Best 12" blade for Delta Miter saw

[Jay Yoder]

I posted awhile back about my dissatisfied with my Delta 36-412 Dual bevel Compound Miter, but due to finances it is not in cards to replace it, so my next step is to upgrade the blade...I really like freuds, but wondered what everyone else thought. I use it primarily for framing which i would use the current blade. But i would like to get it "dialed in" for precision crosscutting...what blade would give me the best "bang for my buck"

[Lance Norris]

At my local saw sharpening shop, I needed a good blade for my CMS and they sold me an Orion 80 tooth ATB. It is an excellent blade balancing cost and performance. I have never liked Delta or Dewalt blades. I have a Forrest ww2 on my table saw, have a Freud 8" dado, a Freud 10" 24 tooth rip blade, a Tenryu 8~1/4" on my battery miter saw, and backup 10" blades from Orion, Festool and Freud. I would recommend any of these brands.

[Mike Heidrick]

I have a Forrest Chopmaster and it is good. My friend runs the Forrest Miter Master and he swears it is better than the Chopmaster. Either way they are pricey but some of the top of the line chopsaw blades.

[scott spencer]

I'd stick with full kerf for a 12" blade.

Amazon's got the 12" Forrest Duraline (http://www.amazon.com/Forrest-DH12807145-Duraline-Melimine-Circular/dp/B000OMSE4S/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=1214044473&sr=1-7) 80T Hi-ATB on sale for $66 shipped...tough deal to beat IMHO on a top shelf blade with the cleanest cutting grind available. They also have the Freud LU72M012 (http://www.amazon.com/Freud-LU72M012-12-Inch-Crosscutting-1-Inch/dp/B00004T797/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=1214044641&sr=1-10) 48T blade on sale for $64 shipped with an additional 15% off, so it's ~ $54.46 shipped....also a very tough deal to beat on an excellent versatile blade. ....And to round of their "trifecta", they've also got an all around excellent CMT 72T (http://www.amazon.com/CMT-281-072-12-Tooth-Cabinetshop-Miter/dp/B000Q95OS8/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=1214045203&sr=1-3) full kerf "cabinet shop" blade on sale for $58 shipped....it has huge carbide to stand up to many resharpenings. Any one of those blades should give excellent performance depending on what you want to achieve.

Holbren has the Oshlun blades (http://www.holbren.com/manufacturers.php?manufacturerid=12&catid=673) that are surprisingly good for the price, making them among the "best bangs for buck".

You could also try an email to mjackson@leitztooling.com to see if he has any of these left:
Delta 12" 35-654 80 tooth, ATB ,1" bore, neg 6 degree hook,.125 kerf, $25. These are German made precision blades at very low prices.

[Randal Stevenson]

I have a 10" GMC cms that was bought for a couple of decks/porches, and to use up a gift card, when Lowe's closed them out a few years ago. After using it for those, I read online about tuning one up, and replacing the blade. When I found a bargain on a Freud LU85 (in your case, LU85R012), I tuned it up and threw that on. I've been happy with it ever since.

[John Keeton]

I have purchased but not installed a Tenyru blade for my CMS. Saw it demonstrated at the Woodcraft grand opening. VERY impressive on quietness and smoothness of cut. I use my CMS mostly for finish cuts so that is important to me. Others may make more general use of theirs and have different preferences.

[Jim Becker]

I don't know if some would consider it "best bang for the buck" since it's not inexpensive, but the Forrest ChopMaster in my CMS is the best blade I've ever used in that tool. It stays sharp longer and provides a glass-smooth cut. The trim carpenter who did the work in our addition was blowing through typical blades way too quickly. He's now a believer, too...

[Joe Scharle]

I have a 10" GMC cms that was bought for a couple of decks/porches, and to use up a gift card, when Lowe's closed them out a few years ago. After using it for those, I read online about tuning one up, and replacing the blade. When I found a bargain on a Freud LU85 (in your case, LU85R012), I tuned it up and threw that on. I've been happy with it ever since.

Me too. Had it about a year; glass smooth cuts.

[Fred Floyd]

I have a 12" Delta chop saw with laser and a delta 12" RAS. In both cases, I have a Forrest ChopMaster blade. In my opinion, they are the best on the market. Yes, they're not cheap, but you will be amazed at the cut quality. They stay sharp and I have yet to wear one out. Like any good blade, stay away from nails and the like.

[Jay Yoder]

Thanks for the great responses. I am concerned with the Forrest blades due to the postings awhile back abt QC issues...i may try one of the Freuds and go from there. Is it safe to assume that the 10" versions of the mentioned blades would be great on a RAS, or would a different set of blades be more applicable?

[Randal Stevenson]

Thanks for the great responses. I am concerned with the Forrest blades due to the postings awhile back abt QC issues...i may try one of the Freuds and go from there. Is it safe to assume that the 10" versions of the mentioned blades would be great on a RAS, or would a different set of blades be more applicable?


One of the Freud blades (LU85R series), is good for the tablesaw and the CMS, NOT the RAS.
The RAS series, depends on your RAS following. I believe the LU91 series, is the SCMS (sliding, not single), that people do use on the RAS.
The other train of thought, is the LU83R010, as the poor man's Mr. Sawdust blade (Mr. Sawdust blade is a custom WWI, 60 tooth, +5 degree hook angle, available only by special order via Charles at Forrest). It is similar to the one in the brackets, but is sold as a tablesaw blade.

[Jim O'Dell]

Infinity has their 12" 90 tooth Miter Max blade on sale at 79.90 per an email I got yesterday. I've not used any of their saw blades, so can't speak to quality. But I'd think that they would be good. The 10" 80 tooth is 59.90. 5 degree negative ATB blade. .110 kerf. Jim.

[Mark W Pugh]

I would like to revive this topic. Any new additions for a good 12" chop saw blade. Not a framing blade, I have plenty of those.

[scott spencer]

I would like to revive this topic. Any new additions for a good 12" chop saw blade. Not a framing blade, I have plenty of those.

I'd suggest sticking with full kerf for a 12" blade. The Oshlun blades still represent an excellent value, and I've never tried a blade from Infinity that didn't impress.

[Mark W Pugh]

I'd suggest sticking with full kerf for a 12" blade. The Oshlun blades still represent an excellent value, and I've never tried a blade from Infinity that didn't impress.

The Oshlun blades, for miter saws, show just thin kerf blades. Does blade style on a CSMS really matter since a push cut it used?

[scott spencer]

The Oshlun blades, for miter saws, show just thin kerf blades. Does blade style on a CSMS really matter since a push cut it used?

Oshlun's website (http://oshlun.com/finishing.html) shows the SBW120080 (http://www.amazon.com/Oshlun-SBW-120080-12-Inch-Finishing-1-Inch/dp/B0012YKS82/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1393517252&sr=8-9&keywords=Oshlun+12+blade) as being 0.134", or a tad over 1/8" (full kerf).

The Infinity 012-190 (http://infinitytool.com/) would a be a top shelf blade for ~ $110 (similar design to the Forrest Chopmaster. Kerf is showing at 0.110", which is more of a mid-kerf, but should still be a great choice.

[Mark W Pugh]

Any comments between these two?

Freud http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0000223IC/?tag=googhydr-20&hvadid=31729575756&hvpos=1t1&hvexid=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=5414010101079204396&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=b&hvdev=c&ref=pd_sl_5iotrnbgwq_b#productDetails

Infinity http://www.amazon.com/012-190-Tooth-Miter-Blade-Arbor/dp/B000TR83XA#productDetails

[scott spencer]

The Infinity has a negative hook, which is a bit more conducive to miter saws, but either should leave a really nice cut.

[joseph f merz]

I just want to bash freud a bit .I am sure they have good blades .they sell a million of them .you can buy them just about anywhere . They do not tend to score high in comparitive reviews .They sell some cheap blades for to much . In my 12" size where I use the most there are no more freuds ,they haven't held up .Though do not think I have ever bought one[12"] for more then 90$ .But the forest get sharpened year after year .First forest I bought I remember the cut was so nice -no fuzz .But I am comparing apples and oranges -the forest is just a better blade .I see comments about freud stuff and wonder if the poster has tried anything else . Fine wood working mag has done some good review regarding carbide edge tooling -I recall the router bit one[june 2007,#191] .Freud does Ok .

[scott spencer]

I just want to bash freud a bit .I am sure they have good blades .they sell a million of them .you can buy them just about anywhere . They do not tend to score high in comparitive reviews .They sell some cheap blades for to much . In my 12" size where I use the most there are no more freuds ,they haven't held up .Though do not think I have ever bought one[12"] for more then 90$ .But the forest get sharpened year after year .First forest I bought I remember the cut was so nice -no fuzz .But I am comparing apples and oranges -the forest is just a better blade .I see comments about freud stuff and wonder if the poster has tried anything else . Fine wood working mag has done some good review regarding carbide edge tooling -I recall the router bit one[june 2007,#191] .Freud does Ok .

If you're comparing Freud's thin kerf Diablo line to Forrest, then you are comparing apples to oranges (though it's tough to complain about what you get for $30 in a D1040X), but Freud also has a Premier series that many have found to cut cleaner in some aspects than a WWII....enough so that Forrest introduced a 48T WWII to compete with it. Forrest makes some really good blades, but I haven't seen that Forrest is clearly a better blade than Freud's best blades. There are lots of variables involved, including picking the best design for the task....unfortunately, most of us don't have the knowledge to do a good job of that.

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