how many board feet can you run through a table saw blade before cleanings?

[Tom M King]

We ran most of 10,000 lineal feet of Cypress through a little direct drive, screamer table saw (sitting outside so the dust would just blow away), using a Forrest thin kerf 20 tooth rip blade. We were taking off the sapwood, by eye, without a fence, before turning the boards into shingles. That blade has been used a number of times since then, and is still fine, without having touched it.

If it had been a 3' old, Oak board, with old paint on it, the same blade would be junk.

[Jim Mackell]

After a while you also develop a feel for resistance. Sharp blade, wood slides right through. As the blade dulls, you have to push more. With experience, you'll feel the difference.

[johnny means]

Length and thickness would be the factors involved so, square feet of cut would be what you'd be measuring. None the less, there are way to many variables to ever come up with some regular metric. I clean my blade when pitch starts to build up.

[Mike Henderson]

After a while you also develop a feel for resistance. Sharp blade, wood slides right through. As the blade dulls, you have to push more. With experience, you'll feel the difference.

I agree with this, but the resistance creeps up on you so you get accustomed to pushing a bit harder. Most of the time when I change to a new blade I'm amazed at how much easier it cuts. Then I know I went too long before cleaning or sharpening the old blade.

Mike