Tablesaw Blades...what quality

[Rick Gifford]

I'd like to ask for any input on which blades you'd recommend for the 10" tablesaw.

Just standard work, cross cutting, minor ripping.

I have no problem having mutiple blades for different tasks, but would like to know your experience on quality blades for smooth cutting and long life.

I appreciate any responses. Thank you.

[Bill White]

I'd like to ask for any input on which blades you'd recommend for the 10" tablesaw.

Just standard work, cross cutting, minor ripping.

I have no problem having mutiple blades for different tasks, but would like to know your experience on quality blades for smooth cutting and long life.

I appreciate any responses. Thank you.


On the RAS-Freud thin kerf rip and 80 th. CC.
On the TS-Freud 80 th. CC and Infinity rip.

Bought the Infinity when they were running a special, and I had a Freud ripper that was trashed by a sharpener (needless to say I lost his phone number). Have been pleased with the Infinity. Always feel that the Freud is a value.

Oh, I use full kerf on the TS, and stiffeners on the RAS.
Bill

[scott spencer]

Quality is a subjective term, but with blades you typically get what you pay for. Good blades tend to run in the $40-$100 range, but sale prices can put a $100 blade to your door for ~ $65 if your timing's right. Top names like Forrest, Infinity, Ridge Carbide, Freud, Tenryu, CMT, Amana, Systimatic, and Leitz tend to make excellent blades across the board....though it's worth noting that same have more than one line. I tend to skip the offerings from the big box type stores, but some are ok.

High quality task specific blades tend to do a better job at their respective tasks than a high quality general purpose/combo type blade, but depending on your needs, you may find that a good GP/combo blade does the task "well enough" to use mainly one blade. I tend to use a good 40T GP blade for most tasks, and will use a 24T ripping blade for ripping really thick materials. On rare occasion I'll use an 80T blade for fine crosscuts or plywood. Even the finest 80T crosscut blades still leave minor blade marks that need to be treated before finishing. Most top manufacturers will suggest a 3/32" thin kerf blade for saws under 3hp, and 1/8" full kerf for 3hp and up.

Blade life depends on a lot of things. Keeping the blade clean gives better life because residue on the teeth can cause excessive heat and premature wear. Using the correct blade for the task helps too....Charles McCracken from Freud recommends having 3-5 teeth in the material for ripping, and between 5 and 7 teeth in the material for crosscuts...dependending on material thickness. The materials you cut can make a big difference too....MDF tends to be very tough on blades, as is teak, and woods with high resin and higher moisture content. The type of tooth grind and number of teeth are a factor too. If all else is equal, a higher tooth count tends to give a cleaner cut and better edge life, but can tend to require more feed pressure and are more prone to overheating. The cleanest cutting grind is a Hi-ATB grind, but it also tends to have the shortest edge life. A triple chip grind (TCG) tends to give the best edge life, but not necessarily the cleanest cut. The grade of carbide is another big factor....most of the better brands use very high quality micrograin carbide...most is rated as C3 or C4 hardness, depending on the task.


Saw Blades 101 (http://www.rockler.com/articles/display_article.cfm?story_id=72)

[Dave Falkenstein]

...would like to know your experience on quality blades for smooth cutting and long life.

I appreciate any responses. Thank you.

For smooth cutting and long life you certainly want a quality blade, not a bargain blade. If you find a bargain on a quality blade, please post it! Scott covered the subject well. The quality brands Scott mentioned are all good choices.

My personal preference for a general purpose table saw blade is the Forrest Woodworker II, 40 tooth. This one blade will handle at least 90% of the cutting I do and yields excellent results in a variety of materials. I also use a 24 tooth Freud rip blade, for ripping hardwoods thicker than 1".

[Jim Becker]

I have the same preference as Dave. I really do like the Forrest WW-II blades and have two 40T blades for normal use and a 20T ripping version for heavy ripping of thick material. I once did a little experiment with Microsoft Excel to figure out the best "cost" advantage between buying throw-away blades and a premium blade that stays sharper longer and can be resharpened many times. Including the cost of sharpening (and postage for the same) over five years the premium blade was less expensive. I lost that spreadsheet two computers ago, however...

[Todd Miranda]

Might want to check out your local Big Blue Box store ours have the Delta 35-7657 (formally DW7657) marked down to $32.92. Not a WW2 but not to shabby, especially for a novice like me.

Todd

[Bruce Wrenn]

Might want to check out your local Big Blue Box store ours have the Delta 35-7657 (formally DW7657) marked down to $32.92. Not a WW2 but not to shabby, especially for a novice like me.

ToddPaid $19.99 each for three yesterday. Today, I returned one that I bought for $32.92 a couple weeks back. Man I love it when Lowes goes crazy with clearance. Sharpening costs more than I paid for these blades.

[glenn bradley]

Everyone will have an opinion so here's one from my limited experience. My Lietz blades are real nice but I love my Freuds.

[Rod Sheridan]

Most of the blades I purchased are Dimar, who make blades for the industrial market.

Some of Lee Valley's blades are Dimar.

I have a 24 tooth rip, a 40 tooth ATB for general use, a TCG 80 tooth for melamine, and an 80 tooth ATB for fine cross cutting.

I also have a generic blade for projects involving the neighbourhood kids and their "prize" piece of plywood that's been in the driveway for 8 months.

I've found that the specialized blades work much better at their specific tasks, so much so that I almost never use a combination blade.

Regards, Rod.

P.S. I also have a Dimar stacked dado set.

[Greg Narozniak]

Might want to check out your local Big Blue Box store ours have the Delta 35-7657 (formally DW7657) marked down to $32.92. Not a WW2 but not to shabby, especially for a novice like me.

Todd

Got the same deal, Haven't used it yet but it looks well made.

I have a Forrest WW2, Freud LU84 and they are both excellent combination blades. Is the Forrest worth two to three times the price, jury is still out on that one. The 24 tooth Freud Rip blade is great for ripping and the 12" Forrest Chopmaster I have is excellent as well.

I believe, Forrest was the ones who designed the 40 tooth combo and once the patent ran out that is why you see so many other blade with the same setup. Not bashing Forrest mind you but you can get the same quality for less money as Others have said.

[Lee Schierer]

I have gotten good results from all my Freud blades and the price range is certainly acceptable for a hobbyist type shop. Rockler and others run sales on them from time to time. I have a couple of 60 tooth blades and a 24 tooth TK ripping blade. I don't think I paid much over $40 for any one of them.