Table saw Blades - seeking advice & information

[accipiter]

Hi all

I've briefly searched the forums past threads on table saw blades but have been unable to find the information I'm seeking. Not saying it isn't there... just that I didn't happen upon it - there are 50+ pages and could be there but spread throughout different postings. All depends on the search term used.

I'm after some advice, information and guidance as to what blades I should be considering adding to use with the table saw I purchased - a cheap (Screwfix purchased) TITAN 1500W table saw (TTB763TAS) purchased just over a year ago.

It came with a 40 T, 250mm, 30mm bore blade and I purchased an 80 T blade (after watching a YT video) for fine work/sled cutting... which I've not used yet as I've done very little cross cutting - only ripping; mainly softwoods and, recently, some figured maple. I found the maple dulled the blade and I purchased another set of (cheap?) blades from Toolstation round the corner from me - I needed a sharp/er 40 T quickly and couldn't wait delivery times for dearer, better (?) quality one. The Toolstation set was a 40 & 60 T at £21.53 the pair. Having ripped the maple and some more softwood I've found the blade to be dulled again and a covering of wood resins/sap (?) on the teeth. So... some questions I am asking;

1/ is there something that can be sprayed on or applied to the blade/s before or during use that will cut down the residues sticking to the blade/s to save some time cleaning etc? If not;

2/ Is a 40 T blade what I should be using for 'general' sawing/ripping of timbers or should I be using a coarser blade - 35 T or less even? As the 40 T came with the saw I've considered it as for all "general" work.

3/ What blades should I have - have others got - to use with a table saw... and for what types of wood and sawing be be efficient? (Ripping, crosscutting... etc.) As I've now got a 60 & 80 plus the 2 x 40 teeth should I have a coarser (24/35) blade...

4/ Any recommended sources/names of manufacturers/suppliers... without breaking the bank financially as it's a "hobby" and not full time employment - pensions don't go far enough

Thanks in advance

 

[Jacob]

TCT (or plain steel) blade easy to remove resin while still soft & warm after use. Take the blade off and just go round with a 1" scraper. Don't need to remove every bit from the teeth themselves, just the flat of the blade.
For ripping the coarser the better. 40 is for clean cross cutting, 24 for ripping and fast general purpose.
TCT blades much the same, if in doubt and just hobby, buy the cheapest.
When blunt take to a saw doctor, they come back as good as new but cheaper.

 

[moosepig]

I use Freud blades in my ancient cheapo table saw. Not the cheapest but worth the extra for durability. You can get away with a 40 tooth blade for just about anything; I use 24t for ripping and 40t for sled work. Not seen a need for 60t yet.

There's a 2-pack available from Screwfix which is good value:
https://www.screwfix.com/p/freud-circular-saw-blade-250-x-30mm-24-40t-2-pack/232kj

 

[recipio]

+1 for Freud. A general purpose blade will do most cutting jobs but you learn that wood is like chalk and cheese. You definitely need a rip blade for hard woods like maple.

 

[accipiter]

I use Freud blades in my ancient cheapo table saw. Not the cheapest but worth the extra for durability. You can get away with a 40 tooth blade for just about anything; I use 24t for ripping and 40t for sled work. Not seen a need for 60t yet.

There's a 2-pack available from Screwfix which is good value:
https://www.screwfix.com/p/freud-circular-saw-blade-250-x-30mm-24-40t-2-pack/232kj

I'll bear those in mind. Certainly good value when compared with Toolstation for the same 2 pack - £48 compared to £65... rounded up to include the odd pennies:
https://www.toolstation.com/freud-twin-pack-table-saw-blades/p67581

 

[accipiter]

+1 for Freud. A general purpose blade will do most cutting jobs but you learn that wood is like chalk and cheese. You definitely need a rip blade for hard woods like maple.

Thanks. I've quite a bit of English Yew to re-saw - which was/is another reason for asking about differing toothed blades. I'm considering using the yew for framework for the replacement units for my workshop when I get round to the rebuild rather than softwood.

 

[RichardG]

I bought my last twin pack of Freud blades from buyaparcel on ebay, justed checked and they're currently asking £32 delivered.

 

[accipiter]

I bought my last twin pack of Freud blades from buyaparcel on ebay, justed checked and they're currently asking £32 delivered.

View attachment 119217

Well... at that sort of price I've gone and purchased a pack Many thanks @RichardG That'll make 3 x 40T - guess I'll have to add another 24T *soon*

Still open to hear from others on any/all advice etc., they can add.

 

[recipio]

Ripping with a crosscut blade is really a false economy. The cut is slow, the wood can burn and the motor is strained
Better to invest in a dedicated thin kerf ripping blade. I'd get a blade cleaner as well - oven cleaners work well in a pinch although ther are frowned upon by some people.

 

[Jacob]

Ripping with a crosscut blade is really a false economy. The cut is slow, the wood can burn and the motor is strained
Better to invest in a dedicated thin kerf ripping blade. I'd get a blade cleaner as well - oven cleaners work well in a pinch although ther are frowned upon by some people.

You'd need a thin riving knife to match. A riving knife is essential with ripping.
Never felt the need for blade cleaner - resin comes off easy when it's warm.

 

[Doug71]

A good guide to saw blades here.

http://www.thewoodhaven2.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=5266&sid=2d48b8a47f0ff99b01e9a2808ee7464f

 

[accipiter]

Ripping with a crosscut blade is really a false economy. The cut is slow, the wood can burn and the motor is strained
Better to invest in a dedicated thin kerf ripping blade. I'd get a blade cleaner as well - oven cleaners work well in a pinch although ther are frowned upon by some people.

Thanks @recipio
In all honesty I thought the 40T blade supplied was "border line" as a "combo" blade for ripping as well as crosscutting - thinking most T saws are used mostly for ripping... the main reason I bought one. I'm now realising that I should have bought a 24T blade.
Any recommendations for the blade cleaner?

 

[Jacob]

A good guide to saw blades here.

http://www.thewoodhaven2.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=5266&sid=2d48b8a47f0ff99b01e9a2808ee7464f

Possibly more information than you need but I'm sure it's good.
I guess I'm the push stick crusader - but think of the fingers I've saved!

 

[accipiter]

You'd need a thin riving knife to match. A riving knife is essential with ripping.
Never felt the need for blade cleaner - resin comes off easy when it's warm.

Mmm... getting an additional riving knife has proved to be difficult. I eventually had to ask a local metal works if they could help - thankfully they will do, based on the original.

A good guide to saw blades here.

http://www.thewoodhaven2.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=5266&sid=2d48b8a47f0ff99b01e9a2808ee7464f

I'll check that out.

 

[Sideways]

Apologies if you already know all this but a riving knife needs to be thicker than the plate of your sawblade and narrower than the kerf cut by the teeth. Nominally halfway between the two. Your local metal works may not know this unless you've told them.
Once you have your riving knife, you then need to adjust the alignment of the knife to the blade in your saw every time you swap between blades of a significantly different thickness. If you don't match the riving knife to the blade, the knife will either bind in the cut or won't do it's job of stopping stressed out timber from closing on the blade. It makes changing between blades a bit of a chore unless you standardise on one blade width.
Now I'm done teaching granny to suck eggs ...

CMT Orange spray is a little dear but really helps getting resin off saw blades and router cutters. You don't need to use a lot. Cheaper options are diesel or white spirit.

250mm diameter and 30mm bore is a good standard size. I'd expect a quality blade to improve your saw and last until you upgrade. Freud are a decent starting point.
For ripping, you need large, deep gullets between the blade teeth to carry away the waste. Cuts along the grain make waste with long fibres that take a bit of work to clear out of the cut. 24T is a better bet, even 20T.

This may be a useful reference
https://www.cmtorangetools.com/medi...0_0325 ENG 2019_GUIDE_blades_10inches (4).pdf
Swedex make high quality industrial saw blades if you want to read up some more.

 

[Hornbeam]

Buying cheap blades is false economy, I use CMT or OMAS. They give a really good cut (particularly the OMAS) and can be resharpened about 6 to 10 times. I pay around £10 a time for a resharpen dependant upon number of teeth. Cheaper blades have smaller tct inserts and so cant be sharpened as often
Ian

 

[accipiter]

Buying cheap blades is false economy, I use CMT or OMAS. They give a really good cut (particularly the OMAS) and can be resharpened about 6 to 10 times. I pay around £10 a time for a resharpen dependant upon number of teeth. Cheaper blades have smaller tct inserts and so cant be sharpened as often
Ian

Thanks Ian (@Hornbeam ). I agree but at the time of getting the 2nd 40T blade, as mentioned, I was in a bit of a pickle and took what I could. I'll take note of your nentions for the future

 

[accipiter]

Apologies if you already know all this but a riving knife needs to be thicker than the plate of your sawblade and narrower than the kerf cut by the teeth. Nominally halfway between the two. Your local metal works may not know this unless you've told them.
Once you have your riving knife, you then need to adjust the alignment of the knife to the blade in your saw every time you swap between blades of a significantly different thickness. If you don't match the riving knife to the blade, the knife will either bind in the cut or won't do it's job of stopping stressed out timber from closing on the blade. It makes changing between blades a bit of a chore unless you standardise on one blade width.
Now I'm done teaching granny to suck eggs ...

CMT Orange spray is a little dear but really helps getting resin off saw blades and router cutters. You don't need to use a lot. Cheaper options are diesel or white spirit.

250mm diameter and 30mm bore is a good standard size. I'd expect a quality blade to improve your saw and last until you upgrade. Freud are a decent starting point.
For ripping, you need large, deep gullets between the blade teeth to carry away the waste. Cuts along the grain make waste with long fibres that take a bit of work to clear out of the cut. 24T is a better bet, even 20T.

This may be a useful reference
https://www.cmtorangetools.com/medi...0_0325 ENG 2019_GUIDE_blades_10inches (4).pdf
Swedex make high quality industrial saw blades if you want to read up some more.

Thanks @Sideways very interesting reference which I'll print off tomorrow.

I was/am aware of the reasons for the riving knife but not the additional information about matching to different blades. Maybe I was lucky when getting the 2nd 40T blade in that it worked/works with both blades I've got? Hopefully I will be also with this replacement locally made one? Otherwise 30 notes down the swanny...

The local guy is using some stainless steel that, I think, was as close as dam-it to the original I took to him for reference and measure. Hopefully it'll be done by the end of this week due to his other work and I'll find out then if it's suited. This one is shorter than the original as I wanted to be able to use it with a sled and for cutting slots, rebates, grooves etc. The original is taller and doesn't allow for such cuts as the blade guard gets mounted to it. H&S I know but it's limiting the usefulness of the saw table.

I won't be getting another Titan saw table for a number of reasons - main one being the lack of communications from the Kingfisher company - listed on the manual as the manufacturer - and lack of CS from them. I'm waiting to see if Screwfix can help with a genuine replacement but not holding my breath.

 

[Sandyn]

+1 for Freud and a thin Kerf for ripping. . Saxton blades are also good.

 

[Spectric]

Having tried several brands the ones I like the most, hard wearing and good cut are the ones from sheffield saws, Circular Saws — Sheffield Industrial Saws - Saw Blades and Saw Blade Machinery

and also Walker Circular Saw Blades Archives - Walker Professional Tools

both have a good range and price. From sheffsaws I got a 305mm 60t (T1260DW-5) & 315 mm 48t (T1248P) for £150

and from Walker a 315 mm 60t (CM315/60CHOP) for £35 which gets more use and just keeps going without losing it's edge.