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Thread: Plywood Blade recomendations

  1. #1
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    Plywood Blade recomendations

    I'm going to be making a few cabinets for various areas in my house.

    I'll be breaking the plywood sheets down, to rough size, with my Festool track saw.

    For final sizing, I will use my Sawstop and thought about getting a 80T plywood blade.

    I plan on solid wood edge banding, so I'd like as clean a splinter fee cut, as possible, on the plywood.

    So far, I've pretty much gone with Forrest as my choice for cross cut and rip blades, for the table saw, and likewise for my miter saw.

    If I'm going to spend upwards of $200, that's what the Forrest is with shipping, I'd like to get the best.



    Thanks
    Last edited by ChrisA Edwards; 02-28-2021 at 12:56 PM.

  2. #2
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    I understand the urge to go with 80 teeth. My go-to plywood blade is from Carbide Processors and is a 55 tooth plywood blade ground to a .125" kerf. SMC members used to get a discount and still may; call them. I have 60 and 80 as well but, find them better for hardwood crosscutting (the 60) and veneered substrates (the 80). YMMV.
    "A hen is only an egg's way of making another egg".


    – Samuel Butler

  3. #3
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    I have a Home Depot 80-tooth Diablo blade (by Freud), recently sharpened and kept regularly clean. For clean plywood cuts I pre-score the line with the blade at a scant 1/6" or less height. That takes care of tearout. I do not see the need for an expensive blade. Unless you're making production runs, the pre-score method is a very manageable workflow.

  4. #4
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    Chris, I used the Freud full kerf ultimate plywood and melamine blade for all the cherry plywood for my office built-ins and desks. Used with a zero clearance insert I never got any tearout of the surface veneers. I occasionally saw a slight bit of tearout of the inner plies at the end of cuts (just a few feathers, really), but nothing that would be visible or impact joinery. And when sizing panels on my sled where the cuts are backed up by the fence, there was no tearout at all at the ends. I also glued on solid wood edging and got great joints. I use the smaller version of that blade on my track saw when breaking down plywood and get the same good results.
    --I had my patience tested. I'm negative--

  5. #5
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    I actually have a high-tooth count 12" blade for my slider...it came with the saw. I've never bothered to re-sharpen it because the Forest WW-II 48t 12" blades I use normally cut extremely clean on any sheet goods I happen to use. That includes really nice veneer plywood, MDO, MDF, etc. (I find the best prices for Forest are at Silver's Mill, BTW)
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  6. #6
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    If your cutting veneered ply core, you would do well without regrets using a full kerf ( .125 ) 80 tooth alternate tooth bevel ( Hi-ATB ) with at least a neg.15* rake. When your spending that kind of money for the longevity of the blade, it's worth seeking a brand of " Tooling " blades that actually mill the plates as opposed to stamping them out and then working them into the saw blades you buy. c4 carbide is ideal for ply core veneers, c2-c3 is better suited for particle core sheet goods, being a bit less " brittle " for the abrasiveness of particle board. I have over the years bought $200 plus veneer sheets in particle core ( more stable/flat ) that actually had gravel in the mix and who knows what else ( depends on the mill ), that kind of stuff is very hard on C4. Sound extreme...boils down to the right tool for the job. I have an assortment of 12 blades that i've carried and had resharpened over the past 15 years ( same blades ). Just my two cents...

  7. #7
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    My favorite blade for veneer ply, and also melamine is an old Delta blade, number is 35-625. It's an 80T, TC&F. Absolutely no fuzzy edges, and no chips on melamine. I was going to buy a new one a few months ago, but just couldn't find a direct replacement, so I bought the Forrest Duraline Hi A/T, 80T blade. The Forrest does a really good job on ply. I have not tried melamine yet, so can't comment on that. The Duraline blade definitely does a better job than the Forrest and/or Ridge Carbide cross cut blades I have (both 46T). Based on my experience, I'd stick with an 80 blade, and full kerf. If you can find one with the same tooth design as the Delta 35-625 I have, I'd go with that.

  8. #8
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    For clean plywood cuts I pre-score the line with the blade at a scant 1/6" or less height. That takes care of tearout. I do not see the need for an expensive blade. Unless you're making production runs, the pre-score method is a very manageable workflow.
    While I think Freud's Diablo blades are a good value and avaialble practically everywhere; the reason to buy an "expensive" blade would be so you don't have to score your sheets first. The beter tooth geometry, flatter plates, and often finer sharpening eliminates that need. Another reason would be something Jim alludes to - having only one blade. Something like a Forrest or Ridge Carbide or even a Freud Fusion combo blade would allow for rip cuts and cross cut in solid stock as well as plywood with very good results on all.

    Now, splinter free cuts can had with in-expensive blades, but rarely ( if ever) cheap ones. And for a short run, I bet I could find a Diablo blade that poduces acceptle cuts on the bottom side of ply for a few sheets.

  9. #9
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    I run the full kerf Forrest WoodWorker 10" ATB 70 teeth ply-veneer of my SawStop with a Zero Clearance Insert. As an experiment, tried it on some scrap poor quality Home Depot 3/4" plyw'd. Cuts on both were perfect without the need for any scoring or taping to prevent chipping.

    Speaking from personal experience, the ony caveat is: be very careful installing and removing this blade. The numerous teeth are very sharp and will easily cut fingers.

    https://www.forrestblades.com/ply-ve...eth-thin-kerf/

  10. #10
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    Nothing against Forrest. They are great blades and a great company but check out ridge carbide also.

  11. #11
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    The only place I've found that has a top-grade, 80T blade for sale right now is Amazon and it is the Duraline for $201

  12. #12
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    The freud ultimate plywood melamine blade is really good on plywood. Runs about $100.

    Joe
    JC Custom WoodWorks

    For best results, try not to do anything stupid.

    "So this is how liberty dies...with thunderous applause." - Padmé Amidala "Star Wars III: The Revenge of the Sith"

  13. #13
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    I've been using Leuco / Stehle blades for years now, no need to spend upwards of $200 for an 80 tooth ATB.
    https://shopleuco.com/collections/sa...-8-z-80-hi-atb

    Everlast are also good. https://www.specialtytools.com/bits-...8-bore-ar.html

  14. #14
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    Popular Tools 0.126" - 80T Hi ATB. Best blade in veneer ply and Melamine I've ever used on my TS. I tried it on my RAS and surprisingly it didn't cut as well as a Freud Ultimate blade. No clue why.

    John

  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by ChrisA Edwards View Post
    So far, I've pretty much gone with Forrest as my choice for cross cut and rip blades, for the table saw, and likewise for my miter saw.

    If I'm going to spend upwards of $200, that's what the Forrest is with shipping, I'd like to get the best.
    No idea if it is the best or not, but, I get very good results with my Forrest plywood blade on my SawStop. I get decent results even with my Forrest combo blade when I am in a hurry.

    I often tape the joint with painter's tape when I am feeling very particular. I do prefer solid wood edging; wish I had used that on my computer desk.

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