Need a Good Circular Saw Blade

[Jon Farley]

I am nearing completion of a kitchen island that will be partially topped with a maple butcher block top. Because of the size, I will need to do the final trimming of the edges with my 7-1/4" circular saw. My question is this. Does anyone have a recomendation on a good, 7-1/4" full-kerf blade for this application...something in the 30-40 tooth range? Forrest and Ridge seem to have some, but are a little expensive ($60 plus). Amana seems to have one for about half that. Any advice? Thanks...Jon

[Dave Falkenstein]

...Forrest and Ridge seem to have some, but are a little expensive ($60 plus). Amana seems to have one for about half that. Any advice? Thanks...Jon

Good and "a little expensive" seem to go hand-in-hand in my experience. I made this same decision quite some time ago, and sprung for a Forrest WWII for my Porter Cable Saw Boss. It cuts exceptionally well, stays sharp for a long time, and can be resharpened many times. If you only need a quality blade for this one project, perhaps you can borrow a Guided Circular Saw System (GCSS) setup from a friend? Festool and EZSmart are systems that will give you perfectly straight cuts with splinter control on both sides of the blade. However GCSS are quite expensive and only worth the investment if you intend to use them frequently, IMHO.

[Hoa Dinh]

If it is just for this project, I say use a 40T Freud from your local HD with a ZCI base for your saw.,

The ZCI base is nothing more than a piece of 1/4" hardboard attached to your circular saw. Just plunge the saw down to make the slit for the blade.

If you want the bladeguard protection (hightly recommended), cut the hole for it. The only place you need ZCI is about 1" at the leading edge of the blade.

Or you can just put a piece of sacrificial sheetgood on the butcher block and cut through both of them.

Or you can cut the counter a bit oversized and trim with a router (turn the speed down to prevent burning the wood).

[scott spencer]

The Forrest is excellent, but as you stated, it's expensive. For your application, I'll second the suggestion for a basic Freud 40T from your local homecenter. It should give a comparable cut to a typical Freud Diablo blade and will run ~ $15....the Ridgid version should be as good too. I don't know of any 7-1/4" blades that are full kerf though....

[Burt Waddell]

Jon,

The best approach that I know for the Zero Clearance insert that Hoa suggested is the EZ Smart base and the plain insert in it. I think the cost for the EZ Stuff you would need would be about $25. Then you can use almost any blade you wish with it. We are routinly cutting formica good side up with a 40 tooth Diablo blade and the EZ.

Burt

[Bruce Wrenn]

I used to use Oldham forty toothers, but not any more. Last summer, I bought a forty tooth Freud Diablo blade-WOW! It is the sharpest thing I have every put on a saw. Glides through 3/4 with virtually no splintering. Lucky for me Klingspor had them last month for $8.95- stocked up.