TS blade upgrade

[steve fleischmann]

I'm looking to upgrade the stock blade that came with my bt3100. I'm looking for an all purpose blade, or should I get 1 for ripping, 1 for cross cutting. The next project is bunk beds for the girls, so I'm "allowed" to buy new tools. Also, any sources for blade/blades would be great too.

Thanks,
Steve

Why does the honey do list grow exponentialy with each tool purchase?

[James Phillips]

40T WWII Better to buy one good blade than many cheap blades

[Pat Germain]

That blade is currently on my "procurement list". :)

Would it be worthwhile to pony up a few more dollars for some more teeth? Or, is anything over 40 going overboard for general ripping and cross-cutting?

[Peter Pedisich]

Steve,

I've been using a 50 tooth Freud combination blade (full kerf) for about 4 years and it has done it all, and well.
I like it so much that today I'm going to get the thin-kerf version to make hardwood ripping a little easier.

Pete

[Steven Triggs]

Also, any sources for blade/blades would be great too.

Amazon has great prices on blades.

[James Phillips]

That blade is currently on my "procurement list". :)

Would it be worthwhile to pony up a few more dollars for some more teeth? Or, is anything over 40 going overboard for general ripping and cross-cutting?

No. As long as it is sharp and clean the 40T WWII is the ideal all purpose blade. A 60T will give you a better cross cut, but the difference is not worth have to have 2 blades at $100 each and dealing with the hassle of constant changing

[Vernon Taylor]

I am not an expert on blades but it stands to reason that manufacturers make a variety of blades to accomplish specific tasks. In your case I would not use a full kerf blade on your saw, Ifeel given the power limitations of that saw a thin kerf blade would be the better choice,I have a Bt3000 and have had good results with the stock blades. This saw is now relegated to back up as I have a Unisaw also. Higher tooth count blades are as I understand it better at crosscutting to produce a smoother finish while lower tooth count rip blades have larger gullets to reduce clogging and inrease efficancy in clearing material. Combination blades are designed as a compromise and may be all that you need. I run a wwII combination blade on the uni and get good results except when ripping cherry(burns) This may be my technique as well as cherry is known for burning.

[James Phillips]

I am not an expert on blades but it stands to reason that manufacturers make a variety of blades to accomplish specific tasks. In your case I would not use a full kerf blade on your saw, Ifeel given the power limitations of that saw a thin kerf blade would be the better choice,I have a Bt3000 and have had good results with the stock blades. This saw is now relegated to back up as I have a Unisaw also. Higher tooth count blades are as I understand it better at crosscutting to produce a smoother finish while lower tooth count rip blades have larger gullets to reduce clogging and inrease efficancy in clearing material. Combination blades are designed as a compromise and may be all that you need. I run a wwII combination blade on the uni and get good results except when ripping cherry(burns) This may be my technique as well as cherry is known for burning.

Vern
Check your set up and make sure your blade is sharp. I work alot with Cherry and it is prone to scorch, however it can be minimized with proper set up and a VERY sharp and clean blade.

I agree about the thin kerf for that saw, but there is a thin kerf version of the WWII.

[scott spencer]

Hi Steve - There are lots of great choices, so keep your eyes peeled for a bargain. Any of the top 40T or 50T TK general purpose/combo blades are a good choice for a replacement to your stock blade, and so is the 30T Forrest and the 60T LU88 IMHO, depending on your usage.

The Infinity 010-150 (http://www.epinions.com/content_380232306308)is a 50T TK combo blade that I've given a pretty good spin over the past couple months. This is an excellent blade that's a pretty reasonable bargain too. Very versatile, very clean cutting, very well made....great crosscutter and rips well too.

Either of the Forrest WWIIs are an excellent choice. The WWII 30T TK is a terrific choice for smaller saws and thicker materials. It's like using the 40T WWII (http://www.epinions.com/content_145552674436) with a motor upgrade. The increased ease of feedrate is very noticeable, but there's very, very little decrease in cut quality. Loving it so far...

The Freud LU88R010 (http://www.epinions.com/content_226312687236) 60T is one of my favorites...it's only ~ $45, cuts a bit cleaner than the other 40 and 50 toofers, and rips well to ~ 6/4". It's a crosscut blade but is an excellent choice for general purpose work, especially if you're anal about cut quality, use alot of ply, and/or don't do much with 2"+ material. An excellent compromise to avoid using separate dedicated blades. It's also an excellent compliment to a decent 24T TK ripper which will pick up where the other blades don't operate well...not much you couldnt' do with the LU88 and decent 24 toofer like the LU87, Infinity TK, DW7124TK, or Leitz/Irwin ripper.

The Ridge Carbide TS2000 is every bit the equal of the WWII but has thicker carbide. ~ $80 shipped from Holbren with "SMC10" discount.

If you're looking for bargains, the LU86 (http://www.epinions.com/content_227985493636) for ~ $35 is a nice blade, as is the Tenryu RS25540 from Holbren for ~ $27 shipped...note that the Tenryu has a kerf of 0.111", which makes it more "mid-kerf".

A decent 24T TK ripper is a good blade to have on hand regardless of which primary blade you choose.

[glenn bradley]

I have been very happy with my Freud TK blades. A Lietz combo is my second favorite but gets used the least. I run a 24T rip blade for ripping, 60T or 80T for x-cut depending on material and the combo when I'm roughing out parts. But, no one said I was doing it right so JMHO. ;)

P.s. Lowes carries Bosch blue 80T blades right now for $30 or so. My dad is very happy with his for the price but I have no long-term use info.

[Gary Keedwell]

*I like to use a dedicated blade for my ripping. Ripping alot of boards is alot of wear & tear on the blade. On my crosscutting I will switch back and forth from my Freud and WW2 blades.
I know alot of WW'ers like to keep the same blade in there all the time, but I like to switch blades because it gives me the opportunity to clean my blades by spraying with Formula 409 and wiping clean.
I'm a firm believer that a clean blade stays sharper much longer. I find that build-up on the blade's teeth will create friction...therefore it will get heated up and get dull faster.
Maybe because I'm frugal (cheap) I don't mind the extra few minutes it takes to change the blade. Also gives me a chance to examine the blade for damage.;)
Gary K.

[Randal Stevenson]

The Freud thin kerf 50 tooth combo blade is the Lu83 series, FYI (LU84 is the full kerf).

While I understand wanting another blade, consider sending your old one back to Forrest for sharpening, and teeth replacement as needed.

[Howard Acheson]

I would recommend that you get a 50 tooth ATB&R combination blade which is excellent for cross cutting and ripping wood up to 1" thick. Also get a 24 tooth rip blade which is best for ripping wood thicker than 1". If you have a lower powered saw--1.5 hp or less--you may want to get thin kerf blades.

A number of companies make the blades I suggested but you can find Freud blades in a number of places.

[Matt Meiser]

I have the WWII thin kerf blade and use it for 90+% of my cuts. I bought a Forrest Plywood blade that I use for, well plywood, and I'll occasionally put in a ripping blade when doing a bunch of ripping (i.e. when I made a bunch of cutting boards) and a fine tooth blade I use every once in a while when cutting something delicate. Frankly, I would have been better off spending the money spent on the ripping and crosscut blades on a second WWII.

I also bought the Forrest blade stiffener which does make a significant difference in the stability of the TK blade, at the cost of some depth of cut, but that isn't an issue with 4/4 stock.

[Henry Cavanaugh]

I use the Forest WW 11 and dont change it I have also read of people sending other blades to Forest to resharpen and felt they got the same results as the WW11. I have no opinion on that idea but throw it out.