The wrong Forrest blade?

[Keith Starosta]

My wife and I had a great time walking around the Woodworking Show in Chantilly, VA yesterday. It was my first experience at one of these shows, and I was like a kid in a candy shop!! I didn't know where to look next. If it weren't for some other engagements, I'd be going back today. :D

Anyway, one of the booths that I spent a good amount of time at was the Forrest booth. My ears perked up when I heard the sales rep explain the difference between the WWII thin kerf and thick kerf blades. He said that the thinner kerf blade is made for 110v, <2HP saw, while the thicker kerf was for the 220V, 3+HP units. I was angry at myself for not researching the difference in the blades enough. I explained to him that I had a PM64A contractors saw, 110V, and I had just started to use the thicker kerf blade this week. He told me that I might experience wood burn, and wouldn't be able to draw as much power. :eek: I really don't have any reason to doubt this, right?

Have any of you experienced this? Am I basically screwed with the blade that I have? Thanks!

Keith

[Jim Becker]

Unless you are constantly ripping very thick lumber, the fellow was blowing what is essentially smoke. You should be using a different tooth configuration for that, anyway. Your saw has more than enough power to work well with a standard (1/8") kerf blade. Some woods are more prone than others to burning (cherry, maple and oak, for example) and technique can greatly affect that aspect of cutting on a saw. The standard kerf blade will also flex less under strain and has more metal on the tips, resulting in more sharpening life.

Enjoy your new blade and don't worry about what the guy told you...it will work great!

[Keith Starosta]

Thanks, Jim. I was pretty bummed out for a few minutes after hearing that.

Another thing I was going to mention and forgot was the use of a blade stiffener. I overhead several vendors telling people that the use of a blade stiffener (also called something else I can't remember right now) was pretty much mandatory if you wanted to eliminate most of your runout. Is this just a vendor trying to sell an unnecessary product, or is it true?

Keith

[Dave Arbuckle]

I overhead several vendors telling people that the use of a blade stiffener (also called something else I can't remember right now) was pretty much mandatory if you wanted to eliminate most of your runout.

I think that's largely a line of nonsense, especially with blades that have a standard size plate.

Look at where the blade wobble may originate:
1) Arbor flange out of true. Blade plates cannot help there, they mount against the same flange.

2) Blade plate is warped. I suppose that if the warpage occurs within the area covered by the stiffener, it could conceivably help. Then again, the stiffeners are pretty close to as likely to be warped as the blade.

I once bought into the stiffener argument. An informal mentor convinced me to measure the static runout on the blade I was using with and without the stiffener. Turns out it was better with just the blade!

Dave
(I knew the other name for them, right up to when you mentioned you couldn't think of it... ;))

[Tony Sade]

Blade stabilizer?

[John Weber]

Keith, don't worry, I think the thin kerfs are over rated for smaller saws anyway. I've always ran full kerf blades even when I just had a bench top saw. Full kerf is less prone to warp and works with all splitters. I guess the thin kerf blades save a little wood. I wouldn't fool with them - stick with what you have.

John

[Jim DeLaney]

1. I used the 1/8" kerf blade on my PM63 contractors saw for about ten years. Never had a problem. I did have a Freud TK 24t rip blade, though.

2. The blade stabilizer will do nothing to eliminate runout. The arbor, flange, and the blade plate itself are what contribut to runout. The stabilizer <I>might</I> reduce vibration - particularly with a thin-kerf blade - but serves no other purpose. I've bever seen the need for one.

[Kent Cori]

I agree with everything you've heard here. The 1/8" kerf will work fine.

One significant disadvantage to blade stabilizers is that they will reduce the maximum amount you can expose the blade thus reducing your maximum depth of cut.

[Kirk (KC) Constable]

For many years I ran full kerf blades on a Delta 34-670...which isn't a helluva lot of saw...so I go with the crowd and pretty much say, "Phooey".

KC

[Howard Acheson]

Let me add that the 40 tooth WWII is designed for ripping wood no thicker than 1". Thicker hardwood will generally burn and even 1" thick woods like cherry will frequently burn. Forrest makes a 30 tooth blade which rips 1" to 1 1/2 stock very well.

For any modern well made blade, a stiffener is not necessary. If a stiffener is needed, then question the quality of the blade.

Forrest is just looking for some additional money from you.

[Dale Thompson]

Keith,
You have come to the right place for the facts. Factory reps are either totally namebrand brainwashed or they are NOT woodworkers. I once had a factory rep from DeWalt tell me that a DW708 slider with the dust bag would pick up about 80% of the sawdust. When I told him that I had one and that, perhaps, the bag pickup was more like 8% (vs 80%), he agreed and told me that if I had paid extra for the bag, I should ask for my money back. So much for marketing. :) This is NOT a knock on DeWalt. I have a lot of their products and have no complaints on any of them.

The lesson here is: Ask the pros on this board (I'm not one of them) and you will get some real-life answers. :) :) Thanks SMC!

Dale T.

[John Miliunas]

Ditto to what the other guys here are telling you, Keith. I *always* ran a full kerf blade on my Delta contractor saw and, even though it was a higher end blade, it wasn't as good as the WWII and I had no problems. I think someone is just trying to make an extra buck off of you! :cool:

[Keith Starosta]

The lesson here is: Ask the pros on this board (I'm not one of them) and you will get some real-life answers. Thanks SMC!

Exactly why I love this place so much!! Next to actually working side-by-side with the likes of some of you guys, this is the next best thing. Thanks very much for the words of advice.

Keith

[Byron Trantham]

Exactly why I love this place so much!! Next to actually working side-by-side with the likes of some of you guys, this is the next best thing. Thanks very much for the words of advice.

Keith
Keith, I bought the Thin Kerf and wish I hadden't. Nothing wrong with the blade but now I would like to install a Beismeyer splitter and it doesn't work with Thin Kerf blades. I've actually considered replacing them BUT we're talking about a lot of bucks plus the splitter isn't free.

Go with a standard kerf blade.

[Jim Becker]

You have come to the right place for the facts. Factory reps are either totally namebrand brainwashed or they are NOT woodworkers.

And in this case...it's not even a "factory rep"! Forrest blades at the shows are generally sold by resellers; typically 3D-Sales (forrestblades.com), not the factory. That said, Forrest does push the stablizers. The only benefit I found was a slight decrease in noise level, but the general design of the Forrest WW-II is a bit noisy anyway. (I don't care...they cut like a dream!)