Ridgid Titanium-Coated-Saw-Blades??

[Roddy Thibault]

what do you guys think of these blades? is just freud blade with a dif name on it?

what blades do you guys like using on your tablesaw?
besides Forrest Saw Blades

are freud diablo blades all right or should i stay away from them?

[Neil Bosdet]

Hi Roddy,

Curious - why do you ask for opinions with the exception of Forrest?

I have more than a dozen (maybe 2 dozen) blades from many manufacturers for my table saws (2) and miter saws (2) and I always use Forrest for everything. All my other blades were either purchased "before I knew" or were freebies. Some of them are really good blades but none are as good as Forrest. They are all back-ups for me. Good to have in a pinch but see very little use. I don't know if this helps but I wouldn't spend my money on anything else. Someone wants to give you a blade for free, fine. Use it as a spare. Spend your money on Forrest. Check Amazon for pricing. They often have really good prices. Not enough can be said for using a really good blade and a really good fence (table saw).

[scott spencer]

There's nothing wrong with the Freud Diablo or Avanti lines. I believe the Ridgid Titanium series is made by Freud to very similar standards as those two lines. I think Freud's Industrial "L" series is a cut above either, and are often on sale around the same price points.

I agree with Neil that a top blade like the Forrest is always a good choice. If you're looking for a comparable alternative, Ridge Carbide (not Ridgid), Tenryu, and Infinity are some that offer stiff competition for the WWII. The new Freud Fusion might be worth a look too.

[Jeffrey Makiel]

If combination blades is what you're after, I have a Freud F410 blade that is excellent. It was about 40% less than a Forrest WWII. I understand that Freud is coming out with a Fusion series which will supecede the F410. If so, this may be quite a blade, but I'm not sure how much better a combination blade can be. It may just be marketing hype like designer handbags made in China or Mexico.

In general, I have no qualm with any of my Freud stuff including their hi-ATB laminate/plywood blade that is absolutely chip free without the need of stabilizers or zero clearance inserts. Freud seems to offer very good value for the hobbyist and now they seem to be going after the higher priced market.

-Jeff

[Robert Waddell]

Freud is what I use most of the time. I've L series, F40 (410), Avanti, Tk 906, but no Diablo. The one Diablo forestner bit I bought wasn't worth a darn so I've stayed away from that name. The other Freud forestner bits are great. Others claim the Diablo saw blades are good. I even bought one of the 100T Ridgid Ti blades the other day for my 12' miter saw. So far so good on it. I've found that Freud gives the most bang for the buck in most cases.
Rob

[Frank Snyder]

I understand that Freud is coming out with a Fusion series which will supecede the F410. If so, this may be quite a blade, but I'm not sure how much better a combination blade can be. It may just be marketing hype like designer handbags made in China or Mexico.


Jeff - I've had the Freud Fusion for about a month now. I've used it for crosscutting and ripping hardwoods and plywoods. It leaves a glass smooth cut with no burning or tearout. Ripping with this blade has to be experienced first hand...it is easier to rip harwood with this blade than with my 24-tooth rip blade. Very, very smooth. I also have the WW2, which is now my backup blade and never ripped nearly as well as the Fusion does. The big selling point for me was not having to change the blade for crosscutting and ripping operations...this blade does both and better than my other blades, so it just stays in the saw unless I need a dado.

Also, the Fusion is made in Italy, not China or Mexico.

[Jim Becker]

IMHO, good quality blades are less expensive in the long term, even though the initial cost is higher...they have better carbide so they stay sharper longer and generally have more carbide, which means more resharpenings before you need to replace them. Some manufacturers, like Freud, offer several levels of blades. If you stick to the mid-range or upper-range for these manufacturers, I think you'll be better served in the long run. (You may not find them in your local 'borg, either...check the specialty retailers including online sources)

[Clint Winterhalter]

I've had great service from my Freud 8" dado set, plywood and ripping blades. I haven't tried Forrest blades yet. I need to find a new project to work on so I have a good reason to buy one!

Cheers!
Clint

[Bruce Wrenn]

For a bit less than $50, Woodworkers Supply will sell you a Dewalt 40 tooth general purpose blade. It's not a Forrest, but it is a lot of blade for the money. For about $60, you can get a Freud LU 84R, 50 tooth combo blade. Amazon currently has Dewalt 7640, 50 tooth combo for $36.99 delivered.Any of these blades will give you great cuts. Either of these would be my choice over the Rigid at HD.

[scott spencer]

For a bit less than $50, Woodworkers Supply will sell you a Dewalt 40 tooth general purpose blade. It's not a Forrest, but it is a lot of blade for the money. For about $60, you can get a Freud LU 84R, 50 tooth combo blade. Amazon currently has Dewalt 7640, 50 tooth combo for $36.99 delivered.Any of these blades will give you great cuts. Either of these would be my choice over the Rigid at HD.

I'm with you Bruce, but just wanted to point out for those who might not realize, all 3 of those blades are full kerf, whereas the HD blades mentioned are TKs.

[Dewayne Reding]

My freud Diablo blade is quite satisfactory, if you are using it for EXACTLY what it was designed. I bought a 60T for plywood, thinking I could sneak in a short rip now and then. Not unless you like your oak well done. :(

It is a step up on the factory Dewalt blades that came on my portable equipment. Seems less versatile than the Lietz blade on my TS. Haven't owned it long enough to know how long a Diablo lasts, so I can't recommend it yet.