Table saw blade boring service

[Jacob Mac]

I have a cabinet saw, but I recently purchased a Hammer sliding table saw. I was wondering if anyone knows of a service to rebore my blades to be compatible with the Hammer? Or if it is worth it?

I asked my sales rep, but I didn't get much of an answer. I thought maybe someone on here might know.

[Patrick Kane]

I have a cabinet saw, but I recently purchased a Hammer sliding table saw. I was wondering if anyone knows of a service to rebore my blades to be compatible with the Hammer? Or if it is worth it?

I asked my sales rep, but I didn't get much of an answer. I thought maybe someone on here might know.

Most any blade sharpener can bore blades; however, i had several places turn me away recently when i tried to bore a dado set to 30mm with pins. For whatever reason, the pins are what caused folks to reject the work. I ended up reboring the set to 1.25" for my shaper and T17.

Depending on the blades, it might be a wash to sell the used ones and buy new. Reboring/sharpening will probably run you $40-50 per blade. I think redoing that dado set was like $100. One bit of advice i would give you for your new saw is make sure all your blades are the same plate thickness/kerf. On a right tilt cabinet saw, this doesnt matter because the rip fence scale will always be accurate. On a sliding saw, this does matter because thicker/thinner blades will throw off your crosscut scale by 1/32"+/-.

[Pat Rice]

I would sell your current blades and replace them with Tenryu industrial blades which in my opinion, (and many others on the Felder Owners Group forum) an excellent blade choice. Another advantage for me is I have 3 of their blades and all have the same kerf width and they are not terribly expensive in comparison to other premium brands. I have their IW-30028CBD# rip blade & IW-30050CBD3 and IW-300100D3 which I use the most. First 3 numbers is diameter 300mm, next 2-3 is number of teeth ie 28 tooth, 50 tooth 100 tooth. The last blade I listed the 100 tooth TCG (triple chip grind) is excellent for composite materials and plywood and is $99.

[Brian Holcombe]

CT tool does this for me.

[Warren Lake]

Or Kanafusa

Tool and die maker friend used to do mine, it was so fast it took him longer to find the tooling in his shop. From antique memory he located exact center on his milling machine. Then he drilled but undersize and some other tool maybe a broach or something that did the final. If he was around now id ask if what he used was a few thou oversize. He drilled Dadoes and other stuff to go on shapers.

Nother friend did it for me in the past and he did it on a lathe which was different but he was accurate. Be nice to have a milling machine and some tooling hold downs vices etc.

[Rod Sheridan]

As others have said, any tooling shop can bore them, I used FS Tools when I had mine bored.

Do you have the drawing for boring the blades?

Regards, Rod.

[Erik Loza]

So, I actually called Ridge Carbide a couple of years back, specifically to ask this question on behalf of a Felder customer. The answer they gave me was a hard “No”. According to the gentleman I spoke with, too much risk in re-boring a saw blade that already has been used. Or possibly, there is no profit in it for them, which would also be a fair answer. To the OP, you can get great Tenryu blades on Amazon at fair market value if you don’t want to deal with our e-shop. I wouldn’t overthink this.

Erik

[Steve Engelschall]

The Forrest website says they do it for $12.50: https://www.forrestblades.com/forrest-factory-carbide-saw-blade-sharpening (https://www.forrestblades.com/forrest-factory-carbide-saw-blade-sharpening/)/

[Jacob Mac]

Thanks everyone. I probably will just go the tenryu route. Seems easiest and has the best chance of eliminating potential problems.

[Rod Sheridan]

Thanks everyone. I probably will just go the tenryu route. Seems easiest and has the best chance of eliminating potential problems.

Jacob, for me a blade is $100 to $200 dollars, worth $20 for me to bore my blades.

Another issue is that if you don’t want to remove the scoring saw blade, you’re limited to a 10” main blade, I suggest you bore your existing blades unless they’re junk.

I own one 12” blade which is a Felder ATB 48 tooth I use for Timbers more than 3” thick………Rod

[Jacob Mac]

Thanks Rod, I always appreciate your input. Most of my blades are in the $100 range. I take good care of them and they've seen relatively light use. They definitely have a lot of use left.

Either way, I won't be taking possession of the new saw for three months still. So I have time to think about it.

[Rod Sheridan]

Thanks Rod, I always appreciate your input. Most of my blades are in the $100 range. I take good care of them and they've seen relatively light use. They definitely have a lot of use left.

Either way, I won't be taking possession of the new saw for three months still. So I have time to think about it.

It’s nice to have time to take care of things…..I had mine sharpened when they bored them, started out at baseline conditions that way.

You’re really going to like having a slider…….Rod

[BOB OLINGER]

I would sell your current blades and replace them with Tenryu industrial blades which in my opinion, (and many others on the Felder Owners Group forum) an excellent blade choice. Another advantage for me is I have 3 of their blades and all have the same kerf width and they are not terribly expensive in comparison to other premium brands. I have their IW-30028CBD# rip blade & IW-30050CBD3 and IW-300100D3 which I use the most. First 3 numbers is diameter 300mm, next 2-3 is number of teeth ie 28 tooth, 50 tooth 100 tooth. The last blade I listed the 100 tooth TCG (triple chip grind) is excellent for composite materials and plywood and is $99.

Do you consider Tenryu better than Frued?

[Pat Rice]

Bob, I haven't used any Freud blades on my sliding table saw so I can't answer that. But I find the Tenryu equal to high end Forrest blades at a lower cost. I have been totally satisfied with my Tenryu blades.

[John P Clark]

I have used this company - in Denver, but can bore your blades

https://www.vexorcwt.com/sharpening-and-reconditioning/

[Richard Coers]

Any machine shop could do that quickly if you relieve them of any responsibility of changing the body tensioning and maybe get a wobble when they are done. I was going to suggest a boring head for your drill press, but most drill presses are a little loose in the bearings for accuracy. https://www.ebay.com/itm/152860669847?chn=ps&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-117182-37290-0&mkcid=2&itemid=152860669847&targetid=1490630674980&device=c&mktype=&googleloc=9022121&poi=&campaignid=15431381266&mkgroupid=128740829685&rlsatarget=pla-1490630674980&abcId=9300764&merchantid=111922480&gclid=CjwKCAiAlfqOBhAeEiwAYi43Fy0pazUqaci4Fqgx8j9A 5PhDra5-RLBE8ZK3opb1bVrYIakOFygFQxoC3o8QAvD_BwE

[Jacob Mac]

Any machine shop could do that quickly if you relieve them of any responsibility of changing the body tensioning and maybe get a wobble when they are done. I was going to suggest a boring head for your drill press, but most drill presses are a little loose in the bearings for accuracy. https://www.ebay.com/itm/152860669847?chn=ps&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-117182-37290-0&mkcid=2&itemid=152860669847&targetid=1490630674980&device=c&mktype=&googleloc=9022121&poi=&campaignid=15431381266&mkgroupid=128740829685&rlsatarget=pla-1490630674980&abcId=9300764&merchantid=111922480&gclid=CjwKCAiAlfqOBhAeEiwAYi43Fy0pazUqaci4Fqgx8j9A 5PhDra5-RLBE8ZK3opb1bVrYIakOFygFQxoC3o8QAvD_BwE

My drill press is.... lacking in quality. It is so bad I don't really use it for much of anything.

[Michael Drew]

I am in the process of setting up my K3, and eccentrically converting my work flow process from the cabinet saw to the slider. I have a few Forrest blades that have very little use, so I figured I'd get them re-bored to fit the K3 - verse selling them and buying new blades. I just reached out to Forrest, and they will perform this service, but it's not exactly cheap. They charge $45 per blade. Still less costly than buying all new blades though. And after using the new saw a bit with sheet goods and using a 12" blade, I see the need to use the scoring blade. I think these sliders actually need a scoring blade, as the wagon is set up to be a few thou above the cast iron table. (I set my wagon up targeting five thou).

[Warren Lake]

have had stuff done by a tool and die maker friend. Past memory he located, drilled undersize then some precision tool next maybe a reamer. Simple fast and easy. Sawblades or Dadoes opened up for the shaper.

[Steve Wurster]

When I got my K3 a few years back I called a semi-local machine shop and originally they told me they could bore my existing blades. When I called them back some time later to setup the actual work they told me they couldn't do the pins. So instead I included my old not-so-expensive 10" blades when I gave away my old saw to a friend that helped move my K3 into my basement. I then bought new blades from Felder.

[Chris Parks]

Most any blade sharpener can bore blades; however, i had several places turn me away recently when i tried to bore a dado set to 30mm with pins. For whatever reason, the pins are what caused folks to reject the work.

I had a dado set bored out for my K3 and the result was not good despite us being very careful with set up. It left tracks through the bottom of the cut so I gave the set to a sawyer and he set it up and ground down the diameter of the set until it was all the same and then sharpened all the cutters. The set (CMT) was brand new and I acquired it at a knock down price because it had been ordered wrong and when all the machining had been done it gave a perfect finish. It is 8" and is really to big for the K3 as it limits the height due to the table insert brackets so care has to be taken when using it, having said that I have yet to find a job where it was height limited. Keep in mind the pin holes have to be drilled and a dado conversion kit for the arbour is needed as well. Not a straight forward job but done well the results are worth it.

[Wes Grass]

I think trying to bore with a drill press is a no-go. Even the heavy 'industrial grade' Swedish models we've got. I don't think they have angular contact bearings in them, just radials and a thrust bearing.

You need a mill, and should sweep the tips as a check after aligning the hole. I'd rough the hole out with a carbide endmill and finish with a boring head. A dado set would require some thought ...

[Richard Coers]

I think trying to bore with a drill press is a no-go. Even the heavy 'industrial grade' Swedish models we've got. I don't think they have angular contact bearings in them, just radials and a thrust bearing.

You need a mill, and should sweep the tips as a check after aligning the hole. I'd rough the hole out with a carbide endmill and finish with a boring head. A dado set would require some thought ...
He made his decision a year ago.

[Warren Lake]

its kindergarten work for a trained tool and die maker with several simple machines and tooling.

After he retired i went to a busy local CNC shop, had to take the work back twice cause it was done wrong I gave up knowing I need to find another old guy with simple machines.

[Chris Parks]

its kindergarten work for a trained tool and die maker with several simple machines and tooling.

After he retired i went to a busy local CNC shop, had to take the work back twice cause it was done wrong I gave up knowing I need to find another old guy with simple machines.

Mine was done on a Bridgeport by a very good tool maker and the diameters still weren't spot on and it only takes a few thou difference to get a poor result when using it. When I see people complaining of poor results and a rough finish it is obvious that the OD diameters of the cutters are not all the same.

[Warren Lake]

German trained tool and die maker, one man shop, make this square with a file when he learned. Worked to .0005 easy and made some of his own tooling. When I asked him to make a sleeve for a router bit bearing he said do you want slip fit interferance fit or press fit. I said you can do that? Maybe the wrong words but three choices. Sleeve increased the bearing size by .020 and did a ton of work never failing.

CNC people one I went to useless. Millions in machines, so what. Ill harp on old guys for the rest of my old life because ive seen what they can do. You picked the wrong guy.

[Chris Parks]

German trained tool and die maker, one man shop, make this square with a file when he learned. Worked to .0005 easy and made some of his own tooling. When I asked him to make a sleeve for a router bit bearing he said do you want slip fit interferance fit or press fit. I said you can do that? Maybe the wrong words but three choices. Sleeve increased the bearing size by .020 and did a ton of work never failing.

CNC people one I went to useless. Millions in machines, so what. Ill harp on old guys for the rest of my old life because ive seen what they can do. You picked the wrong guy.

He is an old guy who has been a leading tool maker all his working life. Casting aspersions about people you know nothing about is a very poor look so why do it?

[Warren Lake]

You said it wasnt machined spot on. You don't need to ask me what you already answered yourself. The CNC shop was off way more. First time .100.

Ive been around a lot of craftsman in different trades over the years, the difference in what they can do can be pretty large.

[Chris Parks]

You said it wasnt machined spot on. You don't need to ask me what you already answered yourself. The CNC shop was off way more. First time .100.

Ive been around a lot of craftsman in different trades over the years, the difference in what they can do can be pretty large.

Manufacturers can't get it right so I'll give him a pass. Have you had a dado set machined to suit a pin drive 30mm bore?

[Warren Lake]

dadoes blades bored out for a shaper, saw blades bored out for a shaper and other saw blades bored out for other stuff. One guy made a face plate and done on a lathe. This guy done on a Bridgeport. There is a tolerance above a shaft size for tooling as it has to fit on. He was very accurate with simple machines and had tons of tooling. Shop was a mess, work excellent.

[Michael Drew]

I've been trying to find skilled machinists for three years now, due to attrition (retirement). I've had HR recruiting advertise all over the US. We basically gave up the hunt and are now training in house (I found USN machinist training manuals on Amazon that my retired machinist used in the 70's). I've probably interviewed 50 candidates who say they are a machinist on their resume. Even had one who "machined" for Boeing. What I have learned, is that modern day "machinists" are really CNC programmers. The schools start them out with hands on engine machine (old school machines lacking a processor), to understand the basics of machining, but it's very limited. Basically enough to teach them how to chuck up a hunk of alloy into a 5 axis machine, then hit the start button. Sadly, machining is a dieing trade. For our situation, we have a job shop where we need to reverse engineer parts for obsolete equipment, then make them. No need for repetitive machining, or mass quantity, so there is no pay-back for the capitol investment to convert to CNC machines. We do have a Omax water jet that my "old school" machinists learned how to program and operate, but the rest are all wheels and levers.