Rip blade choice?

[ondablade]

I've never used a rip blade or this saw before, but will probably need one to rip down the 2in beech for my bench quite soon.

The saw is a new 4kW Hammer K3 Perform panel type with a 2500mm slider. It takes 10 or 12 in blades, the latter only when the scoring blade is removed.

It's something to have for special jobs, the thinking is to buy a very good quality blade that will last and cut cleanly - i've had mixed experiences with some of the big brand DIY level items that cannot be mentioned. The emphasis is splinter free easy cutting rather than fineness of finish as i'll be planing up afterwards.

Do you guys have any suggestions on a make and model, and as importantly (since what's easily available here isn't necessarily what's available in the UK) spec of blade? Size 10in or 12in? - will the saw power a 12 in comfortably?

Out of interest. It turns out i was given Hammer branded crosscut and combo blades with the saw, when i understood i had ordered Felder. Has anybody got experience of these? Is there likely to be a difference between the Felder and Hammer branded stuff?

Thanks

 

[Ironballs]

Nice saw. My blades of choice for the tablesaw are Freud, never had a problem with them and they'll chew through anything leaving a good finish

 

[ondablade]

I sold my Robland combo, and got Hammer separates....

As it happens i was looking at a Freud LU1C 0400 12 in 26T rip blade today and trying to decide if it would be the business or not.

 

[jimi43]

Another vote for Freud here....

Luv 'em!

Jim

 

[jasonB]

I use the CMT rip blades, they are not a flat top rip blade so you can cross cut with them if its just a couple of cuts and you can't be bothered to change the blade.

Have you looked at the hammer/felder rip blades?

Watever you go for make sure the peg holes are in the right place and the kerf suits your riving knife.

Jason

 

[9fingers]

Freud for me too!

Plenty of meat in the tips so will withstand many trips to the saw doctor.

Bob

 

[jeffinfrance]

i've got the 315mm silent power (from felder) and its been graet so far.

clean and quick.

jeff

 

[cutting solutions]

Top quality German saw blades (comparable with Leitz, Leuco & Stehle)
300 Z=28 £23.00 + carriage + VAT
In stock.

 

[PAC1]

Every few months Felder (Hammer) have a sale of their saw blades. I have found these as good as any. For ripping I would get a 300 or 315 blade with as few teeth as possible

 

[Harbo]

At the moment I have Freud blades on my DEFT but am tempted, when a replacement is due, with these British ones that WH sell:-

"Atkinson Walker industrial saw blades are made using the finest quality materials available, each saw plate is CNC laser cut, precision ground, hardened, tempered and then tensioned by hand to ensure smooth, straight, vibration free cutting.

The teeth are tipped with substantial chunks of micrograin tungsten carbide, trifoil brazed to the plate and CNC ground and polished with diamond wheels for the ultimate in cutting accuracy. The teeth can be resharpened several times, greatly extending the life of the blade."

Rod

 

[Streepips]

I second Cutting Solutions with another vote for the Stehle rip blade.
Industrial grade and good Swedish steel. When I wanted a dedicated rip blade I researched the market and the best value was the Stehle.
Strangely enough the best deal on these blades is from a hairdressers suppliers. Great range of industrial blades..
With 4Kw I would use a 10" blade. Depends on what rise your table gives, but a 2" cut should be easily available with a 10" blade.

 

[jimi43]

Strangely enough the best deal on these blades is from a hairdressers suppliers

I've heard of sadistic hairdressers but never cross cut ones!

Short back and sides...?



Jim

 

[johnf]

Have you looked at the hammer/felder rip blades?

Watever you go for make sure the peg holes are in the right place and the kerf suits your riving knife.

Jason

I second that I think the best way is to buy from Hammer / Felder that way you get the holes in the right place blades are really hard to drill i have a rip blade I bought from Tilgear but I still had to enlarge the holes

 

[ondablade]

Thank you for the inputs guys. My experience on the Robland so far has been that blades coming from some sources (regrinds too) can be pretty inconsistent. Especially the latter, small differences seem to matter a lot, as does correct choice.

Lots positive votes there for Freud. Their stuff if you make the right selection has got to be decent. I didn't buy yesterday though because despite the outfit being a machinery seller they didn't seem to be able to help with choice of blade.

Thinking it through there's a lot to be said for a specialist outfit that can advise properly. Cutting Solutions sound like that sort of operation.

The other possibility i guess is an outfit like Felder that while not a specialist in the area will presumably sell a consistently good and consistent quality of product in order to maximise the benefit to their machines. (probably a bit expensive though)

The one bit i can't figure out is whether or not there is any difference between Felder and Hammer blades. Both the Hammer and Felder web shops on the Felder UK site take you through to the same blade offerings. (no deals going right now it seems though, although that's not a show stopper)

I was meanwhile as above supplied some Hammer packaged blades with the K3, and short of opening them can't figure if they are Felder's best quality, or if in fact they are a low cost option.

If the latter i'd probably look to exchange or refund them, but that i guess would be easier if i was replacing them with Felder stuff...

 

[jeffinfrance]

felder is there premium brand, but mainly for their machines, but does go with different qualites of accessories too. think its something to do with the quality of the steel on bladed stuff.

not cheap!

but pleased with the results.

jeff

 

[ondablade]

Thanks Jeff. Have just managed to figure it out from the part numbers. It seems the blades i have are all Hammer - from their economy line and typically £20 - £30 each cheaper than the Felder branded Silent Power line. There seems to be a more expensive again Silent Power Silver line too, but it's hard to tell if they are just the sizes/types with more teeth (and hence more expensive), or if they are better quality again.

So there is a difference, but it's not much help in that there's no info about as to what in practice distinguishes between them.

Rrrrrrr....

 

[Mike H]

I have a Hammer saw spindle B3.

I have used all sorts of blades, but I have t say that the Felder ripping blades, and in particular the Silent Power ones, are top notch.

For serious ripping on thick stock they also do a blade with two extra teeth in slots on the face of the blade, and this sliced a lot of 87mm Bubinga like butter (weel nearly!) when I made my new bench last year.

I get better results on their finishing blades than I get from Freud or CMT blades.

The price premium is worth it and they do return from sharpening as good as new.

Mike

8)

 

[Shane]

I use the CMT rip blades, they are not a flat top rip blade so you can cross cut with them if its just a couple of cuts and you can't be bothered to change the blade.

I've got that one in my saw at the mo, great blade, and cuts surprisingly cleanly across the grain as well. Rip wise it'll happily chomp through 2inch ash no probs

Top quality German saw blades (comparable with Leitz, Leuco & Stehle)
300 Z=28 £23.00 + carriage + VAT
In stock.

I've destroyed my combination blade though so at those prices/quality I'll deffo give you a shout, I presume you do a 315mm dia with 30mm bore, 3mm kerf?

 

[awkwood]

Blades by all these markers have performed very well for me :
Leuco, Onci, E .crowley saws, CMT

 

[ondablade]

Hi guys. Just to update. I'm going to try some Felder (typo corrected!) Silent Power (professional grade) on the basis of very positive feedback on:

1. Quality and performance.
2. Allows for a refund on the economy hammer blades (scorer, universal and fine sizing) supplied with my machine for credit.
3. Good regrind service.
4. Keeps my relationship with the local Felder alive.

Looks like i'm going to have to buy a couple more blades too:

1. 315mm rip blade for use on the bench material.
2. 315mm fine sizing blade for use on thick hardwood.

There clearly are other very good blades out there too - some of the German guys, Freud industrial grade and so on.

There's some US brands that you hear good things about like Forrest and Amana, but they don't seem to be here. One that's very highly regarded there is Tenryu (Japanese), but they don't seem to be around here much either.