Yet another bad question about table saw blades (I mean, come on, it's in my name)

dumbquestionsguy

dumbquestionsguy

Name says it all, people.
I know this is painfully dull to most forum users and readers, but the point of a forum is disseminating and discussing information, correct? Apologies abound. I've got a basic somewhere-in-the-neighborhood of 1.5 hp table saw. I know some may or may not think this is up to the job of preparing stock for a lot of boats, but it's what I've got. 3" planking is just about capacity for the 10" blade. Just wondering what might be a good blade for going through the ol' cedar - I know carbide tipped, but is 80 tooth sufficient or do you really need to step up to that 100 tooth blade? Do the more teeth just put a smoother face on the planking, or will more teeth make lighter work for the lower powered motor?

I promise I'll post an interesting question on of these days. In the meantime, I appreciate the tolerance...

Regards,
That guy
 
Hello,

In my experience as a foreman of a cabinet shop, as well as a woodworking instructor, I'd say you DO NOT want to use a 80 or 100 tooth blade. You are moving a lot of material in terms of waste and an 80t will not have the gullet design needed to do that safely. The chips load up, and you are increasing your chances of a kickback because the waste binds up in the cut. Get yourself a 36t glue line rip blade. Freud and Amana make good blades. The other option is to resaw on a bandsaw. Far less waste this way!

Mark

the only dumb question is an unasked one!
 
Mark is right. The shape and angle of the blade tips, along with the size of the gullets, is more important than just the number of teeth. Most blades of 80-100 teeth are designed for cross-cutting, not ripping, and often have a very shallow or even a negative tooth angle. While such a blade may produce a smooth cut, a many-toothed blade makes for a slower cut than a glue-line blade designed for ripping, especially with a saw "somewhere-in-the-neighborhood of 1.5 hp." And the slow cut will often produce much smoke and a scorched edge (though not, perhaps, with a wood as soft as cedar).

Even an ordinary 40 tooth "combination" blade will rip much easier, safer, and faster than most 80-100 tooth blades, though the cut might not be quite as smooth.
 
I use a Freud 24-tooth thin kerf blade on my table saw. Only blade I use on it in fact, apart from the dado set...
 
Diablo rip blade

I purchaed a thin cut Diablo ripping blade from Home Depot 2 years ago and I can tel you that if you are doing a lot of ripping this is the blade for you. I ripped 300' of 2.5" stock and it was as smooth as butter, no jams, no burning and a smooth cut. I take good care of it, replacing it in the saw with a conbo blade unless I have a lot of ripping to do. Still cuts as well as the first cut. I give it 5 of 5 stars.
 
saw blades are not my subject, but this is what I call useful information! What an extraordinary forum - says a lot about canoers!
 
We've used and loved the 10" Diablo Thin Kerf rip blades for work around the shop as well. They're particularly nice if you don't have tons of horsepower on your saw.

We build strip canoes and I've been trying the 7 1/4" Diablo thin kerf blades that are intended for use on hand-held circular saws ($12/ea at our local lumberyard). They're only .062" thick and are of similar quality and design to the larger diameter blades. Being as how we are only ripping cedar for strips, we're to use these smaller blades on the table saw with a zero-clearance insert and get about 1-1/2" of blade exposure above the table.

Cutting strips with a .062" thick blade is nice because you don't lose so much material to sawdust!
 
I also have used the 7 1/4 Diablo blade for years to rip strips and general cutting. Back when I was elec power limited, it was the only blade that would work.

Now that I have a 240/20 amp supply, I use a 10" Diablo thin kerf.

Dan
 
Diablo blade it is - picked one up at le Home Depot. Now I just have to figure out how swap it out and calibrate the new one so it cuts straight. Thanks for the tolerance, and the information. I have high hopes for it. Plus it's red, so, it's got that going for it.
 
Forrest blades

Forrest blades are suppose to be 'top notch.' I have never had the money or permission from management to buy one though. -Chuck
 
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