165mm or 6.5" saw blades for track saw- need advice and suppliers

[Malcolm Schweizer]

I'm about to rip some 21' long boards with my track saw and I want the best possible blade. I am really having a hard time finding this size blade. Shipping from the US works better for me. I have found a few Freuds in the UK. I'm sure someone out there can make some recommendations. I am ripping these to make a birdsmouth mast for a sailboat. I want clean edges, but one edge gets routed to a V and the other mates into that V. I have one shot at this in a very expensive piece of wood and I am willing to pay top $$$ for a good saw blade. By the way, mine does take 165mm, which is 6.5 inches. Apparently there is a wealth of 160mm, and I may just go with that, but the problem is I frequently rip 2" thick material, and I really would use that extra 5mm.

So- what blade and who sells it?

Thanks in advance.

[Malcolm Schweizer]

*** These need to be 20mm bore for the arbor.

[Mike Walsh]

I bought the 28T (160mm) Freud blade for my Festool saw from Amazon awhile back and like it so far. First use was cross cutting the ends of of a dining room table - very nice cut in the 6/4 cherry

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[Van Huskey]

Infinity sells 165mm blades and so does Makita and Dewalt.

[Gary Ragatz]

No first-hand experience, but I have a friend who swears by the Infinity Track Master.

[Nick Decker]

I can tell you that the 6.5" blade that came with my Makita track saw is excellent. I was expecting the usual ho-hum stock blade, quite surprised.

[Earl McLain]

Carbide Processors in Washington State can make almost anything, and Tom is a friend of the Creek. He knows carbide, and they'll take a phone call to discuss what you're doing. Wouldn't be cheap, but you're asking for quality and seem realistic in your expectations.
earl

[Van Huskey]

Carbide Processors in Washington State can make almost anything, and Tom is a friend of the Creek. He knows carbide, and they'll take a phone call to discuss what you're doing. Wouldn't be cheap, but you're asking for quality and seem realistic in your expectations.
earl

If I am not mistaken Jerrimy Snook at Snook's Saw Services in Salem Or does Tom's custom work including his Worlds Best saws with the Cermet II tips.

[Bryan Lisowski]

I believe CMT and Oshlun make what you need. I did buy a few Oshlun blades for my Festool, it worked good.

[Van Huskey]

I believe CMT and Oshlun make what you need. I did buy a few Oshlun blades for my Festool, it worked good.

I think both CMT and Oshlun only make 160mm blades. I assume Malcolm has either a Makita or Dewalt tracksaw which use a 165mm blade (full 6.5"). While the 160mm blades work on both I think he wants the extra 5mm to maintain the saws depth of cut.

[Earl McLain]

If I am not mistaken Jerrimy Snook at Snook's Saw Services in Salem Or does Tom's custom work including his Worlds Best saws with the Cermet II tips.

I can't speak to that, but i use a World's Best 7 1/4" in my 10" table saw for cutting kerfs and inserts to segment pen blanks--and it was worth it to me. CP also sells a line from Popular Tools at a lower price point that is excellent for general work.
earl

[Malcolm Schweizer]

Thanks for all the replies. Yesterday I found the Freud Diablo in 165mm on Amazon. It didn't say if the arbor was 20mm, but in the reviews everyone was saying they used it on their track saw, so I'm hoping that it is. (Sometimes reviews get put in the wrong place.) If not, well- I got a good price and I'll use them on another saw.

I checked out Carbide Processors' website, and I will peruse it some more, but I did not see anything in my size with the 20mm arbor hole.

So here is a question: Why don't they make a plunge cut track saw with a standard 7 1/4" blade? I knew finding blades for my saw (Makita) would be difficult, but I didn't expect even going online to find one to be such a task.

[Jamie Buxton]

..Why don't they make a plunge cut track saw with a standard 7 1/4" blade? ...

Festool does make a plunge track saw which uses a 8 1/4" blade. That's not 7 1/4, which is what you asked. But if you want a deeper cut, that's a way to go.

[Mike Cutler]

I checked out Carbide Processors' website, and I will peruse it some more, but I did not see anything in my size with the 20mm arbor hole.

So here is a question: Why don't they make a plunge cut track saw with a standard 7 1/4" blade? I knew finding blades for my saw (Makita) would be difficult, but I didn't expect even going online to find one to be such a task.

I've never dealt with CP, but I have to assume that if you have the ability to custom make a blade, boring a hole in the center of any diameter isn't going to be a problem. I could be wrong though.

I would suspect that the reason you don't find plunge saws that accept standard 7-1/4" blades, is "market share". You can buy 10 packs of Freud Diablo's on amazon for less than a 1/3rd the cost of a Festool blade, I have the TS75 also, and throw them away when they get dull.. No way in my lifetime I'll ever burn through 30 circular saw blades. They make good $$$$ on the OEM replacement blades.

[Jeff Bartley]

Malcolm,
I would try and find a low tooth count rip blade even if it means it's only 160mm. I haven't looked hard for one but have thought about it from time to time.
Whatever blade you find please report back! And I'm sure I'm not the only one who'd be interested in seeing pics of that birdsmouth mast.....