Best way to make lots of 1/8" slots

[Anthony Whitesell]

I need make LOTS of 1/8" slots. Mostly in pine but also some in plywood. I think the best way would be table saw. But where can I find a 8-9" tablesaw blade with a fat tooth (min., 0.125, preferrably closer to 0.140 or 9/64) that won't break the bank? Or do is there another method I haven't thought of that won't break the bank. P.S. I already considered the router but the slot would be 1/8" and nothing more and the chances of breaking the bit are pretty high given the number of cuts I have to make.

[Brian Tymchak]

How thick is the stock?

[Michael Burnside]

I'm sure you can find a cheap blade, but I use the 10" version of this blade.

https://ridgecarbidetool.com/collections/table-saw-blades/products/8-x-40t-str-15-hk-087-125-ts2000-flat-top-box-joint-blade

If you know someone with a CNC that's another option.

[Anthony Whitesell]

Slots will be 1/4" deep. Stock will be 1/2" and 3/4" thick.

[John TenEyck]

Use whatever blade you want and take it to a blade shop and have them put new teeth on it at whatever width you want. Then use a sled with an insert spline on your tablesaw to cut the slots. Make a slot, index over the spline, cut the next slot, etc.

John

[Warren Lake]

put a slight shim on the arbor or the blade and it will wobble. Normally id say watch out for compression end of cut but its pine.

[Jim Becker]

Along the line of what John said, most "standard/thick" kerf blades are .125" or close to it, so it's a matter of the tooth geometry. Bades with rakers are commonly available in the 10" size, so if your saw can run a 10" blade, that would likely be a good way to go since the same blade can also be used for many other operations where a flat bottom is desired including wider grooves for other projects. For Forrest products, the 10" WW-II with the #1 Grind produces flat bottoms, for example. (https://www.sliversmill.com/category_41_Blades_for_Finger_Joints_Square_Cut_Bo x_Joints_Rabbets_Groo.html/filter:mfg1_forrest-saw-blades) If you are restricted to the smaller blade diameter by your particular saw, then the "off the shelf" options are less common.

[Warren Lake]

how deep are the slots. One job or 100. have you measured what your saw gives you from a .125 blade. ive cut thousands past only to find what was going in came in oversize so bought a wide belt sander to reduce it.

[Anthony Whitesell]

It is a 9" tablesaw. I am limited to a 9" or less blade, hence the specificity of the blade size in the OP.

[Anthony Whitesell]

Slots will be 1/4" deep. Stock will be 1/2" and 3/4" thick.

Several projects over the next few months, all requiring 1/8"-9/64" slots.

When I find a 0.125" wide 9" blade for a reasonable price (sorry $100+ isn't a reasonable price to me), I'll let you know.

[Warren Lake]

find some shim stock and try what I said it works. Stuff you do to make a living. I have blades over 250.00

[Ray Newman]

Amazon has some 8" blades under US $60.00 and cheaper:

https://www.amazon.com/table-saw-ripping-blade/s?k=table+saw+ripping+blade&rh=n%3A552292%2Cp_n_size_browse-bin%3A387871011&dc&ds=v1%3A8SOYuBe6dBRuCLNu4HL3Km3AdXgeuEEioCUQ3sYvta M&qid=1702436998&rnid=387623011&ref=sr_nr_p_n_size_browse-bin_2

Most rip blades cut a flat bottom kerf. You may need to purchase an 8" rip blade and have it re-sharpened to the dimensions needed.

[Warren Lake]

doesnt say if ripping or cross cutting better figure that out first

[Michael Burnside]

Slots will be 1/4" deep. Stock will be 1/2" and 3/4" thick.

Several projects over the next few months, all requiring 1/8"-9/64" slots.

When I find a 0.125" wide 9" blade for a reasonable price (sorry $100+ isn't a reasonable price to me), I'll let you know.

I always find it interesting that people put little to no value in their time and effort. If this is going to be something worth your time doing and it is going to be on several projects I really don't understand why wasting all this time to find a cheap solution when several are already given. Not to mention, a good blade can be re-sharpened numerous times, yielding long term savings.

But OP, you do you...good luck.

[Richard Coers]

You can make a .125 standard blade cut wider by placing a piece or two of masking tape on the saw arbor back washer on one side. It makes the blade a wobble dado blade. Next option is a couple or 7 1/2" blades for a skill saw and see if you can use that for the slot. Some of those blades are really thin.

[Warren Lake]

if you can use stuff that wont compress that is why i said shim stock but have used whatever I find in the shop Lam backer or feeler gauge or. Feeler gauges easier to dial in. This is sort like those bobble dadoe blades, had zero interst in them when regular dadoes do the job.

[Bill Dufour]

HSS blade and a saw set. HSS teeth should last a good time in soft pine.
BilL D.

[Rich Engelhardt]

doesnt say if ripping or cross cutting better figure that out first
It doesn't matter really since a rip blade is being recommended only because the teeth leave a flat bottom in the slot.

As for the task itself - it sounds tailor made for something a track saw can do.

[William Hodge]

Given the time spent and desired quality, buying a saw blade should be worth it. I bought a little 3/16" wide saw blade, probably 8" in diameter. I needed to make a bunch of 3/16" cross cuts. A year later it was perfect for cutting grooves for a few hours. I just added the cost of the blade to the first job. It paid back on the second job. Having lots of cutters always pays back.

[Keegan Shields]

A router with edge guide and a 1/8" bit might be your most economical solution if you already own the router/edge guide. Or if you own a router table. Won't be as fast as a table saw but a router bit would be cheaper.

Cheap / Fast / High Quality - pick two...

[Edward Weber]

An 1/8" router bit cutting a 1/4" groove, will clog, vibrate, break, dull and probably do some other unwanted things, all in the first cut.
Freud makes an 8" combo blade that will work for what the OP described, for about $75
https://www.freudtools.com/products/LU84M008

This doesn't need to be complicated

[Keegan Shields]

An 1/8" router bit cutting a 1/4" groove, will clog, vibrate, break, dull and probably do some other unwanted things, all in the first cut.
Freud makes an 8" combo blade that will work for what the OP described, for about $75
https://www.freudtools.com/products/LU84M008

This doesn't need to be complicated

Sure buddy...

[Edward Weber]

Sure buddy...


Not sure what that means

[Dan Barber]

I belive it means he does not agree with your assessment that 1/8" router bit won't work. I tend to agree with him, router could work just fine if the right technique is used.

[Bill Dufour]

I guess no one here owns an adjustable sawset? This is almost the job they are designed to do, isn't it?
Bill D

[glenn bradley]

S(sorry $100+ isn't a reasonable price to me)

I'm afraid this will be your sticking point. Some things have a certain price point. A blade in that diameter with that much stock removal per pass is going to be for something specific. A smaller saw would normally run a thinner blade to require less power. You may get lucky and find a smaller blade diameter with a wide kerf. You could also find a used 8" dado stack and have just one of the outer plates sharpened up for your use. Tablesaw is the tool for the job IMHO.

511982511983511984

[Edward Weber]

I belive it means he does not agree with your assessment that 1/8" router bit won't work. I tend to agree with him, router could work just fine if the right technique is used.

IME
An 1/8" bit will work BUT it will encounter more issues than a saw blade, as I mentioned
1/8" router bits have extremely small flutes and when used in a wood like pine, they usually tend to gum up with resin quite quickly, necessitating frequently cleaning. They also have the tendency of overheating when used for large amounts of stock removal (lots of slots)

These are just a few reasons why I would use a saw instead of a router.
YMMV, Feel free to disagree

[Lee Schierer]

I need make LOTS of 1/8" slots. Mostly in pine but also some in plywood. I think the best way would be table saw. But where can I find a 8-9" tablesaw blade with a fat tooth (min., 0.125, preferrably closer to 0.140 or 9/64) that won't break the bank? Or do is there another method I haven't thought of that won't break the bank. P.S. I already considered the router but the slot would be 1/8" and nothing more and the chances of breaking the bit are pretty high given the number of cuts I have to make.

I don't know which bank you use, but this blade will fit your saw and do the job (https://www.amazon.com/Freud-Heavy-Multi-Purpose-Blade-LU82M008/dp/B00004T79X/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=table%2Bsaw%2Bripping%2Bblade&qid=1702484098&refinements=p_n_size_browse-bin%3A387871011&rnid=387623011&s=power-hand-tools&sr=1-2&th=1). A zero clearance insert and backer board will improve the cut no matter which blade you choose. I have cut may 1/8" slots of various depths using the 10" version.

[Thomas L Carpenter]

You may not be limited to a 9" or less blade depending on your saw. I used to have an 8" Craftsman saw that I used a 10" blade on for years as did my Dad before me. You might stick a cheap 10 incher on yours to see if it will work. If so it opens the door for a lot more choices for your project.

[Cameron Wood]

Wouldn't a wobble dado rig work with whatever blade you have?

[Tom Levy]

I'm somewhat confused by this discussion. Freud makes a number of 8" blades with full 1/8 kerf in the ~$60 dollar range and all are easily found on the main retailers, seems no brainer to just use one of those? 50t and 48t versions linked above by two other posters. Am I missing something?

[Brian Gumpper]

Not sure what the budget is but I've sold Ridge Carbide blades in a slew of configurations that would work. 7-1/4", 8" 9" ATB+R, all FTG for box joints ... But all are over $100

I do think table saw is the best method, just need to get the tooling figured out. You can also get custom blades at .140" if that's what you want but again not inexpensive.

[glenn bradley]

I'm somewhat confused by this discussion. Freud makes a number of 8" blades with full 1/8 kerf in the ~$60 dollar range and all are easily found on the main retailers, seems no brainer to just use one of those? 50t and 48t versions linked above by two other posters. Am I missing something?

No Tom. You are just better informed than the rest of us. I searched Freud 8" full kerf blade and found a variety. I was not aware of this having never had the need for such tooling. Good answer!

[Anthony Whitesell]

If it will work? 10" blades don't even fit the saw. They hit trunnion parts in the front and back.

[Anthony Whitesell]

No Tom. You are just better informed than the rest of us. I searched Freud 8" full kerf blade and found a variety. I was not aware of this having never had the need for such tooling. Good answer!
Ditto. Google is only as good as the information you enter. The Freud 8" Heavy Duty Full Kerf os on its way to me. I'll report on the results.

[Anthony Whitesell]

It doesn't matter really since a rip blade is being recommended only because the teeth leave a flat bottom in the slot.

As for the task itself - it sounds tailor made for something a track saw can do.
How can you make that assement without knowing the size of the pieces? How are you going to cut 1/8" slots, 1/4" deep in a piece that is 16" long and 4" wide (in the 4" width, so I guess I'm technically cutting dados).

[Rich Engelhardt]

How? Easy,,, I made that statement before you added the information about the sizes.
Now that you've bothered to include that bit of information I guess using a track saw isn't the right answer.

Good luck with your endeavor...