Help me choose a table saw blade

[dwasifar]

Looking at 10" 40-tooth general purpose blades. The candidates at the moment:

Diablo D1040X, $30. I've been using Diablo blades for ages with no complaints, so this would be the default choice. Made in Italy.

Irwin Marples 1807367, $36. Reviews seem good on it but I've never used an Irwin blade so it's kind of an unknown quantity. Made in Italy.

DeWalt DW7140PT, $30. Also gets good reviews, but made in China is a minus. (And DeWalt makes it tough to find that out.)

Amana Tool PR1040C, $72. This one is a little pricer and different in design, and I'm wondering if it's worth it. Made in Israel.

All these blades are ATB carbide tooth with .098 kerf and 15 degree hook angle (as far as I can find out), except the Amana with .134 kerf and 18 degree hook angle. All of them claim to have nonstick coating, but the Amana seems like it's more of a plating where the others look more like a powdercoat or paint sort of thing.

I expect to cut a lot of different woods with this blade, including soft pine and OSB/plywood, but it will also do a fair amount of ripping hardwood, mainly jatoba, which is pretty tough stuff. (I have a lot of scrap jatoba on hand that I use for projects.)

Is the Amana worth the extra cost? Do you have any other suggestions I haven't mentioned? I know there are other options like Forrest that are highly regarded, but the Amana is near the top of my price range already.

 

[macgee]

I would go with an Italian made Diablo Fusion,

Have to say I'm not familiar with Amana but I use a lot of Forest blades but those are out of your price range. The Diablo can come close. The Forest Woodworker II works really well for me and very happy with it but I wouldn't really have a problem using some of the Diablo's.

Just bear in mind, There is no perfect 1 blade that can do everything especially working with a budget.

HP and having your saw/fence dialed does wonders for cleaner cuts


https://www.amazon.com/Freud-Crosscuts-hardwoods-melamine-P410T/dp/B0036CANUQ/ref=sr_1_4?dchild=1&keywords=diablo+fusion&qid=1619671111&sr=8-4


PS> I would avoid combo blades, they work but they tend to chip more and wack the material more when cutting.

Also: A lot of problems I see people complaining about blades in general has more to do with the saw (runout) and fence out of adjustment; not to mention user operator errors.

 

[turbowoodworker]

This may not be terribly helpful but ripping Jatoba (Brazilian cherry) is really tough on tooling, and horsepower matters. You didn't state your equipment (TS? size other than 10 inch).

Budget limits you but I would invest in two blades and exclude the combo blade. Combos are like the old Enduro bikes: OK for the road, OK for dirt, not great at either.

If you can loosen your budget, in the long run you will be so much happier with a dedicated crosscut blade (80 tooth) and a dedicated rip blade. Different grinds. This approach will really cut down on the frustration level with jatoba rips (and BTW safety gets better, forcing hard jatoba in substandard but cheap blade with underpowered saw will wear you out).

 

[cjarvis]

Personally, I'd go for the Freud Diablo (I have several and have zero complaints), and get another blade dedicated to the jatoba.

 

[gungatim]

I have had and used a freud diablo for years. bought a 2nd one but haven't dulled the first one yet. great value IMO.

 

[Renegade1LI]

As macgee and turbo said, you will, should have multiple blades and they should be matched to your saw. If you have a portable contractors saw your cuts will only be so good and any name brand blade will do. If you have a 3 hp or bigger cabinet saw with a besemyer fence than go with the higher end blades, also adding a power feeder will bring your cuts to the next level and increase safety.

 

[pjmariner]

I echo, the 40th diablo is my every day blade, and what I use for sheet good and most projects. If you clean the teeth every once in a while the last a long time. I find quite often the blade is not dull but just coverd in pitch, especially if I am cutting a lot of pine. A couple minutes of soaking blade in an old upside down frisbee, some simple green, and then a quick brush of teeth with a stiff toothbrush and blade looks like new and cuts much better.

If you are doing a lot of ripping, especially if thicker than 3/4, a dedicated rip blade is a good idea.

 

[rlitman]

This may not be terribly helpful but ripping Jatoba (Brazilian cherry) is really tough on tooling, and horsepower matters. You didn't state your equipment (TS? size other than 10 inch).

Budget limits you but I would invest in two blades and exclude the combo blade. Combos are like the old Enduro bikes: OK for the road, OK for dirt, not great at either.

If you can loosen your budget, in the long run you will be so much happier with a dedicated crosscut blade (80 tooth) and a dedicated rip blade. Different grinds. This approach will really cut down on the frustration level with jatoba rips (and BTW safety gets better, forcing hard jatoba in substandard but cheap blade with underpowered saw will wear you out).

Great answer. Let's start with knowing the type of saw, and go from there.

On my 3HP cabinet saw, I use a Freud industrial full kerf 50 tooth combination blade for at least 90% of my cuts. I like the flat bottomed cut of the 50 tooth ATBR over the 40 tooth ATB, but between the extra teeth and the full kerf, you need extra power to drive it, so my favorite blade would be terrible on a contractor saw. In either case, it's amazing with a sled, and for me (since I have power to spare), it rips sufficiently well that I don't need to swap blades too often.

I have a TCG blade that I use for melamine board (TCG doesn't give the cleanest laminate cuts, but it does last the longest), but I find that TCG ***** on wood.

For my part, I haven't noticed a difference between my red coated blades (LU84R011) and my bright chrome ones (LU84M011) . Both are superior to uncoated though.

I always look for a laser cut blade. It really reduces vibration, which helps with both the noise and cut quality.

 

[dwasifar]

This may not be terribly helpful but ripping Jatoba (Brazilian cherry) is really tough on tooling, and horsepower matters. You didn't state your equipment (TS? size other than 10 inch).

Good point. It's a 4.4hp Skilsaw, this one: Skilsaw SPT99-12

Budget limits you but I would invest in two blades and exclude the combo blade. Combos are like the old Enduro bikes: OK for the road, OK for dirt, not great at either.

If you can loosen your budget, in the long run you will be so much happier with a dedicated crosscut blade (80 tooth) and a dedicated rip blade. Different grinds. This approach will really cut down on the frustration level with jatoba rips (and BTW safety gets better, forcing hard jatoba in substandard but cheap blade with underpowered saw will wear you out).

Right now for the jatoba rips I'm using the blade that came with it, a 32-tooth ATB Diablo. I do have other blades for fine cuts in things like laminate, but really I don't do very much crosscutting on this saw. Most crosscutting is done on the miter saw. I have a miter saw station with a 12" sliding saw (hinged pivot arms rather than sliders, actually, but you understand) and there's not much I would work on that's too wide to crosscut there. So most of what happens on the table saw is ripping, or occasional sheet goods. So I was looking for a blade that would get me through most of that without having to always be changing the blade out with every cut. Is a 40-tooth general-purpose not a good choice for those rips? I'm open to suggestions.

I would go with an Italian made Diablo Fusion,

Have to say I'm not familiar with Amana but I use a lot of Forest blades but those are out of your price range. The Diablo can come close. The Forest Woodworker II works really well for me and very happy with it but I wouldn't really have a problem using some of the Diablo's.

Just bear in mind, There is no perfect 1 blade that can do everything especially working with a budget.

https://www.amazon.com/Freud-Crosscuts-hardwoods-melamine-P410T/dp/B0036CANUQ/ref=sr_1_4?dchild=1&keywords=diablo+fusion&qid=1619671111&sr=8-4

Thanks for the link. For some reason that didn't come up in my search, but it looks like a good option.

I know there's no blade that will do everything excellently, I'm just looking for something that will do the bulk of what I need to do acceptably well. I understand the tradeoffs. But I appreciate the tip just the same, and I don't mind learning new details.

In what way do the Forrest blades outperform the Freud blades for you? How are they better that makes them worth their premium price?

 

[Rinspeed]

I would go with an Italian made Diablo Fusion,

Can't go wrong with these, the Dewalt are decent for a cheaper option.

 

[cmandp]

I've never cut Jatoba but I would just buy a dedicated thin kerf (since it's a lower HP saw) rip blade for your saw. If it's a 10" then 24 tooth would be good and I also prefer Diablo blades. A rip blade is going to do the best job at ripping.

BTW your saw is not 4.4HP as they claim that is the "peak" HP if you calculate it based of start up current of the motor. It probably more like 1hp continuous.

 

[rlitman]

I've never cut Jatoba but I would just buy a dedicated thin kerf (since it's a lower HP saw) rip blade for your saw. If it's a 10" then 24 tooth would be good and I also prefer Diablo blades. A rip blade is going to do the best job at ripping.

BTW your saw is not 4.4HP as they claim that is the "peak" HP if you calculate it based of start up current of the motor. It probably more like 1hp continuous.

Yep. I concur with all of the above. I'd recommend the Freud D1024X for your ripping. A 24T rip blade will give just as smooth a cut as a 40T combination blade when you're ripping. Though it will cross cut like ****, so use something else with ply and chip board, etc.

 

[macgee]

Dwasifar,

As others have said, investing in multiple saw blades is worth it but being a portable saw, they're less likely to be used. Having said that, I totally agree on getting a good rip cutting blade and using it. Your TS only draws 15 amps, so about 1.5hp which is not bad but should definitely stick to thin kerf. That Skilsaw doesn't look too bad.

I think you'll be happy with the Freud Fusion 40T,

Rip blades are cheap (less carbide) and makes life so much better, they really make a difference with lower HP TS's, you'll instantly realize this the moment you rip some hard wood. The cuts may not be as glue ready but you'll save a ton of time and less load on your saw. Thin kerf blades can flex while trying to cut hardwood effecting quality of cut, so something to consider.
Don't discount crosscuts on the TS, I do it often and like it. Having a small lighter crosscut sled is awesome to have, I use my chop saw less often while working on the TS. I get more chipping on my chop saw even when using a forest chopmaster.

I have several different Forest blades but had a Woodworker II laying around in a drawer that I didn't like (I forget why) but after taking it locally to my blade sharpener, checking runout and sharpening it has easily become my favorite & cherished blade. 48T, 25° ATB, 20° face hook.

On hardwood, the cuts are easily glue ready and super nice but the real test for me was 3/4" phenolic europly; this stuff is brutal to cut cleanly. The test is always not to get chipping (large or micro) on both sides, the top side is usually totally fine, the bottom side is the challenge. The re-sharpened Forest blade is the only one that can do this well while making compound angle cuts. I don't have to concentrate as much which side will be exposed visually and saves me a lot on waste.

Here is a test cut with the Forest.

 

[dwasifar]

Here is a test cut with the Forest.

What is that you're making there? A spool stand for an industrial sewing machine, maybe?

 

[ThatSickRip]

Since yall are discussing table saw blades, would a 10" Diablo 80T be ideal for cutting back cabinets sides and drawers? We have a cabinet based hutch that we need to cut down, the sides are plywood and this was the blade I was expecting to use

 

[macgee]

What is that you're making there? A spool stand for an industrial sewing machine, maybe?

Yeah, it was just a bunch of test cuts on a scrap piece and decided to utilize it.

It was going to be for my Sailrite but matches up well on my Singer 401A that I newly rebuilt.

I have a Forest Duraline Hi-A/T but the Woodworker II 48T resharpened cuts lams very well, low chipping/tear out and way more versatile. There's all kinds of blades and tip cuts you can choose from but best to find an all around blade that works well for your needs as almost everyone hates changing blades and it's a chore keeping what is what, as a result you don't use them as often as you need, hence finding the right and investing in a good all arounder for you.

 

[rlitman]

Since yall are discussing table saw blades, would a 10" Diablo 80T be ideal for cutting back cabinets sides and drawers? We have a cabinet based hutch that we need to cut down, the sides are plywood and this was the blade I was expecting to use

That depends a lot. 80 teeth in a 10" blade is pretty fine, but might be perfect or could be too coarse for finished hardwood ply, all depending on the tooth grind.

Look at the D1080X. That blade has a HATB grind with zero rake.

If you're not familiar with the terminology, ATB stands for Alternating Top Bevel, which means that every other tooth will either be leaning left or right. That's a crosscut design which slices the fibers at the left and right edges of the cut. Cleanly severing fibers is required for crosscuts without tearout.

High ATB has the same general idea, but the angles of the tips are even sharper. It's less durable, but cuts even more cleanly.

Here's a diagram:

Aside from how well a tooth slices the edge of the cut when cross cutting, the other cause of tearout is when teeth pull down (on a tablesaw, or up on a miter saw), tearing material away from the surface. Rake on a tablesaw helps hold the workpiece down, so tablesaw blades usually have some positive rake for safety. On a mitersaw, positive rake wants to lift the workpiece, so that's very bad.

In the case of getting a fine finish cut on cabinet ply, zero rake minimizes the risk of tearout without entering the danger zone of negative rake (which is used a lot on plastics that chip easily).

Finally, make a good zero clearance insert!

And if you really want to understand saw blades (specifically how cross cutting differs from ripping), watch this:
https://www.pbs.org/video/woodwrights-shop-cross-cut-conundrum/

 

[macgee]

Since yall are discussing table saw blades, would a 10" Diablo 80T be ideal for cutting back cabinets sides and drawers? We have a cabinet based hutch that we need to cut down, the sides are plywood and this was the blade I was expecting to use

That should be fine, you sound like you'll be doing lots of crosscuts (drawers) and 80t will work fine on the ply if blade is in good shape, it's just a little slower and just be mindful of burns while cutting. I would go with a ATB cut blade.

I use TCG & Hi-ATB with certain rake for my Lexan cuts and other types of materials. ATB will be a better all around blade for you.

For any saw, as mentioned above, make a ZCI; that's critical to a good cut.


And don't be afraid to get your blade resharpened, have them check/measure/fix runout, balance, chips, burs...etc prior to sharpening. It's amazing how much new life it can bring to a well used saw blade and way cheaper than buying a new blade that most people do.
I have new minty blade out of the wrapper that wasn't cutting as my well used re-shaprened blade (same model). Just look around your area for a good industrial blade sharpener business, you'll be surprised how many they are and how cheap it is than having to pay postage there and back for a out of town sharpener. Support your local business.

 

[dwasifar]

Yeah, it was just a bunch of test cuts on a scrap piece and decided to utilize it.

It was going to be for my Sailrite but matches up well on my Singer 401A that I newly rebuilt.

Good guess, huh?

That's a really nice Singer you have there. Nice work.

My wife collects antique sewing machines, which she actually uses in her teddy bear business. Her primary production machine is a 1957 Singer 201 that we got from a thrift store for $22.50, covered with grime and with surface rust on the chrome pieces.

I would like to take credit for its restoration to perfect working order, but the fact is I didn't really need to do much more than clean and lubricate it, replace the belt and the bobbin winder tire, and fix the tensioner. The cabinet took more work than the machine. Those old Singers were built to last a lifetime and then some.

I also built a spool stand for her, but mine was not fancy euro ply and hardwood dowel. It was a blank media spindle and a piece of bent coat hanger wire screwed to a slab of particle board in a hurry. But it works. Well, it did. She dropped it and broke it, so one of these days I'll have to make her a good one.

Now back to saw blades. I think I'll get the 40T Freud FRE-D1040W you suggested, and a separate 24T rip blade for when I have to go through really thick hardwood. I'm still super curious about the Amana blade, but nobody here has used one, so I'm scared to take a flyer on it when the Freud/Diablo blades are a known value.

 

[rlitman]

... I think I'll get the 40T Freud FRE-D1040W...

That's a high rake blade. And is 10-1/4". It may fit your saw, but in my saw, the larger diameter would interfere with the riving knife, so YMMV.

As for the high rake, it will tear out a bunch, and would be very dangerous if put into a miter saw (just saying). It's really made for timber framing.

 

[macgee]

Good guess, huh?

That's a really nice Singer you have there. Nice work.

My wife collects antique sewing machines, which she actually uses in her teddy bear business. Her primary production machine is a 1957 Singer 201 that we got from a thrift store for $22.50, covered with grime and with surface rust on the chrome pieces.

Those old Singers were built to last a lifetime and then some.

Now back to saw blades. I think I'll get the 40T Freud FRE-D1040W you suggested, and a separate 24T rip blade for when I have to go through really thick hardwood. I'm still super curious about the Amana blade, but nobody here has used one, so I'm scared to take a flyer on it when the Freud/Diablo blades are a known value.

I spoke to my local sharpening guy and he said the Amana's are about the same, he said both are really good for the price, he recommended both of them. He did say that Amana industrial line use better carbide than their other lines but you pay more for them and they're a little more specialized. That Amana you mentioned looks good, its probably not at all a bad alternative to the Fusion I recommend. The Fusion is cheaper and has a massive amount of rave reviews so it's a little bit of a safer buy and you'll most likely be very happy with it although the Amana could be a good choice as well.
One note the Amana has a fairly unique kerf (.102") and will require it's own ZCI, adding to cost and more tooling to carry around. Although having a slightly thicker kerf is not necessarily a bad thing but consider an extra $25+ on top of blade for an additional ZCI if you're not making your own. Having a Rip blade is key and a ZCI for it.


Yes, good guess on thread spool. Singer actually made some very impressive machinery that rivals quality of machines seen in machine shops, they did not take many short cuts and have very good tolerances. It's ridiculous how cheap that can be had for. Here are two more other ones that I totally rebuilt. I have too many of them including a couple of Sailrites and a Singer Featherweight. Time to thin the heard!

 

[dwasifar]

That's a high rake blade. And is 10-1/4". It may fit your saw, but in my saw, the larger diameter would interfere with the riving knife, so YMMV.

As for the high rake, it will tear out a bunch, and would be very dangerous if put into a miter saw (just saying). It's really made for timber framing.

Eep, so it is. Thanks. Good catch.

EDIT: Looked again, and it isn't 10-1/4" after all. The Diablo D1040W is 10-1/4", but the Freud FRE-D1040W is 10".

Silly of them. Anyway, I meant the 10" Freud, not the Diablo.

 

[anndel]

What about Ridge Carbide? I have one on my table saw, miter saw and circular saw.

 

[dwasifar]

One note the Amana has a fairly unique kerf (.102") and will require it's own ZCI, adding to cost and more tooling to carry around. Although having a slightly thicker kerf is not necessarily a bad thing but consider an extra $25+ on top of blade for an additional ZCI if you're not making your own. Having a Rip blade is key and a ZCI for it.

Currently I do not have a ZCI on this saw. There is one offered by the manufacturer, but those are widely regarded as ****, so I will have to make one, and I just haven't gotten around to it.

Also, the kerf is .134 on the Amana. I think .102 is the plate thickness.

 

[macgee]

As for the high rake, it will tear out a bunch, and would be very dangerous if put into a miter saw (just saying). It's really made for timber framing.

???? I think you might be confused with "FTG" flat top cut teeth and not Hi-ATB blades?

Hi-ATB's are actually designed to reduce tear out, not increase and are better all around blades than FTG's. Flat tops are the ones that tear a bunch

 

[macgee]

Also, the kerf is .134 on the Amana. I think .102 is the plate thickness.

Whoops, your are correct; my bad.

In that case, I totally recommend going with the Freud thin kerf, your TS will thank you in spades.

.134" is massive wide and beyond most full kerf blades (.125"). Your saw would most likely struggle with it, especially with hardwood and lots of waste material; that kerf is better suited for 3-5 HP.. A thin kerf is the recommended kerf for your portable saw.

Cheers

 

[dwasifar]

Whoops, your are correct; my bad.

In that case, I totally recommend going with the Freud thin kerf, your TS will thank you in spades.

.134" is massive wide and beyond most full kerf blades (.125"). Your saw would most likely struggle with it, especially with hardwood and lots of waste material; that kerf is better suited for 3-5 HP.. A thin kerf is the recommended kerf for your portable saw.

What's your opinion of this for a 24-tooth ripping blade? https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B000P4O76E/ref=crt_ewc_title_dp_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A1WO0LWTFI0BL8

 

[rlitman]

Eep, so it is. Thanks. Good catch.

EDIT: Looked again, and it isn't 10-1/4" after all. The Diablo D1040W is 10-1/4", but the Freud FRE-D1040W is 10".

Silly of them. Anyway, I meant the 10" Freud, not the Diablo.

Good catch. Yeah, much better. Good choice. The HATB will leave a V bottomed cut, and the pointier profile will not last as long as other blades, but neither of those are deal breakers, and the sharper teeth have lots of advantages.

 

[rlitman]

???? I think you might be confused with "FTG" flat top cut teeth and not Hi-ATB blades?

Hi-ATB's are actually designed to reduce tear out, not increase and are better all around blades than FTG's. Flat tops are the ones that tear a bunch

I was talking about the rake, not the bevel top. But it was because of confusion over the coincidence of overlapping part numbers.

 

[macgee]

What's your opinion of this for a 24-tooth ripping blade? https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B000P4O76E/ref=crt_ewc_title_dp_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A1WO0LWTFI0BL8

Looks fine, it's inexpensive, reviews seem good. I have no experience with it but see no reason not to try it. CMT is a pretty good blade company.

It may not leave a perfect glue lam. line but probably good for the price. You'll especially need a ripping blade (if not a sacrificial one) on your jatoba (Brazilian Cherry), that's pretty hard stuff (2,350 lbf) and brutal on blades.


PS> I like who your supporting on AMZ.

 

[turbowoodworker]

A couple of thoughts on the “thin kerf” blades.
I am interested to hear other thoughts and experiences. The concept of the thin kerf is that it rips through less wood, therefore requiring less power, aiding underpowered saws. But the thin kerf can deflect and be unstable, and sometimes require blade stiffeners.
In my experience, contrary to what others have suggested, I would advise against the thin kerf. I have a thin kerf Freud but prefer the standard, especially when cutting 8/4 hardwood like maple, jatoba or padauk .
Full disclosure, my 5hp 230v Delta can power a full kerf blade so I am a little spoiled.

 

[dwasifar]

In that case, I totally recommend going with the Freud thin kerf, your TS will thank you in spades.

.134" is massive wide and beyond most full kerf blades (.125"). Your saw would most likely struggle with it, especially with hardwood and lots of waste material; that kerf is better suited for 3-5 HP.. A thin kerf is the recommended kerf for your portable saw.

Looks fine, it's inexpensive, reviews seem good. I have no experience with it but see no reason not to try it. CMT is a pretty good blade company.

It may not leave a perfect glue lam. line but probably good for the price. You'll especially need a ripping blade (if not a sacrificial one) on your jatoba (Brazilian Cherry), that's pretty hard stuff (2,350 lbf) and brutal on blades.

PS> I like who your supporting on AMZ.

Thanks. I ordered the Freud FRE-D1040W and the CMT 250.024.10 24T ripping blade.

Regarding the glue line, if I get a good enough cut to glue, that's a plus. Sometimes if the size is appropriate, I can put a rough-cut piece through the planer to smooth it out.

As for what jatoba does to blades, that's why we're having this conversation in the first place. The blade that came with the saw has taken its share of jatoba-related abuse. In the last few days I've made two Soma cube puzzles - one completely out of glued-up jatoba scraps, and the other made of half jatoba and half red oak from the firewood stack - and I became really conscious of needing to replace the blade. I have a ton of jatoba flooring scraps that I use for projects, so I'll be abusing saw blades with it for some time.

Thankfully the 12" blade on my miter saw does not need replacement yet.

I suspect the saw would still be able to drive the Amana; it's a worm gear drive, not a direct drive, so it's got better torque than your average saw of this type. But I know the Freud will work, so I just bought that rather than take a flyer on the saw's ability to cope with a wider kerf.

I didn't know other people could tell who my Amazon Smile charity choice was. It's a good thing I didn't sign up to donate to Hookers and Booze International.

 

[macgee]

A couple of thoughts on the “thin kerf” blades.
I am interested to hear other thoughts and experiences. The concept of the thin kerf is that it rips through less wood, therefore requiring less power, aiding underpowered saws. But the thin kerf can deflect and be unstable, and sometimes require blade stiffeners.
In my experience, contrary to what others have suggested, I would advise against the thin kerf. I have a thin kerf Freud but prefer the standard, especially when cutting 8/4 hardwood like maple, jatoba or padauk .
Full disclosure, my 5hp 230v Delta can power a full kerf blade so I am a little spoiled.

Good question and and that's exactly why you wouldn't like thin kerf's. Yes, you are spoiled

You are correct about thin kerf's, they can flex especially with hardwoods. But as most TS's are under (real) 2 hp (15 amps or under), they struggle with full kerf. So Thin kerf are recommend for smaller HP motors, this reduces load on the motor and can make clean fast cuts, but you also have to make sure you don't push too hard and load up the blade, this makes the blade flex. You can't push the piece through like you would with a full kerf blade with good HP. A common & easy mistake a lot people make when they've been use to using a high HP/full kerf blade set up for a while. Two different animals

When letting the blade do the work, feeling the cut and not loading it up, thin kerf will make very nice cuts.

Nothing replaces 5hp with the ability of having a beefy full kerf blade and pushing board feet and board feet of hard wood all day long without giving it a thought or a burn mark. The old orig. Delta Unisaw Bullet RI 100+lb! 3 phase motor were awesome for this or stepping up to a Oliver TS.

 

[macgee]

Thanks. I ordered the Freud FRE-D1040W and the CMT 250.024.10 24T ripping blade.

Regarding the glue line, if I get a good enough cut to glue, that's a plus.
As for what jatoba does to blades, that's why we're having this conversation in the first place.
I didn't know other people could tell who my Amazon Smile charity choice was. It's a good thing I didn't sign up to donate to Hookers and Booze International.

Nice, you'll have to get back to us and let us know what you think of the blades after using them and give them a grade. I think its a great combo to have (for budget) and you can pick up other blades as you go that would fit your other needs. Your Skilsaw actually looks like a pretty nice saw and should do well; I like the fence and ability to tune/adjust everything (important).

If you are in LA based on smile. I suggest taking your blades to AA Sharpening in N. Hollywood, that's who sharpens my blades and the price is very good (approx. $20 for 40T); ask for Tony. They can bring your worn out blades quickly back to life for less than what a bad big box blade costs.

http://aasawinc.com

Here's a pic of a 12" Forest Chopmaster that a client badly damaged and desperately needed 7 carbide teeth replaced/repaired, fix runout and sharpen. It cost less than shipping one 10" to Forest just to sharpen and send back. They did a really nice job brazing new carbide onto the blade. Cuts beautifully.

Here's some raw un-cleaned rip cuts (aiming up) on hard mahogany and oak, using a thin kerf 10" Forest Woodworker II re-sharpened by AA sharpening, Hollywood:

PS> If you did donate to Hookers and Booze International, you would probably get a standing ovation with this group

 

[dwasifar]

Nice, you'll have to get back to us and let us know what you think of the blades after using them and give them a grade. I think its a great combo to have (for budget) and you can pick up other blades as you go that would fit your other needs. Your Skilsaw actually looks like a pretty nice saw and should do well; I like the fence and ability to tune/adjust everything (important).

If you are in LA based on smile. I suggest taking your blades to AA Sharpening in N. Hollywood, that's who sharpens my blades and the price is very good (approx. $20 for 40T); ask for Tony.

PS> If you did donate to Hookers and Booze International, you would probably get a standing ovation with this group

Now I'm a little confused. I'm literally thousands of miles from Los Angeles, and my Smile donations go to charity:water, which has no LA connection I'm aware of. What charity did you think I was supporting?

After we finished up picking me out the table saw blades, I decided to look at blades for the slider, and discovered I am not using an appropriate blade there either, so I bought one of these: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002TUFWW/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[macgee]

Now I'm a little confused. I'm literally thousands of miles from Los Angeles, and my Smile donations go to charity:water, which has no LA connection I'm aware of. What charity did you think I was supporting?

I decided to look at blades for the slider, and discovered I am not using an appropriate blade there either, so I bought one of these: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002TUFWW/?tag=atomicindus08-20

That blade will probably work well although I haven't used it; I have a chopmaster and a mitermaster.
You may want to check for flex on the 12", it's easy to check when making a small test square picture frame out of 2x4 (issuing 4" side), assemble and check all the cuts and how they match up and if they're straight lines on entire cut and square.



This is what I'm seeing when going to your link:

 

[dwasifar]

This is what I'm seeing when going to your link:

And that's not your charity either? Weird.

 

[Renegade1LI]

I'm just going to add that running thin kerf blades on a contractor style saw like the op has it's not a bad idea to pick up a blade stiffener. I have the foerrest, bought it when I bought one of their blades. On my dewalt 10" contractor saw I can see a difference in cut quality, I tried it on my shop saw, a 5 hp PM 66 with a power feeder & really didn't see any difference using a standard kerf blade. So for a contractors saw I think it's worth the 30$ & using the thin kerf blades helps the saw make cleaner cuts.https://www.forrestblades.com/dampeners-stiffeners/

 

[macgee]

And that's not your charity either? Weird.

No its not.

I'm just going to add that running thin kerf blades on a contractor style saw like the op has it's not a bad idea to pick up a blade stiffener.

I was going to mention this as well and it can help, its just not for everyone. I've ended up with a pile of them but never really found them useful in my set up but the idea is sound and could be worth trying if flex is an issue, it can be. Like what Renegade says, it depends on the saw, the blade, material and how the user is cutting on the saw.
I had to properly hone down flat on a surface plate with one of my new ones, it was a little off. Another thing, a plate stiffener only works with loads being applied to one side but many people swear by them. It is something to be aware of and consider especially when trying saw hard a$s wood on a contractor style machine.

 

[dwasifar]

I'm just going to add that running thin kerf blades on a contractor style saw like the op has it's not a bad idea to pick up a blade stiffener. I have the foerrest, bought it when I bought one of their blades.

I was going to mention this as well and it can help, its just not for everyone. I've ended up with a pile of them but never really found them useful in my set up but the idea is sound and could be worth trying if flex is an issue, it can be. Like what Renegade says, it depends on the saw, the blade, material and how the user is cutting on the saw. It is something to be aware of and consider especially when trying saw hard a$s wood on a contractor style machine.

I see they come in a variety of sizes. I'm assuming a 4" or 5" diameter for a 10" blade?