how many board feet can you run through a table saw blade before cleanings?

[Travis Conner]

How long does a table saw blade last between cleaning? Also between sharpening?

[Mike Kees]

Travis what you are cutting greatly influences both questions.

[Travis Conner]

I typically cut either yellow pine or plywood.

[Bill Conerly]

Maybe the question could be, "how do I tell that my blade needs cleaning or sharpening?"

[Travis Conner]

That's not the question though. I'm wondering what the average interval between cleaning or sharpening is.

[Bob Jones 5443]

Your average time to gunk up the blade will be lower (faster) because pine is pitchy and plywood has abrasive glue.

[David Buchhauser]

How long does a table saw blade last between cleaning? Also between sharpening?

Travis - you may find this useful to help in answering your questions.
David

https://www.thewoodwhisperer.com/articles/how-to-know-when-your-blade-is-dull/

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(https://www.thewoodwhisperer.com/articles/how-to-know-when-your-blade-is-dull/)https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=155&v=VzYGMykkm58&feature=emb_logo

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[Frank Pratt]

How many board feet can be run in entirely dependent on how wide the board bein cut are. Board feet isn't really the correct metric to use hear, although it's used way more than it should, especially when talking planers or jointers. Lineal feet would be much more appropriate.

[Thomas McCurnin]

Sharpening should be relatively infrequent. Inspect the teeth and determine if there are any chips.

More than likely, the blade needs to be cleaned with laundry detergent and a stiff brush, although there are specialized formulas for this for sale at Rocker, Woodcraft and Lee Valley.

Also, clean the table saw surface--you will be surprised how much pitch, sap and gunk gets deposited on the table.

[David Buchhauser]

How many board feet can be run in entirely dependent on how wide the board bein cut are. Board feet isn't really the correct metric to use hear, although it's used way more than it should, especially when talking planers or jointers. Lineal feet would be much more appropriate.


I agree. I think that board feet would be for surface area (like planers/jointers) and linear feet would be for length of cut for table saws, band saws, etc.
David

[Philipp Jaindl]

A lot of Variables on that: Sawblade Quality, Tooth shape and number, material cut, dimensions of said material etc. I dont think you should fixate yourself on some kinda interval, as long as cut quality and the cutting itself runs smoothly you're good. If unwanted tearout or rather more than is normal should appear might be time to send it off for sharpening, thats in relation to fine Blades for final cuts, on coarse rip cut blades it doesnt matter that much.

In terms of cleaning, if you cut tons of resinous conifers, dirty/grimy wood you can see the buildup on the blade anyways and clean it off accordingly if you feel the cutting gets harder. Again on coarse Blades you can get away with quite a lot of buildup before cleaning.

But thats just my Opinion,

Regards Philipp

[Clark Hussey]

I agree. I think that board feet would be for surface area (like planers/jointers) and linear feet would be for length of cut for table saws, band saws, etc.
David
I think sq feet is a better metric for planners and jointers. Board feet would only be accurate if you are multiplying by the thickness you are removing with each pass.

[michael dilday]

I am just getting serious about frequent cleaning. It seems like cleaning needs to be done frequently - maybe every month or more with frequent use. I have never sharpened and I get years of frequent use out of a blade. I use the Freud Fusion Premier Circular Saw Blade.

[Jim Becker]

Linear feet of cutting would be the measure to use, I would think.

Resinous wood species like pine will greatly accelerate the cleaning interval for blades and plywood is both abrasive and sometimes "dirty" relative to the adhesives. Have more than one blade available (I keep two of the blade I primarily use) so you can rotate them for maintenance. Your eyes can be a good guide in determining if cleaning is required.

[Lee Schierer]

The correct answer on when to clean/sharpen a blade is when the quality of the cut degrades to the point where you are no longer satisfied with the result.

Hitting one nail or stone embedded in a piece of wood can totally change the quality of a cut as can hitting a pitch pocket in a piece of pine or even cherry.

[Tom M King]

We ran most of 10,000 lineal feet of Cypress through a little direct drive, screamer table saw (sitting outside so the dust would just blow away), using a Forrest thin kerf 20 tooth rip blade. We were taking off the sapwood, by eye, without a fence, before turning the boards into shingles. That blade has been used a number of times since then, and is still fine, without having touched it.

If it had been a 3' old, Oak board, with old paint on it, the same blade would be junk.

[Jim Mackell]

After a while you also develop a feel for resistance. Sharp blade, wood slides right through. As the blade dulls, you have to push more. With experience, you'll feel the difference.

[johnny means]

Length and thickness would be the factors involved so, square feet of cut would be what you'd be measuring. None the less, there are way to many variables to ever come up with some regular metric. I clean my blade when pitch starts to build up.

[Mike Henderson]

After a while you also develop a feel for resistance. Sharp blade, wood slides right through. As the blade dulls, you have to push more. With experience, you'll feel the difference.

I agree with this, but the resistance creeps up on you so you get accustomed to pushing a bit harder. Most of the time when I change to a new blade I'm amazed at how much easier it cuts. Then I know I went too long before cleaning or sharpening the old blade.

Mike