade. It's not so much the carbide tooth itself, rather the part just behind the tooth. Here is the blade I received:
375821


And here is what's shown on Amazon:
375823
The one pictured on their site has what they label as a kickback-reducing design - a part of the metal plate that extends backward from the tooth which not present on the blade I received.


I searched for some comment on this difference but didn't find anything yet. It seems like a small difference, but was wondering if anyone had some insight into a change in the design. Freud's website shows the same version as what's shown in the Amazon pic. Maybe Amazon sent me an older version?


Thanks so much for your time and help!
Leo


P.S., s a side note, Woodcraft's site shows the version of the blade I received.

[George Bokros]

I do not think the gullet design makes any difference on how it cuts.

[Leo Aliaga]

Hi George,

Thanks for the reply. Yeah, I figured it probably doesn't make any difference in terms of the cut. I wonder how much of a difference the "kickback-reducing" design makes. If you take the usual precautions of using a splitter (no riving knife for me), properly set up fence, and good technique, would it actually add much?

Leo

[Lee Schierer]

Make sure your blade is aligned properly with the miter slot and then align your fence to the same miter slot.

[Rod Sheridan]

Hi George,

Thanks for the reply. Yeah, I figured it probably doesn't make any difference in terms of the cut. I wonder how much of a difference the "kickback-reducing" design makes. If you take the usual precautions of using a splitter (no riving knife for me), properly set up fence, and good technique, would it actually add much?

Leo

Hi Leo, I would also add that for solid wood "properly set up fence" includes using a short fence that ends at the gullet on the front of the saw blade.

Here's a video showing ripping with a short fence.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=luS0q1GmjxM

.....Regards, Rod.

[Ted Derryberry]

I've been using that model blade for several years and have at least two of them. Both look like the picture on Amazon. I'd say you got a "newer" version.

[Leo Aliaga]

Hi Rod,

Thanks for the info & video link.
I've often seen recommendations for a shorter fence that ends at the back of the blade, or goes maybe an inch or so past the last tooth. Having the fence end at the front of the blade would do an even better job of preventing kickback, but I wonder how hard it is to control the last bit of wood as it's pushed into the blade with very little fence left to ride on. I am still a newbie...maybe something that just comes with practice.

I recently got my first table saw (GI 50-175) and this forum has been a wealth of information in terms of set up, safety, dust collection & more. Thanks once again for sharing your experience and wisdom!

Leo

[Jacques Gagnon]

Rod:

The system indicates that you cannot receive private messages.

Santa's elves have probably filled your inbox while you were away!:D

J.

[scott spencer]

It looks like Freud has changed the design of the anti-kickback shoulders on the LU87. Should have little to no impact on performance if the tooth configuration is the same. If anything, yours looks to be the newer design. Still made in Italy.

[Joe Kaufman]

My guess is that the modification to the anti-kickback feature is to get Sawstop approval for use in their saws.

[Leo Aliaga]

Interesting...
Thanks everyone for the info!

Leo

[Rod Sheridan]

Rod:

The system indicates that you cannot receive private messages.

Santa's elves have probably filled your inbox while you were away!:D

J.

Jacques, I've corrected that.......................Thanks, Rod.