Hi, new to the forum...have a question.

[Stan DelAmitri]

Hi all...looking to hook my dad up with a new table saw blade for Christmas (he's got 1958 Craftsman that he bought used in '63...weighs 'bout a million pounds)...he's a professional cabinet maker and rips a whole lot of veneered plywood. Hinted around at what blade he uses...found he's running a CMT 10" Fine Finish blade, series 255...I can't seem to find too many reviews on CMT blades, but I've read a ton of great things about Forrest blades...the one that I found comparable would be the Forrest Duraline HI-A/T DH10807125 .125 kerf)...wanted to get yer input on CMT vs Forrest...thanx loads and Merry Christmas! :D

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Stan....Welcome to the Creek! A neat place to exchange information! I'm sure some of our members will gladly answer your question.

[aaron allen]

Welcome Stan.. I'm a newbie too, but it seems like a good bunch. The Forrest blades are great, but we hafata send them back to Forrest to get them sharpened properly. Now others may not agree, but they should be sharpened under coolant at least. Not sure about your saw ( horsepwr) but we run a thin kerf blade with a zero tolerance throat plate.

[Tyler Howell]

Aaron and Stan Welcome to the Creek. Great bunch of folks here.

[tod evans]

stan and aaron, welcome! stan, yes forrest makes good blades and if i had to choose between the two you list forrest would be my choice..02 tod

[Doug Shepard]

Hi all...looking to hook my dad up with a new table saw blade for Christmas (he's got 1958 Craftsman that he bought used in '63...weighs 'bout a million pounds)...he's a professional cabinet maker and rips a whole lot of veneered plywood. Hinted around at what blade he uses...found he's running a CMT 10" Fine Finish blade, series 255...I can't seem to find too many reviews on CMT blades, but I've read a ton of great things about Forrest blades...the one that I found comparable would be the Forrest Duraline HI-A/T DH10807125 .125 kerf)...wanted to get yer input on CMT vs Forrest...thanx loads and Merry Christmas! :D

Stan - welcome to the Creek.
Not sure I totally understand the question though. He's already got a CMT blade that he likes? Or dislikes? Or it's just worn out? Or he uses a CMT blade at work and this is for his home saw? Just not sure I understand why you're getting him a new one if he's already got one that he likes.
FWIW - for veneered ply I've got an 80 tooth Freud that I think gives a real nice cut. Don't have any experience with CMT or the Forrest Duraline though.

[John Bailey]

Stan and Aaron,

Welcome to the "Creek." It's a great place. I don't have a table saw, so I don't have an answer to your question, but others will have great, expert advice that you can count on.

John

[Dave Fifield]

Hi Stan (and Aaron),

I'm new here too. Great set of forums isn't it?! :)

I'm not new to woodworking however. I have tried many 10" saw blades over the years. One brand in particular stands out above all the others in my humble opinion. It's the Oldham Signature Series:

http://www.oldham-usa.com/Products/SawMain/SigWoodwrk.htm

I have had a couple of their blades in use for nearly 4 years now - 40 and an 80 teeth versions - and apart from cleaning them occasionally, I have had no issues with them at all. They are incredibly fast and smooth cutting - low vibration design helps here - and generate minimal tear out. Oldham offer free sharpening too. I haven't had to have them sharpened yet, but may do in the next year - the 80 tooth one (which is the one I use most) is finally beginning to dull very slightly.

YMMV, of course.

Cheers,
Dave Fifield

[Stan DelAmitri]

Not sure I totally understand the question...
Sorry Doug...this is for his work tablesaw...he's probably happy with his CMT...just wanted to get an idea of how the two compare from those who may have used them because i've heard a lot of "I made a clock out of my old blade after switching to Forrest!" :)

[aaron allen]

Stan,
Didn't mean steal any of your deserved thunder.
Would hate to start off, ticking someone off.
I did a survey at work today. We have 15 trimmers, 4 TS currently set up.
5 guys use wwII on their sliders, we have two WW AT for the high end plycore panels. when they're done cutting they come right off the saw.
4 guys use CMT on their sliders, 3 use Freud, 1 oldham and 2 use The Hitachi's it came with. 15 trimmers and we all have one version or another of Hiatchi sliders. One guy has two saws ( no kids or wife).
They all said they would have Forrest if they could afford them.
Curious though, nobody complained (@SMC) about the sharpening issue, if there is one. one blade with shipping cost 35.00 last one we sent out.

[Jim Becker]

Welcome to the Creek!

I happen to be a "Forrest-o-holic" and love their blades. But CMT makes excellent stuff, too. If he really likes the CMT blade and it's been his standard for a long time, you have the choice of going with what he knows and likes or taking the chance that the slightly different cut of the alternative brand will or will not please him. I doubt it will ever be a quality issue as Forrest blades really cut wonderfully, but "change" is sometimes hard for some folks...

And, of course, I'd buy the Forrest blade. I like 'em.

[Charlie Plesums]

I have three 40 tooth Forrest blades, and love them dearly.

After several years of use, I sent the first one into Forrest for sharpening, with a note that I didn't have any reason to think it needed sharpening, but it had been so long, I couldn't believe it didn't... I assumed it had gradually gotten dull, and I just hadn't noticed - but please let me know how bad it was.

Forrest called me, and said it didn't need sharpening. But how did I like the blade? I said it was great, but wished it had a flatter bottom to the kerf. No problem, he said, it is called a "number 6 grind." Every 5th tooth is a raker. OK - send the first one back, and sell me a 10 inch blade with a #6 grind. When they came, I put the new blade on the saw and set the original aside as a spare.

When I got my new saw, I ordered a 12 inch blade WITH A "NUMBER 6 GRIND" That took an extra week - not in stock like the 10 inch with "number 6"

Later I needed to make 252 tenons (but who is counting), so I got out the two ten inch blades and some spacers. In the process I discovered that Forrest had sharpened the first blade with a number 6 grind. Whee!

A week ago I was at the Dallas wood show, and the Forrest peddler called me over to show me the new model Woodworker II blade. Great new idea - every 5th tooth is a raker. He couldn't believe I already had three of them.

By the way, did I mention I liked the Forrest?

I have also heard of people who buy other brands, and send them to Forrest to be sharpened before they use them... perhaps saving a few dollars while getting the Forrest cut.

[Stan DelAmitri]

I did a survey at work today.
Wow Aaron, thanks for the in-depth homework, and to all who replied as well! I think Jim has a point about some people not liking change and my dad falls square into that catagory...soooo, looks like I'll hafta go with plan B for his Christmas present...the leg lamp from that movie where the kid shoots his eye out. :D

[scott spencer]

Wow Aaron, thanks for the in-depth homework, and to all who replied as well! I think Jim has a point about some people not liking change and my dad falls square into that catagory...soooo, looks like I'll hafta go with plan B for his Christmas present...the leg lamp from that movie where the kid shoots his eye out. :D

Hi Stan - Maybe you could have his CMT sent to Forrest for a little spa visit and tuneup! ;)

[aaron allen]

If hafta hear one more lunch conversation about Ford vs. Chevy...

It was a change of pace. I liked Scott's spa visit idea. LOL

[Michael Ballent]

Wow Aaron, thanks for the in-depth homework, and to all who replied as well! I think Jim has a point about some people not liking change and my dad falls square into that catagory...soooo, looks like I'll hafta go with plan B for his Christmas present...the leg lamp from that movie where the kid shoots his eye out. :D

Does he have a splitter on his TS, the Micro Jig splitter gets good reviews, magnetic feather boards, Grrrrippers to help keep his fingers away from the blade. Safety devices I think should always be on the Christmas list for all wood workers :D