MDF only blade?

[Quinn Kleerekoper]

Do any of you switch out your tablesaw blade when cutting lots of MDF board? If you do change out your blade, what type of blade do you replace it with?
Thanks,
Quinn

[Jim O'Dell]

I usually use my Systematic 60 tooth laminate blade. Makes for a very smooth cut. I have used my 40 tooth combo, and it's not bad. If you have a regular combo blade, try it. It should do fine. Jim.

[Joe Chritz]

Do you mean for better cut quality or to save wear on the primary blade?

The answer is still no for me. I use a 40T combo Freud on almost everything, generally only changing for a dado stack or to put on a freshly sharpened one.

Joe

[scott spencer]

I switch....for MDF I usually borrow a neighbor's blade. :D

[Quinn Kleerekoper]

Do you mean for better cut quality or to save wear on the primary blade?

The answer is still no for me. I use a 40T combo Freud on almost everything, generally only changing for a dado stack or to put on a freshly sharpened one.

Joe


This would be to save wear on the primary blade. This raises a second question. Is there any real data regarding the degree of wear that MDF causes on carbide versus other wood products?

[Jim Becker]

I don't switch, but I also don't cut a lot of MDF. If I did, I'd probably buy a triple chip blade and dedicate it.

[JayStPeter]

Back when I did a lot of speaker building I used to switch. I don't bother anymore as I don't use enough MDF for it to make financial/logistical sense to buy/store another blade for the occasional sheet I use. Just keep your blade clean. But if you're going to run numerous sheets it might make sense.
The bottom line is that just about any carbide toothed blade makes a nice cut in MDF. I used an inexpensive blade I got from the borg (Oldham I think). I don't even recall the tooth layout of it as it just didn't seem to matter, but I think it was a 50t combo blade.

[John Thompson]

I use very little MDF or ply except for shop jigs and cabinets... but if I do I switch to an old CMT 24T rip blade that has triple chip grind. It has been to the local sharpner so many times it was retired from ripping 8/4 down and serves the role of dedicated MDF. I find the TCG gives a very smooth cut on MDF and you can feed it to the blade with haste with all that gullet space.

BTW... the Oldham mentioned by Jay would be a good choice. Oldham is not as bad as you think. I have been running a $9.00 60T Oldham on my circular saw to cut the few sheets of ply I use for years. It has cut through 2 nails and 4 screws in shop cabinets I was re-sizing. No teeth have broken off.. no chips and no cracks. With a piece of blue tape over the cut line... very smooth cut with no splinter. Go figure! ;)

Sarge..

[glenn bradley]

This would be to save wear on the primary blade. This raises a second question. Is there any real data regarding the degree of wear that MDF causes on carbide versus other wood products?

If I am doing an abusive amount of MDF, I put on a $20 Oldham 60T that I got at the BORG. I switch blades based on the type of cut and the material so switching to the cheap-o 60T for 30 or more cuts is actually less effort than normal TS work.

If I am crosscutting or ripping other materials and need to do a couple MDF cuts, I don't swap. If I am breaking down material for a few carcases out of MDF, I swap.

[James Carmichael]

When cutting a bunch of lamiate flooring (which dulls blades in no-time) I bought a $17 combo blade from Harbor Freight. I believe it's actually a TCG and worked quite well until it dulled.

[Rick Potter]

I am not sure that MDF is that tough on blades, but I know particle board, with all its glue is. When I am cutting a lot of that I simply use a 7 1/4" Skill saw blade on the table saw. It is plenty big enough to cut sheet goods, and is dirt cheap.

RickPotter

[Tom Walz]

Figure 2 or 3 times for MDF. That’s pretty rough because there are many, many kinds of wood and MDF in the world.

MDF is wood particles glued together. The glue has a filler and that filler can vary widely in its abrasive qualities.

http://www.carbideprocessors.com/level2sawblades/Cuttingmdfcomparedtoplywood.html

Tom

[Greg Narozniak]

I bought a 40 tooth Freud Diablo "cheapie" from the Orange borg and use it for MDF or any "questionable" material. It has worked very well for these purposes.

[Mike Seals]

I build a lot of speakers, so I cut a lot of MDF. I want the best cut I can get and still be a tight wad. So I been using a Freud Diablo D1080X, an 80 tooth blade on the tablesaw. I've been using that same blade for about two years now and it still cuts smooth and is still very sharp. I used a Freud Diablo ripping blade before that, but the cuts where not as good. I was impressed enough with their blades that I bought a 12" 96 tooth version for the miter saw, it also sees a lot of MDF along with other hardwoods and still seems to be holding up well.

The only time I change blades is for the type or quality of the cut. I think the gum in the wood tends to cause more problems than the MDF, but that's my opinion.

[Dennis Montgomery]

You can cut MDF with any blade. I have specialized blades for different applications, but if I need to cut MDF, I don't even look at which blade is mounted in the TS. I just cut and go. MDF is the easiest cutting material that you will find.