Do I really need a rip blade?

[Rich Engelhardt]

I have a Freud Glue Line Rip blade - two in fact since I bought them on sale for a price too good to pass up.
I also have a Frued 26 tooth thin kerf blade for anything over 4/4 or 5/4.

I spend a lot of time swapping out my rip blade for a 40 tooth combo blade.
Since i nearly always cut 3/4" stock, would I be better served just getting a good combination blade and leave that in the saw?

I don't mind the added time it takes to swap out the blades, but, it does seem a waste to spend more time swapping out the blade than actually making the cut a lot of the time when I only have a cut or two to make.

My saw is a Ridged TS 3660 contractor saw - and so far, it's been working just fine with the regular kerf GLR blade - but - I'd probably go with a thin kerf combo blade.

I'm also open to recommendations for a very good combination blade.
Is the Forrest WWII still considered "the best"?

[Steve Rozmiarek]

It's never a popular opinion when I say this, but you do not gain anything by switching blades between a good combo and a rip for normal use. Unless you are trying to rip something thick and fast (don't do this expecting a clean cut), there is no benefit in my opinion to a dedicated rip blade and the time wasted changing them is better devoted somewhere else. Further, I have yet to see a dedicated rip blade that does a better job than a good combo for cut quality. I personally would not use a thin kerf anything, the stiffer thicker sawplate is worth the extra kerf width in my opinion.

I have several WWII and they are good blade. There are several others who have blades of the same caliber now, arguably better.

[Rob Luter]

I use a dedicated rip blade only when I'm setting up to make a number of rip cuts, or when I'm cutting multiple flat bottom grooves for drawer bottoms or corner splines on mitered boxes. I have a good combo blade that will rip just fine, but the dedicated rip blade offers an easier cut and leaves a cleaner finish.

[Jim Becker]

It's never a popular opinion when I say this, but you do not gain anything by switching blades between a good combo and a rip for normal use.

I personally agree with this. I use one blade (12" WW-II 48T ATB) for pretty much everything unless there is a clear advantage to using my aggressive ripping blade. (WW-II 20T ripping 10") Now if I were going to be doing an all day "rip a thon", the time for the change could be justified by the slightly better results that are possible with an optimized blade, but switching back and forth for routine work...nope.

[Ron Selzer]

I keep a rip blade on the 5 hp SawStop and a crosscut on the Radial Arm Saws along with the panel saws
Switching out to a dado blade only when necessary

[David Lageman]

I use a dedicated rip blade only when I'm setting up to make a number of rip cuts, or when I'm cutting multiple flat bottom grooves for drawer bottoms or corner splines on mitered boxes. I have a good combo blade that will rip just fine, but the dedicated rip blade offers an easier cut and leaves a cleaner finish.

I shall simply say this is what I would have said!

[Mel Fulks]

In one employment guys would fill the place with smoke by trying to rip 8/4 rough lumber with an 80 tooth saw. Took more time ...but
saved labor ! The foreman seldom left his desk , a pretty smoke proof place with a glass front.

[glenn bradley]

So much depends on what you are doing. I have combo blades and use them to break things down. I rarely use them for final cuts on things. Many folks never use an edge or surface right off a machine so the quality of that cut becomes a work-saver of varying degrees.

I do have a set of dedicated purpose blades that I use as the job requires. Since it takes less time to swap a blade than to wash your hands I tend to do it without much remorse. I am also set up to do it. My tools and blades are at hand.

To rip thick stock I use a rip blade. To crosscut a show face on fibrous woods I will grab an 80 tooth cutter. I use a combo blade . . . a lot. I also have 24, 30, 50, 55, 60 and 80 tooth cutters in the quiver. In the end, what works for you is correct and I am always interested in hearing what other do.

[Mark Carlson]

90% of my cuts are rip cuts and the other 10% are plywood cross cuts. So given that I mostly use a rip blade and put in a plywood crosscut blade when necessary. The majority of my cross cuts are done on a festool kapex. I started out using combo blades and have most brands. I just dont use them anymore and prefer the blade designed for the operation.

[Mel Fulks]

I don’t think it’s been mentioned here that ripping without a rip saw can make heat. That can cause the wood to pinch the saw, then the
saw will propel the wood forward and above saw table. That will startle even the experienced, and it’s not always the operator who takes the
hit.

[Mike Henderson]

I use a good quality combination blade for most of my work, switching to a rip blade only when I need to rip big stuff. I take boards that will be glued to the jointer after I cut it and before gluing up a panel.

Mike

[Dave Zellers]

So...
The consensus to Rich's question is yes.
Or no.
Or maybe.

My answer is yes. They rip wood like a hot knife through buttah. If you will then joint that edge, as so many here do, then yes, if you can afford one, get one. And if you do have a jointer, there is no need to spend extra on a 'glue line rip' blade since you will clean up that edge after ripping. But yeah, a good rip blade will cut through 5 or 6 or even 8 quarter hardwood without even blinking.

[andy bessette]

I never change blades. Instead I have 1 Unisaw setup with a carbide rip blade and a 2nd Unisaw setup with a carbide combination blade. The rip blade is noticeably faster at ripping than the combination blade, which I often rip with. Also have a contractors saw setup with a carbide 1/2" dado stack that I use for rabbeting.

[Rich Engelhardt]

So...
The consensus to Rich's question is yes.
Or no.
Or maybe.

Yep the good old "depends" .

Since my favorite wood is Cherry - I suppose the best practice would be to continue on using my Glue Line Rip blades - until they dull and begin burning.

I do believe I'll also invest in a decent combination blade. (I'll start a new thread for that one since it's been some time since there's been a thread about that)

[Mike Wilkins]

I would still recommend a glue line rip blade dedicated to nothing but ripping. They do give you a glue ready surface as long as your saw is set up properly. I get surfaces ready for the glue all the time, so for me it is worth the time to change over. I use a full kerf (1/8" kerf) blade which I prefer.
I also use this full kerf blade for grooving.