Combination or Task Specific Table Saw Blades

[NorthernSteve]

I have Laguna Fusion 3 Table Saw that takes a 250mm blade on a 30mm arbour.
My activities include everything from ripping hardwood planks to size, through cutting mitres in think stock.
As I understand that, 20-40 tooth blades are best from ripping, 50-65 for combination works and 65+ for cross cutting.
I wonder how many people use a combination blade Vs how many swap and change blades to suit specific tasks?
Of course having multiple table saws would solve this issue, but alas, that is not going to happen here.
Also, what are people's got to brands? Freud appear to have a good name.
And how much attention do you pay to tooth geometry? Do you insist on Hi Alternative Top Bevel Hi ATB for fine work or is ATB sufficient?
If you use your table saw to cut dados without a dado stack do you use Flat Top Ground blades or does this not make so much difference?
Anyone had bad experiences with a lack of accuracy with thin kerf blades? Over standard kerf?
Lastly blade coating, has anyone noticed this to make a difference?
I have not mentioned composition, as I see TCT as a no brainer, unless someone tells me they have had more success with diamond tipped?
Do you have your blades periodically sharpened, or treat them as disposable?
Lots of questions and keen to hear peoples' views and experiences.

 

[Sideways]

Do you have a (good) mitre saw ?
If yes, keep a fine tooth blade on that (say 80T) for your majority of cross cuts and just buy 2 blades for the laguna.
One combi blade, 40 teeth say
One rip blade 12 to 16 teeth.

That will minimise the swapping about.

Ripping timber with a general purpose blade is slow and prone to overheating. That is something best avoided.

Remember the tooth count depends on the diameter of your blade. I'd think of 40-60T as general use on a 14" blade. Scale that down to a 10" and you are looking at 28-40 T

My mitre saw has a 10" 80T.
My finest tablesaw blade is 14" 120T which is similar, but sheet material that needs a fine blade is most likely to be cut with the tracksaw, yes ?

And if you have access to a decent sharpening service, just buy two good quality blades like Swedex, CMT silver, Omas or a used Leitz if you ever see one, and get them sharpened.

Freud are overhyped and overpriced for what you get.

Assuming your saw has the power, there isn't much benefit going thin kerf unless you need to squeeze every mm from your timber and then you would be using a bandsaw instead ?
The high quality blades are usually thick and stiff. That also means that the riving knife (who's thickness is matched to the blade)has some meat to it and doesn't flop about when you attach a crown guard to it.

 

[Sideways]

https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/threads/table-and-mitre-saw-blade-quality.138352/

For some photos.
I'm never going to use that Freud.

 

[johnnyb]

When I first started with my us style saw I was very keen on swapping blades. But that soon became annoying and I mostly use a quality rip blade(maybe 12 teeth) preferring a dedicated cross cut with fine teeth. I do still use finer blades but on laminates. Quality Thin kerf are pretty good actually but the riving knife issue is a pain. I love cmt blades and tend to buy new on offer. But Freud are good to. I have had little success with sharpening. They never cut the same with rare exceptions and they don't last as long. I've used maybe 5 different sharpeners and 3 were blade wreckers one was OK one was good. I still sometimes work American with a dado/ mitre gauge depending what's easiest. I've got a huge stock of blunt blades needless to say! I do regularly clean them though which returns the blade as new (for a while)

 

[Sideways]

You need to get in touch with Antony at Priestner Saws in Aldford just S of Chester.
He has a huge investment in high end sharpening machines and makes a blade sharper than factory fresh.
He has industrial clients all over the UK who send him batches of blades, so you don't have to be local.

 

[HOJ]

I have Laguna Fusion 3 Table Saw that takes a 250mm blade on a 30mm arbour.

Small point of correction it has a 5/8ths arbor, the blades rim washer has a shoulder of 30mm.

swap and change blades to suit specific tasks?

I do all the time, one reason I bought into a Laguna F3, very quick to change, my sedgwick isn't!

do you use Flat Top Ground blades or does this not make so much difference?

Flat ground wont leave any ridges in the dado cut which could/will be seen on an exposed face, CMT/Laguna make/sell a dado stack with a 5/8th's arbor, comes with an insert plate and a rim washer as part of the kit.

Do you have your blades periodically sharpened, or treat them as disposable?

The price I pay for my blades, (not keen Frued) I expect them to be sharpenable, multiple times, cost about £8.00 a time, I keep pairs of them, for when one is in for sharpening at my local saw sharpening service, who also has a big investment in machines.

 

[niall Y]

One builds up a collection of different blade types over the years. Triple tooth blades were a real revelation when they first came out. So much so , that I stopped having to bother with scoring blades for veneered boards.

There are even ripping blades that are meant to leave a good enough surface for rub-jointing - though I did have a colleague who thought that was the case for any rip blade.
The thinner rip blades are handy too , especially if your saw is a bit under powered, the downside being, that one does have to get a matching riving knife.

 

[deema]

I generally use the correct blade for the job, however, I leave a general purpose blade on the saw. If the saw is difficult to change the blade, that says something about the design of the saw! I’d change the saw to begin with to one that makes blade change easy.

I would not recommend anything other than professional, top quality blades. The difference between a hobby / trade blade and a (say) Swedex, Omas or CMT is chalk and cheese. I get a finish on the my saw with a Swedex blade that is difficult to distinguish with the planed finish of a P/T machine. Having said that, I have a professional grade saw (SCM Si15F) which reduces vibration. Just as an aside, in general you can buy a beautiful secondhand professional saw for less than a hobby saw!

Anyway, back to the question, a professional saw blade will last a lot longer and be able to be resharpened multiple times, overall they are cheaper to run than the trade / hobby saws. I would also recommend Pristnier Saws, he is brilliant and will hapoy recommend you a decent saw blade and sharpen it when required.

Have a read of the Swedex saw brochure, the first chapter is all about the technology of saw blades, how to chose them, know how to buy the right blade. Best technical reference I know on the subject.

https://www.swedex.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/POR40827_v1_Swedex-katalog-GB_optimerad1.pdf

Id avoid thin kerf blades, not only do you need thinner riving knife, but without using a powerfeed, I feel they are more dangerous, easier to twist and get a throw back.

 

[NorthernSteve]

I generally use the correct blade for the job, however, I leave a general purpose blade on the saw. If the saw is difficult to change the blade, that says something about the design of the saw! I’d change the saw to begin with to one that makes blade change easy.

I would not recommend anything other than professional, top quality blades. The difference between a hobby / trade blade and a (say) Swedex, Omas or CMT is chalk and cheese. I get a finish on the my saw with a Swedex blade that is difficult to distinguish with the planed finish of a P/T machine. Having said that, I have a professional grade saw (SCM Si15F) which reduces vibration. Just as an aside, in general you can buy a beautiful secondhand professional saw for less than a hobby saw!

Anyway, back to the question, a professional saw blade will last a lot longer and be able to be resharpened multiple times, overall they are cheaper to run than the trade / hobby saws. I would also recommend Pristnier Saws, he is brilliant and will hapoy recommend you a decent saw blade and sharpen it when required.

Have a read of the Swedex saw brochure, the first chapter is all about the technology of saw blades, how to chose them, know how to buy the right blade. Best technical reference I know on the subject.

https://www.swedex.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/POR40827_v1_Swedex-katalog-GB_optimerad1.pdf

Id avoid thin kerf blades, not only do you need thinner riving knife, but without using a powerfeed, I feel they are more dangerous, easier to twist and get a throw back.

Thanks Deema,.appreciated

 

[NorthernSteve]

Small point of correction it has a 5/8ths arbor, the blades rim washer has a shoulder of 30mm.


I do all the time, one reason I bought into a Laguna F3, very quick to change, my sedgwick isn't!


Flat ground wont leave any ridges in the dado cut which could/will be seen on an exposed face, CMT/Laguna make/sell a dado stack with a 5/8th's arbor, comes with an insert plate and a rim washer as part of the kit.


The price I pay for my blades, (not keen Frued) I expect them to be sharpenable, multiple times, cost about £8.00 a time, I keep pairs of them, for when one is in for sharpening at my local saw sharpening service, who also has a big investment in machines.

Thanks HOJ, I hope that specifying a 30mm bore in saw blades is okay, as that is what I have done today in ordering CMT blades from Scott and Segeant!

 

[HOJ]

I hope that specifying a 30mm bore in saw blades is okay

Absolutely, but you will need to hold the blade in position whilst you set the rim washer, and put the locking nut on the arbor.

Don't forget, you also need to wind the blade height right up to be able to set the the stop lever into the the flat on the back of the arbor to undo and re tighten the locking nut.

 

[NorthernSteve]

Absolutely, but you will need to hold the blade in position whilst you set the rim washer, and put the locking nut on the arbor.

Don't forget, you also need to wind the blade height right up to be able to set the the stop lever into the the flat on the back of the arbor to undo and re tighten the locking nut.

Thanks pal, appreciated.

 

[NorthernSteve]

Do you have a (good) mitre saw ?
If yes, keep a fine tooth blade on that (say 80T) for your majority of cross cuts and just buy 2 blades for the laguna.
One combi blade, 40 teeth say
One rip blade 12 to 16 teeth.

That will minimise the swapping about.

Ripping timber with a general purpose blade is slow and prone to overheating. That is something best avoided.

Remember the tooth count depends on the diameter of your blade. I'd think of 40-60T as general use on a 14" blade. Scale that down to a 10" and you are looking at 28-40 T

My mitre saw has a 10" 80T.
My finest tablesaw blade is 14" 120T which is similar, but sheet material that needs a fine blade is most likely to be cut with the tracksaw, yes ?

And if you have access to a decent sharpening service, just buy two good quality blades like Swedex, CMT silver, Omas or a used Leitz if you ever see one, and get them sharpened.

Freud are overhyped and overpriced for what you get.

Assuming your saw has the power, there isn't much benefit going thin kerf unless you need to squeeze every mm from your timber and then you would be using a bandsaw instead ?
The high quality blades are usually thick and stiff. That also means that the riving knife (who's thickness is matched to the blade)has some meat to it and doesn't flop about when you attach a crown guard to it.

You mentioned a used Leitz. I have identified that Leitz have a sales office near me. Did you mention used as new they are cost prohibitive? Thanks

 

[Sideways]

Yup. £100++ blades new.
Beautiful things and no doubt worth it to trade and industry.
I have one I bought used on the bay and the carbides are so big it has many sharpenings in it.
It is in the first photo of that thread I linked. Freshly sharpened with the wax still on the teeth.
The blade even has a table laser etched on the plate where the company name can be engraved in by hand and then dates of about 9 sharpenings added below it.

When I was young ish, TCT blades used to be priced at around £1 a tooth. That's still not too far out a guide price for quality blades. Maybe £1.50 for the Leitz. In real terms so very much cheaper than they used to be.

 

[NorthernSteve]

Yup. £100++ blades new.
Beautiful things and no doubt worth it to trade and industry.
I have one I bought used on the bay and the carbides are so big it has many sharpenings in it.
It is in the first photo of that thread I linked. Freshly sharpened with the wax still on the teeth.
The blade even has a table laser etched on the plate where the company name can be engraved in by hand and then dates of about 9 sharpenings added below it.

When I was young ish, TCT blades used to be priced at around £1 a tooth. That's still not too far out a guide price for quality blades. Maybe £1.50 for the Leitz. In real terms so very much cheaper than they used to be.

I have been on the blower to Scott and Sergeant who stock 3 of the 4 brands you mentioned and I have ordered some CMT blades. Thanks once again.