Forrest saw blades

[Merrill Herring]

I just want to say that this Forum has been a wealth of information, and I appreciate everyone's input. My question is in regards to recommendations on 2 saw blades. I need a quality 12" crosscut blade for my sliding miter saw, and a 10" rip for my table saw. I have heard that the Forrest blades, specifically the Chopmaster 12"x80T 30 degree ATBR 5 degree neg. face hook is a great blade. They also make a 10" x24 safety rip blade. I work with hardwoods up to 8/4. Any suggestions?

Thanks, Merrill

[Mike Henderson]

I have the Forrest 12" ChopMaster and have been satisfied with it. I haven't tried any others so I can't make a comparison.

Mike

[everett lowell]

Hi Merill, I have the woodworker ll custom-40 tooth,atf tooth style for fat bottom kerfs,and it has 20degree rake. I've had it on my tablesaw for three years now and I'm very happy I got it! 99% of the time I cut hardwood and she still cuts like a dream.

[Jim Becker]

I put the 12" ChopMaster on my CMS this past year and it's a whole new saw. (I run Forrest blades on my TS, too)

BTW, there is a brand new ChopMaster for sale right now in the SMC Free Classifieds Forum for a VERY good price.

[John Piwaron]

Chopmaster! Excellent blade. I use it in place of the stock blade that came with my DeWalt compound miter saw.

It leaves a very smooth surface.

I also use a thin kerf WW2 on my TS. Excellent.

Keep 'em clean. I let my first WW2 gum up and it got a hot spot and warped. It's not so nice now even after Forrest "straightened" it.

[Dave Falkenstein]

It is hard to go wrong with a Forrest blade. I use the Chopmaster in my Hitachi SCMS and get consistently smooth cuts in all types of material. I don't have a Forrest rip blade, but I do use my WWII for ripping up to an inch in thickness. I would not hesitate to buy the rip blade if I needed a new one.

[Jim Becker]

I forgot to mention I do have a Forrest 20t WW-II ripping blade for my TS. I only use it for thick material, but it goes through "like butter". Now, the finish isn't good like with the WW-II 40t I run normally, but for dedicated ripping, it's a winner for me. The Freud ripping blade would be the alternative I'd suggest for that function, but only for thicker material. The regular 30 or 40t WW-II rips beautifully up to about an inch in my experience.

[John Miliunas]

The 12" Chopmaster has been on my CMS since "Day-1" and I wouldn't trade it for anything! Then, as Jim B. mentions, for thick material, the WWII, 20-tooth just totally rules! I've tried the Dewalt & Freud ripping blades and they just pale in comparison to the 20 tooth Forrest. I've recommended both to a lot of folks at the store where I work part time and have had zero negative feedback on either blade. In fact, a number of the guys have made it a point to look me up to offer their "thanks" in recommending them.

[Jesse Thornton]

I have a WWII 30T TK on my TS, and it cuts phenomenally better than the mid range blade I had on before. After seeing (and feeling) that difference, I plan on getting a Forrest blade for my mitre saw.
Also, if you don't have one already, another thing that made a considerable difference in the quality of my cuts was investing in a good dial indicator/feeler gauge - I thought my setups were pretty accurate, but being able to align things within a few thousanths of an inch really improves performance.

[glenn bradley]

Neg. hook for you slider. Many folks here use Forrest almost exclusively. I like my WWII as a general purpose blade but reach for my Freuds for task specific cuts. I believe I am the minority.

In fairness I have not used Forrest task specific blades but also hear the Chopmaster is a gem.

[Ken Salisbury]

I have a WWI on my RAS, a WWII 40T on my TS and Chopmasters on my 2 miter saws. I learned long ago (14yrs) that you cannot beat Forrest blades.

[Byron Trantham]

I have the Forrest 12" Chop Master, 10" veneer blade, 10" 30 tooth rip blade and the their 7 1/4" veneer blade for my circular saw. Forrest all the way!

[John Miliunas]

I have a WWI on my RAS, a WWII 40T on my TS and Chopmasters on my 2 miter saws. I learned long ago (14yrs) that you cannot beat Forrest blades.

Ken, I'm SO disappointed in you! As soon as I saw a reply from you on this thread, I thought for certain I'd be seeing the familiar:
"Nothing runs like a Deere or cuts like a Forrest!"

[Merrill Herring]

Thanks for everyones input, it seems as if it will be Forrest all the way. They sound to good to be true.

[Ted Diehl]

I'm new to woodworking and based on recommendations from this board, I purchased the Forrest Dado King and a 10" Duraline 80 tooth. I like the blades so much, I just ordered a 12" General Purpose blade. The only reservation I have is they charge an extra $30 for two pin holes my Hammer K3 requires. I don't think you could find a better company to deal with or one with better quality.