Ripping 2x4s: My Saw Struggles

[nate379]

The problem I had with a thin kerf was the blade flexed too much and it would start to follow the grain of the wood, or if I was just shaving a little bit on teh side of a board it would walk off the edge.

The trouble with my saw it that it takes a weird size, 8 3/4" I believe and Lowe's doesn't even carry that size anymore. The local lumber store had 2 to choose from. The one I got has a core charge. Total cost was $25 or something. Now when it goes dull you turn it in and they give you a new one for a few $$s.
They have the same program for router bits as well.

 

[johnnybentwrench]

Go buy a skil saw blade thin carbide tooth. You will be a lot happier. The thin blades have lees work to do. I am a finish carpenter. 7" 1/4 will fit your saw, however you will not get the full height of cut. You will have enough to rip 2 X 4's

 

[cdncowboy]

The problem I had with a thin kerf was the blade flexed too much and it would start to follow the grain of the wood, or if I was just shaving a little bit on teh side of a board it would walk off the edge.

The trouble with my saw it that it takes a weird size, 8 3/4" I believe and Lowe's doesn't even carry that size anymore. The local lumber store had 2 to choose from. The one I got has a core charge. Total cost was $25 or something. Now when it goes dull you turn it in and they give you a new one for a few $$s.
They have the same program for router bits as well.

Oh wow, that is different. I've got a standard 10" Ridgid contractors saw; the Diablo blade has been an absolute beast. Your blade "program" is pretty cool and low cost, my blade cost me around $80 I believe... yikes.

 

[scott37300]

The one I got has a core charge. Total cost was $25 or something. Now when it goes dull you turn it in and they give you a new one for a few $$s.
They have the same program for router bits as well.

That is a really nice program. I have about a dozon good blades of various sizes that I need to see about getting sharpened. Usually when a blade goes bad I need it now so I just go buy a new one and then forget about the old one. If I get off my azz and find a place to sharpen them I would have enough blades for the next few years easily! But your core charge program seems even easier than getting them sharpened!

 

[mdbeck1]

Home Depot had one Freud 24 tooth carbide ripping blade available, so I grabbed it for around $25. I can't even find the miter slide thing for my saw, so I did not yet do the alignment procedure. But, with the new blade the saw performs much better. No signs of any burning whatsoever, either.

It's funny that they guys here are still trying to tell you what to buy when you've already been to the store and bought what you need.


That being said... I've got a really old Delta table saw (So old that the top tilts and raises and lowers). I love it. However the fence is also the "older" style. When I set the rip fence I always measure from the same saw blade tooth usually using my calipers. I use the calipers as if I were measuring depth and lock them on the forward measurement. Then spin the blade to the back and verify that the same tooth is just a "touch" wider to minimize binding.

Also on long stock use an infeed and outfeed mechanism. That can be another table or rollers. It will help you control the material and make it safer for you.

Oh, and you don't really NEED the calipers. You can make an old style tenoning jig (no ruler) to do the same thing.

 

[c/o say]

Hey I just want too add check your belt alignment also make sure its in line. Had a table saw a work one time would not cut 1/4 in ply wood turned out the belt was out of line got it squared up then it cut great this was a saw that would eat 2x4s all day long.