Click "Read more" to see all of the tool links. Watch Next: Table Saw Mistakes to AVOID - ruclips.net/video/LLvXrmLLvKs/видео.htmlsi=zFL4SJH5y3wIBjeT Tools in this Video: Best General Purpose Blades RECOMMENDED Set - CMT Orange Chrome 3-Pack (cross cut, general, ripping) - lddy.no/1k6ms WoodRiver 40 Tooth - www.jdoqocy.com/click-100587516-13817089?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.woodcraft.com%2Fproducts%2Fwoodriver-general-purpose-saw-blade-10-x-5-8-bore-x-40-tooth-atb%3Fvariant%3D43400899952778&cjsku=180170 CMT Orange Chrome 40 Tooth (Amazon) - amzn.to/3SsrDCR CMT Orange Chrome 40 Tooth (TayTools) lddy.no/1k6mv Diablo 40 Tooth - amzn.to/3yceBmf Forrest Woodworker II 40 Tooth - amzn.to/4dmgCLh Ridge Carbide 40 Tooth - amzn.to/3A0yWvk I get commissions for purchases made through links in this video description. Best Ripping Blades CMT Orange Chrome 24 Tooth (Amazon) - amzn.to/3A1WeRx CMT Orange Chrome 24 Tooth (TayTools) lddy.no/1k6mw Wood River 24 Tooth - www.dpbolvw.net/click-100587516-13817089?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.woodcraft.com%2Fproducts%2Fwoodriver-heavy-duty-rip-saw-blade-10-x-5-8-bore-x-24t-ftg%3Fvariant%3D43402696032394&cjsku=171603 Diablo 24 Tooth - amzn.to/4fwO7N8 Best Crosscut Blades CMT Orange Chrome 80 Tooth - amzn.to/3LDZZiF CMT Orange Chrome 80 Tooth (TayTools) lddy.no/1k6mx Diablo 80 Tooth - amzn.to/4cZRudD Dado Stack Blades Freud Dado Stack - amzn.to/3LFJ27h CMT Locking Dado - acmetools.pxf.io/KjnBjz Best Miter Saw Blades CMT Orange Chrome 80 Tooth (Amazon) - amzn.to/3A1FQAx CMR Orange Chrome 80 Tooth (TayTools) lddy.no/1k6mt Diablo 80 Tooth - amzn.to/3Wpuk9q Blades for 8 1/4" Jobsite Saws DeWALT 24 Tooth Ripping - amzn.to/3y6zfEn DeWALT 40 Tooth Combination - amzn.to/3Ymjm7j Diablo 40 tooth General Purpose Blade - amzn.to/3YFbeiD Diablo 60 Tooth Cross Cutting - amzn.to/3Yj5Hhd Circular Saw Blades CMT 40 Tooth - amzn.to/3yo9wHl Diablo 40 Tooth - amzn.to/4deyaZK Other Tools in this Video MicroJig Blade Cleaning Kit - amzn.to/4dmJCTt Simple Green Cleaner - amzn.to/3A3ojI7 Push Stick - allredwoodworks.com/shop/ols/products/allred-woodworks-push--stick Miter Guage - amzn.to/4cWwdlf MicroJig GRR-RIPPER - amzn.to/3YgXVoc Feather Board - amzn.to/3YgCfbP Faith Over Fear Shirt - shopvictoryapparel.com/products/faith-over-fear-tee-vintage-royal?_pos=1&_sid=c85c474c9&_ss=r My FREE Masterclass: 3 Steps to Go from $0 to Profitable Woodworking site.731woodworks.com/step-by-step-training The full list of tools and supplies I recommend can be found on my website: www.731woodworks.com/recommended-tools Greatest Free Gift I've Ever Received: story4.us/731Woodworks Join the TUBAFOUR NATION through Patreon to get access to exclusive member only behind the scenes videos, member only livestreams, exclusive discounts, and other cool member only perks! www.patreon.com/731woodworks If you use one of these Amazon and other affiliate links, I will receive a commission on qualifying purchases. Greatest Free Gift I've Ever Received: story4.us/731Woodworks Some other useful links: Daily Tool Deals on my website: www.731woodworks.com/tool-deals Subscribe to our email Newsletter to get new content alerts, sales, and more! mailchi.mp/7e44c16eefdc/731-woodworks-email-newsletter Easy to Follow Build Plans - www.731woodworks.com/store Outlaw's Board Butter - So Good it Should be Outlawed: www.731woodworks.com/store/boardbutter
After 50 years as a woodworker/cabinet maker, I have tried a lot of saw blade brands. I seem to have settled on the CMT Chrome. They are available from Taylor Tools and are usually on sale. When needed, I send them to Ridge Carbide for re-sharpening. They offer great service and are 1/3 the price of my local sharpener. For cleaning, I have cut a 5 gallon bucket down to about 5". Put in a 50/50 mix of the cheapest laundry soap (Dollar General) and water. Put in your blades, router bits, etc. Let sit for about 10 minutes, remove, brush with a Harbor Freight brass brush, rinse, dry and wipe with with a rag that has some light oil on it. Works every time. Thx.
I got my table saw from a friend. It's not the greatest but I am grateful for it. It's a Ryobi RTS21 and it has been a godsend for me. It didn't have a good blade cause it was rusted so I bought a Bauer 50 tooth count Combination blade for about $25 at Harbor Freight and it's lasted for about as long as I've had the saw. I've had it for about 6 months, it's not without it's quirks but it gets the job done. Still, I can't wait to have a saw with a rack and pinion fence, it is such a pain to set the fence every time I make a cut lol. I have been watching your content since I got into woodworking just after Thanksgiving last year and I wanted to say thank you. I have learned so much from you and others like you showing people like me how to do things. I also hope to be on RUclips at some point but I have a long way to go still before I can do that. Keep up the great content and stay safe 💯😁
I am a 68 year old hobbyist who learned woodworking back in my high school shop class. I'd have to agree with your recommendations, a good all purpose blade for the table saw and a higher tooth count for the compound miter chop saw. I keep a 24 T rip blade for the few times I rip solid boards but much of my work is with birch ply for cabinets and boxes. When I started out in the 80's remodeling our first home, carbide wasn't as common as it is now for blades. I really liked a hollow ground planer for cabinet work, gave really smooth and clean cuts. I only use carbide now but still have a few of those old non carbide blades on my saw blade rack, mostly Craftsman since Sears was the place to go as the big box stores weren't common yet.
When Matt showed that hollow ground blade I busted up laughing. If I recall, the idea behind those was to create blade plate clearance on teeth that were not widely set, mostly better quality plywood blades and crosscut blades. The old steel blades had some wide set teeth in the 24-40T configuration...again as I recall...so blade clearance wasn't an issue
Excellent video....If you have a SawStop you need to be sure the blade is compatible, The ones with the haunches behind the teeth are frowned on. Check with SawStop. Also, the lid for a 5 gallon bucket makes an excellent container for cleaning blades. Lots of great tips, thanks.
I am a hobbyist woodworker and an absolute noob to table saws. I just got my first table saw a few months back and I am still figuring out the safest way to incorporate it into my workflow from a wheelchair, assuming that I do have a workflow. I had a spinal cord injury several years ago as a result of a high speed motorbike crash. Woodworking is my getaway. You are right, though. Saw blade terminology can be confusing. You referred to FTG as Flat Tooth Grind, I have always seen it mentioned as Flat Top Grind. I have been following your videos for a while now; and, I would like to thank you for such informative content. Accept my gratitude for experimenting on all your audience's behalf so that we do not have to. If you could recommend some sellers who ship internationally, it would be amazing. I am in India and woodworking isn't a very popular hobby here. Let alone that, I haven't come across a single professional who uses aftermarket blades on their table saws, they mostly use locally made cast iron table saws resembling those from the colonial era. I build small projects which I always give away to my friends. And, if I build something for someone, I want it to be near perfect. I should stop now, this is starting to sound more like an email than a RUclips comment. Let me end by saying that you have been a great inspiration. Thank you once again.
I just wanted to tell you to not be concerned so much about being perfect. Perfect is a mass produced garbage. The tiny imperfections are what help make handmade items priceless. How much would the Mona Lisa be worth it if was perfect, not much.
Inspiring brother.. for me it's more than a hobby. It's good to see someone from here talking about this.. hope you keep on pressing even with your difficulty.. thankyou
@@amanhunjan3626 I am currently renovating my home and I do not have space for a full sized workshop here. However, I am planning a small shed for myself. Do you do woodworking for a living? Where are you based if you don't mind me asking?
Diablo (Freud) makes some high quality affordable blades. They are an Italian company. You can contact the manufacturer of the blades directly to find out where you can purchase.
@@CrazyManwich Thank you for the information. I will definitely check it out. Diablo would be a huge upgrade from what I currently have on my saw. Having said that, I am actually quite impressed by the all purpose blade supplied with my Bosch GTS 254. It has given me clean and burn free cuts through Sheesham. It is a particularly dense hardwood from India also known as the East Indian Rosewood. Being a hobbyist, I do not feel the need for anything more currently. But, I would definitely like to check out Diablo's range of Flat Top Grind blades for some things that I have planned.
I use CMT blades exclusively. All three I own have performed flawlessly for me, and for the price they are probably the best value going. If you've not tried them, do.
I tried the CMT ripping blade but was disappointed in how little the carbide is compared to my older delta, freud and onsrud blades. It also came with one tooth broken off even though the packaging was fine.
I started with inexpensive blades. As you said, they can make a cut but get dull faster and also often leave a rough surface. I finally purchased a Ridge Carbide and a Forrest blade. These cut well and make a much smoother surface. I have sent both back to the respective factory for re-sharpening and both companies do a very good job on sharpening. You mentioned cleaning the blade. I agree that cleaning a blade can make a BIG improvement in how well the blade cuts and reduce the heat when cutting.
Thank you for the blade primer, Matt. That was good information and you presented it very well. Just the right amount of technical without going overboard. Have a great week. 😃😃😃
Matt: So helpful, thanks. As a fairly new woodworker, i think I lucked into buying Diablo blades, because I like the quality. But I've bought the wrong types!! Thanks again.
I have been delighted with my Kobalt job site table saw. I have a small (12'x20') barn building for my shop, being able to fold up my saw and but it to the side out of the way for my rolling assembly table is great. Plus I have not had any reason to be disappointed with it's performance.
I did pick up one of the Forest blades. When dull, I sent it off to an old guy who did sharpening and it came back sharper than it was out of the box. I agree, not really worth the extra money. For the negative rake blades, I think they are for cutting softer materials like some metals and any laminate type stuff from polycarbonates to melamine. They don't take as big of a bite as the positive rake teeth.
TY for the great review. A variety of Freud blades have served me well over the years for my table saw. Note: I love my Kapex BUT, not the blade replacement cost! Ugh.........😐
Many good tips here. I don't know if this has been mentioned, but if your blade is overtaxing your motor, try moving from a 10 inch blade to a 7 1/4 inch blade. With the same tooth counts, etc., you will get the same cut but with a lower load on your motor. Of course, your cut depth will be reduced, so that may be an issue. If not, it's good to be nice to your saw motor!
Im a trim carpenter. The best blade I've used is a Forrest. My Forrest 9" WW1 has been in my 10" table saw for 4 years now without need of sharpening. Best box store blades IMO are Diablo but they wear much much faster than Forrest. I also like Amana blades and CMT. theres some higher end blades that i haven't tried, but i mostly cut poplar so theres really no need for me to surpass Forrest.
I can also add from my own experience that cleaning a new blade before first use is a good idea too. I had a few new blades with too much protective coating, and sawdust stuck to them. I spent a lot of time figuring out why the cut was not as good as I expected, but it was just about cleaning the saw blade.
I've always went with Wood River saw blades, pricey but dang. That blade last a long time. Diablo is another Favorite. The 40 tooth does last a long time. Over time it does wear out. For 30 doll hairs I'll buy those every time, but for good cuts, Wood River all the way
Great video, understanding saw blade type is pretty confusing as a beginner. When I first started (which wasn't too long ago) I thought that more teeth was better for woodworking. I thought that a ripping blade was only for rough construction work. So I got an 80T CMT blade and used it for everything. Which it worked, but I didn't understand why some things were hard to push and why I got burning. I didn't understand that the gullet had a purpose. And it's not only table saw blades that it mattered for. The same concept applies to band saws. It was certainly more nuance than I expected. Now I keep a 42T full kerf blade in my saw most of the time. Full kerf also just helps for estimating how much material is going to be removed with each cut. 1/8" is easy to incorporate into measurements.
Good video with some solid info. You should do one for band saws. I recommend checking to make sure a General Purpose blade actually has a flat rake tooth, as not all of them do. I run a CMT 50T 4:1 ATB+Flat in my Delta table saw and it is fantastic. IMO, if the blade doesn't have a flat tooth it's really more of a Combination Blade rather than a General Purpose, but manufactures call them GP anyway. I used the stock blade in my Ridgid jobsite saw for a couple of years. I changed to a Diablo 40T ATB this year. On the first cut I had to stop and lift the blade guard to see if it was actually cutting, because I couldn't hear or feel the saw working. It was that much better. However, it is labeled GP even though it has no rake. The question marks are expansion slots, and Diablo does have them on all their blades (16:25 ). The "little squiggles" are stabilizer vents, and reduce vibration and noise. I use a 12" Diablo 60T ATB+R in the miter saw. Very nice, and should last a long time. My miter saws don't cut nearly as much material as the table saws.
Tenryu Gold Medal 40 tooth combo blade. $97 on Amazon and every bit as good as Forrest or Ridge Carbide. Hand hammered in Japan to exact specs and can be resharpened many times.
I am definitely a DIYer rather than fine woodworker, and I don’t have a table saw but a 7-14” circular saw. My blade is a Freud Diablo 60 tooth blade picked up for under $20 on Amazon. Most of my projects involve plywood or 3/4” solid material, and for my needs, the 60 tooth Diablo works fantastic whether ripping or crosscutting. Its major selling point fro me is how clean it crosscuts veneered plywood.
60T is definitely a plywood/fine crosscut in the 6-7" blade sizes. I use a 24T for ripping and construction stuff, and a 40T for the pretty stuff in my 6 1/2" Makita cordless. Mostly use the red ones. I stock up during the Black Friday sales when they do the two-fer thing 😅
I’m a huge fan of the CMTs. I got some premium blades at a great deal and didn’t notice enough af a difference to pay full price in the future. I will say that when ripping 3in oak, the premium went through it like it was a loaf of bread. All that being said, I still fight myself to not buy more blades. I really want to try the UltraShears and Whiteside when I finally found out they make blades.
He brought up something I hadn't known before. Some of those more premium blades have more carbide, which means you can keep sharpening them, so a professional shop could continually sharpen a blade instead of buying new ones. But if a blade isn't constantly being used, you won't go through as many and need sharpening as often. Meaning they may not be as beneficial to a hobbyist as they are to a professional shop. I'm sure there might be other benefits, but this might be a primary reason for a more premium blade.
Very good video Matt! I know you have touched on saw blades before but much more important information and general advice than reviewing blades. Everyone is going to have their opinion about their experience on blades. As I see it when your on a budget typical box store blades are just as expensive. My go to is Diaoblo. I to have figured that cleaning your blade helps tremendously especially after cutting multiple pine. Simply because it’s not usually dry and wet. Water and sap collect on the blade. I do plan on trying out CMT as it seems like a slight step up and not so hard on the wallet. All I have known the “J” on a blade is for is exactly what you described as an expansion slot to help cool the blade, keep from getting hot and expanding and contracting the blade. Keep up the good work!!
I have a CMT Orange blade, but the blade that I keep on my saw is the Diablo combo with a flat grind every 4th tooth. I was a bit surprised that I ended up loving that blade at about $60
Early in the 1990s I learned to invest in quality tools after burning out the motor in a Craftsman “industrial” saber saw, snapping the pot-metal components that held the top of the line 10” Craftsman radial arm saw motor to the arm, experiencing parts fly off of a half-sheet Craftsman sander, burning out the motor in a Craftsman 4x24” belt sander, and having various other problems with Craftsman power tools (auto-depth adjusting 1.5 HP router ruined several boards). Roughly twenty two years ago, I switched over to saw blades made by Forrest, buying a 10” Forrest Woodworker II for my Delta Unisaw, a 10” Forrest Chopmaster for my radial arm saw, a 12” Forrest Chopmaster for my DeWalt chop saw, and a Forrest Dado King dado blade. Last year I was finally able to use my three phase Delta 12” radial arm saw, so I bought another 12” Forrest Chopmaster blade for it. A few months later, I came across a good deal on a single phase Delta 12” radial arm saw, so I bought another 12” Forrest Chopmaster blade for it. Last year I got a good deal on a 40 year old Rockwell Unisaw, so I bought a 10” Forrest Woodworker II for that saw. Last year I also bought a Ridge Carbide TS2000 10” 24 tooth rip blade, a Ridge Carbide TS2000 10” 40 tooth flat top box joint blade (that is the Ridge Carbide Superblade that you showed), and a Freud Industrial 18 tooth thick stock rip blade. The 10” Forrest Woodworker II blade I bought roughly 20 years ago produced a cut surface when ripping a board that was so smooth and polished that a person might think that the board had been hand planed after being cut by the saw blade. Crosscuts with the same blade were just as smooth and polished. The Forrest Woodworker II blade that I bought last year cut just as smoothly after I replaced the arbor bearings, installed a new blade arbor, and switched over to Fenner Drive link belts in the Rockwell Unisaw. The Forrest Chopmaster blades are designed for crosscutting and have a negative 5 degree tooth angle. With a negative tooth angle, the blades are less likely to self-feed (climb cut) when installed in a radial arm saw, making the blades much safer to use in a radial arm saw than a typical crosscut or combination blade. At the time I purchased the Chopmaster blades, only narrow kerf blades were available, which is actually a benefit in the radial arm saws as my saws are all 1.5 HP or lower. I was initially disappointed in the cut quality of the Ridge Carbide 24 tool rip blade, with the blade leaving visible blade marks. I then determined that the saw’s arbor had developed a problem, where it could shift side to side roughly 1/32” during a cut. After correcting that problem, the Ridge Carbide rip blade leaves a cut surface that is nearly as smooth as a Forrest Woodworker II, producing a “glue line rip”, meaning that there is no need to pass the cut edge over a jointer before edge gluing boards. I have only used the Ridge Carbide 40 tooth box joint blade a few times in my Delta contractors saw for creating a few dado type cuts - it worked acceptably for this task. I have not found a use case for the Freud rip blade yet.
Yes, the factory blades coming with a TS or MS are pretty much crap but I keep them and they have their use when rough cutting wood that can have nails or metal in it.
I use glue line rip blades the most. Sometimes a combination blade. This is on my tablesaw. I bought a thin kerf glue line rip Freud blade and was underwhelmed at the cut. Used it once and went back to the regular kerf Freud blades.
Thanks for the video. Good to know how versatile the 40 tooth blade is from someone other than my own experience. I do have to say $80 to me is an expensive blade. I can get a CMT blade for $30-$40 at Menards depending on tooth count. That’s more of a midprice blade to me. I think they are thin kerf but for the cost I’ve been really happy
I'm a bit careful of what I get from Harbor Freight, but my experience with their Hercules line has been really good. I got a full kerf (.126") 40T Hercules blade, and I've been really happy with it's performance. But those are ~$25 when there isn't any deals going on, and I think are comparable to CMTs $40 blades.
@@SpartanORGN I’m the same way with Harbor Freight too. I usually buy their cheap tools for emergency back up. Like oscillators, sawzalls, angle grinders. They’re pretty good back up tools for $15-$20. I’ve not bought their saw blades. Being able to get a CMT blade everyone seems to love at Menards for the price they have it seems like a huge win. I think they are all thin kerf though but have held up well so far!!
CMT, like Freud, has different levels of quality. Avanti (good), Diablo (better), Freud Industrial (best) can also describe the product availability. Avanti might have 3 tooth counts in 10", Diablo five or six, F I has more tooth counts and configurations than you can count with both shoes off. I bet if you take a deep dive into CMT, you will find the same.
Great video, you managed to cover a lot of information in a relatively short space of time. The only thing which I would add is that you might have wanted to include is about the thickness of the riving knife in relation to the blade as this will dictate what blade you are going to be able to safely use on your machine. Those of us that have spent a week researching a new blade then chosen a lovely new expensive one only to find the blade is thinner than the riving knife and the material won’t pass through like a total 🤡 😂
731 Woodworks, you talked about many different types of blades in this film. You only mentioned the Triple Chip Blade (TCB) but did not talk about that type of blade with it's advantages and disadvantages. I wish you had explained them with their use. I personally have used a 60 Tooth TCB blade for many years with wonderful results. It rips well with good clean cuts, and it crosscuts with very smooth cut in plywood and solid wood up to 2" thick stock. I don't change blades all the time. I would be interested in what experience you may have had with a TCB blade. Thank you so much for your videos I always enjoy them. John in Missouri Valley Iowa
I was given an old '58 vintage 9" DeWalt radial arm saw. Guy said it worked, but took a long time to spin up to speed. I looked at it for twenty seconds, and swapped the 120v plug for a 240v plug and ran like a champ. I used it for about thirty minutes before it tried to climb up into my face, so I started investigating blades I bought a 9" Freud Industrial 48T TCG with a -3° rake for somewhere in the area of $90. Buy once, cry once...right? It turned the saw from a killer to a downright nice saw to use. Sold the saw two years ago for $150 with that blade still on it, after two sharpenings. TCG's are also configured for melamine, veneered plywoods, and non-ferrous materials. I think everyone should have one hanging around to make those 'speciality' cuts, especially if they own a 10" miter saw because the blade can cut T-track today on your miter saw, and melamine covered particleboard tomorrow on your table saw.
Your saw and blade videos are always so informative. They have significantly improved my woodworking even though I only get do do a little on the weekends. Would you be willing to do a saw blade shoot-out? Maybe a 3 part series, cheap, mid-range, expensive as the catagories. One video per catagory and take the top two from the first video and see how they compare to the various mid-range ones, then take the top two mid-range ones and see how they compare to the high end ones. I'd like to know what the extra money gets people when they move up a catagory, and also what might be a good starter cheap blade in my area to make some money with on beginner projects to afford to buy a better blade. I know that Harbor Freight's revamped lines of table and miter saw blades have gotten good reviews, but I don't know exactly how they compare to Diablo or wood river. Just an idea that I think you are super qualified to do.
There's a couple things I want to add to Matt's brilliant (no...he doesn't pay me to say nice things 😂) dive into circular saw blades. He covered tip grind nicely. But...in the ATB genre, there are varied angles of grind. Most 40T general purpose blades are cut at a 10° bevel plus or minus 5°...and I have found that the more expensive the blade, the higher the degree of bevel...generally. Higher degrees of bevel tend to shear the wood more that just whacking at it creating a cleaner cut. You might also see higher degrees of bevel as you increase the tooth count of a blade, as 'generally' higher tooth counts are meant for finer cuts. Rake...the angle the tips are set into the plate (body of the blade)...also has a bearing on both the cut and longevity of the blade...in a table saw! Note the rake on a Forestt blade like the one Matt had. Very forward...probably in the area of 20-25°. Again, more shearing action as opposed to scraping action...less friction and heat, thus longer life...in most cases. Composition of the carbide tips can affect overall life and sharpness. The higher the number, the more brittle the carbide. C2 tends to not hold an edge as long as C4, but cuts cleaner when new. A lot of vendors now use C3, which is an acceptable compromise. In miter saws, blades with steeper bevel but less rake are common as they allow more cutting control and help to reduce kickbacks. On my radial arm saw I go even further, using a triple chip grind with a -3° rake! Way back when dinosaurs roamed the earth and I started woodworking there was a company called Systematic that made high quality blades. They were my first experience with quality blades. Loved them, but they got purchased by a company called Freud from Italy as a way to get into the American market back in the early '90's. I use Freud Industrial blades to this day, with the exception of the 60T Systematic I still have and run on occasion in my table saw only. It only has about one sharpening left, so I save it for special stuff. Last point. When you look at the cost if a quality blade, also factor in the cost of sharpening. Sure, you may invest $90 on a Freud Industrial 40T general purpose blade like I run. But my woodworking store offers sharpening service for $0.40/tooth...or $16 for that blade. The blade can be sharpened several times. So...$90 + $16 + $16 + $16 is $138 for a quality blade that is going to be sharp for years and years. Consider how many $40 red blades you'd likely buy, use and toss in that time. (Most sharpening services recommend you not resharpen the red blades, or any 'budget' blades due to the thin carbude tips) In my pointy lil' head I'm better off with a good blade and a sharpening service available, considering the quality of cut and longer quality of cut before sharpening is required.
I'm a Forrest blade fan. I've used it 3-1/2 years and counting, had it sharpened twice since I've had it. I use CMT 80tooth for crosscuts and miter saw. How are you liking that 2024 Push Stick? Thanks for the link!
Why are some more expensive than others is the quality of the carbide and how long they last before they need to be resharpen. I have 6 blades and they have lasted over 4 years so far and only one had to be resharpened. I have Freud, CMT, and Forrest Woodworker. I have doubles of some so if they start to burn because they need to be cleaned I swap it out for another and later take the time to clean them so I don't have to stop in the middle of a job. A clean blade will last longer, cut cleaner, run cooler and cut faster. The dado stack I use is Freud and I haven't had them ever resharpened in the 10 years I have used them. When I got the new saw 4 years ago I got all new blades and tossed the old ones. I have the Grizzley 10 cabinet saw with 5 HP and the Serpentine belt for no vibration, best saw I have ever used.
I’ve pretty much gone CMT and have no complaints. I find it difficult to keep the different grades straight. And, the lid off a 5 gallon plastic bucket does just fine as a plate to clean your saw blades. I thought the Micro Jig setup a tad pricy though you do get to reuse your cleaner. That said, a jug of Simple Green shouldn’t break the budget.
My 10 year old 40T Diablo blade still cuts without any chip out on melamine boards, I do keep it clean since day one may have a lot to do with it. 10 inch on table saw and 12 inch on miter saw.
Very little information was given on the tooth angle... Ain't there guidelines to which is better suited for tablesaws? I've read that negative teething is bad/dangerous on tablesaws because they push the material upwards, is that true?
I like the Diablo blades. There are actually 2 different types of Diablo blades. The ones at the big box stores are not that good after some use. The ones you buy at Woodcraft for example are much better and can take multiple sharpenings. I just put on a CMT Chrome, 24 tooth ripping and it is simply amazing.
I think of the Freud blades at the woodworking stores as Freud Industrial, and you will likely see them packaged under that name. I've been running them for thirty years. Really like them for longevity (and the available carbide for three or four sharpenings) and the availability of so many types of tips and rakes.
What blade should you use on composite decking? I understand the adhesives bind up blades. As a matter of fact Home Depot and Lowe's will not cut composites for you.
I picked up some DeWalt blades for my table saw and miter saw. Felt they were affordable and get the job done (though I probably went too high on the teeth count for my table saw). Any complaints about DeWalt blades?
I find that the vast majority of the time, I use a Freud 24tooth rip. Only swapping to a Freud 60 tooth on the rare occasion I'm cutting sheet goods or a quick one off dado. I chose the 60tooth Freud cause its a TCG tooth pattern and leaves a flat cut that works great for dados, while leaving clean cuts on sheet goods and cross cuts. A 40 tooth combo blade really doesn't have a place in my shop, for my work flow
I have been looking everywhere for a good 8.25” general purpose blade cause I just got my first table saw (Dewalt 8.25”). Any suggestions on brand? 8.25” is a lot more limited on options
I want to throw this out there. Back in the 70's an old timer told me something that helped. He said if you have trouble remembering how many teeth for which then remember this, Rip has fewer letters than crosscut so rip uses fewer teeth. More letters, more teeth.
I am just getting into woodworking and I’m finding your videos extremely helpful! I have a small contractor-style Ryobi table saw that I got a few years ago for a project. I watched your video on techniques for jointing using a table saw, and I found that my blade does not appear to be perfectly 90* square to saw. I don’t have the electronic degrees indicator that you mentioned, so I don’t know what it actually is at-I think it’s close, but not perfect. What is the best way to compensate if it’s not exactly 90*? Will any of the other techniques (I tried the first one with the long level) work? Or is there a good way to fix the joint besides lots of sanding and/or hand planing? Thanks!
My favorite saw? I’ve used a couple different Craftsman. I used a commercial grade at a cabinet shop I worked. Can’t remember it’s name. Had never heard of it. Also used Delta and DeWalt some. I currently have a Grizzly 1023RLW I bought in 2006. Have added the extension rails on it. This has been one nice saw! I have a number of grizzly tools which I am thrilled with. I’m in my shop a lot and appreciate good tools. Some say Grizzly isn’t any good. I say they haven’t actually used one. It’s not a Harvey, which I’ve been researching, but it’s 1/2 the price. I’ve had my grizzly bandsaw for 22 years and it still cuts as good as new
I ran a Griz G1022x for eight hours a day, for two and a half years. Damnfine saw. Imagine the 1023 is three times that. I have owned some Griz tools over the years. They always did what they were supposed to do without too much complaining. Bought a ton of their smalls...router bits, sanding belts, etc. Always decent stuff at a more than reasonable price.
As with everything I've seen so far, neither the low end nor the high end will give you good value for your money. That's not to say that there is no reason to choose either of them. If you won't use your gear a lot it doesn't matter too much if the blade dulls faster. And if you're a pro, having to remove your blade more often costs time and therefore money. But in almost all cases, the higher mid-tier stuff is going to be good enough at half the price of the high end or less.
The “A” in ATB stands for alternate, not “alternative.” Meaning every other tooth is set, or rather “bevelled” to the alternate side of the blade. This defines the actual width of the kerf and helps the blade both clear the kerf and prevent kickback as the cutting teeth are a scosh wider than the blade plate.
@bubbaconda. I don’t know. What percentage of people do you suppose know what ATB actually means or other ways teeth can be raked or bevelled? What you want to actually know is the tooth count and how the selected rake and bevel define how you use it. I enjoy Matt’s videos but if you’re doing a tutorial on saws and blades you probably want to get the terminology correct.
I run full kerf (0.125") in my 60yo Delta 10" contractor's saw with a 2hp Dayton 120v motor. No problem. I tend to look for thin kerf (0.093") with my Harbor Freight 10" sliding miter saw. Frequently use 7 1/4" blades in the job site saw out on flooring jobs (0.064")
Diablo is just one grade of Freud's table saw blades, most of which are red. I think all of the Table Saw blades are red if they are thin kerf, don't quote me on that. The blades labelled Freud are the higher quality blades. There are also many variations in quality/grade on the CMT blades, but I don't know enough about the CMT sub-types to tell you much. I use a variety of blades, including Freud and CMT.
The expansion cuts also cut down on noise. Back in the 70’s I got my first negative rake blade that also helped with noise. Some blades would have a constant whistle. Or whine. Since the expansion cuts were put in I don’t think I have heard the whistle or maybe it is my deafness kicking in.
Methinx you're making very good choices if you go with the Diablo or Spyder. They outclass everything else in their price range, but even if they don't live up to the Wood River, they cost the third of that. And the Wood River won't last you 3 times longer than a Spyder, absolutely not. For the same price you can have 3 new blades and never need to sharpen; just replace them if they're worn.
Corrections on a couple of your statements: "a Glue-Line Rip Blade means a thinner kerf". Not True. Freud for one, makes a Glue-Line Rip Blade with a full kerf as well as a thin kerf version. And the deep gullets on a "rip" blade aid in any ripping cut, not just in thicker material.
Click "Read more" to see all of the tool links.
Watch Next: Table Saw Mistakes to AVOID - ruclips.net/video/LLvXrmLLvKs/видео.htmlsi=zFL4SJH5y3wIBjeT
Tools in this Video:
Best General Purpose Blades
RECOMMENDED Set - CMT Orange Chrome 3-Pack (cross cut, general, ripping) - lddy.no/1k6ms
WoodRiver 40 Tooth - www.jdoqocy.com/click-100587516-13817089?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.woodcraft.com%2Fproducts%2Fwoodriver-general-purpose-saw-blade-10-x-5-8-bore-x-40-tooth-atb%3Fvariant%3D43400899952778&cjsku=180170
CMT Orange Chrome 40 Tooth (Amazon) - amzn.to/3SsrDCR
CMT Orange Chrome 40 Tooth (TayTools) lddy.no/1k6mv
Diablo 40 Tooth - amzn.to/3yceBmf
Forrest Woodworker II 40 Tooth - amzn.to/4dmgCLh
Ridge Carbide 40 Tooth - amzn.to/3A0yWvk
I get commissions for purchases made through links in this video description.
Best Ripping Blades
CMT Orange Chrome 24 Tooth (Amazon) - amzn.to/3A1WeRx
CMT Orange Chrome 24 Tooth (TayTools) lddy.no/1k6mw
Wood River 24 Tooth - www.dpbolvw.net/click-100587516-13817089?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.woodcraft.com%2Fproducts%2Fwoodriver-heavy-duty-rip-saw-blade-10-x-5-8-bore-x-24t-ftg%3Fvariant%3D43402696032394&cjsku=171603
Diablo 24 Tooth - amzn.to/4fwO7N8
Best Crosscut Blades
CMT Orange Chrome 80 Tooth - amzn.to/3LDZZiF
CMT Orange Chrome 80 Tooth (TayTools) lddy.no/1k6mx
Diablo 80 Tooth - amzn.to/4cZRudD
Dado Stack Blades
Freud Dado Stack - amzn.to/3LFJ27h
CMT Locking Dado - acmetools.pxf.io/KjnBjz
Best Miter Saw Blades
CMT Orange Chrome 80 Tooth (Amazon) - amzn.to/3A1FQAx
CMR Orange Chrome 80 Tooth (TayTools) lddy.no/1k6mt
Diablo 80 Tooth - amzn.to/3Wpuk9q
Blades for 8 1/4" Jobsite Saws
DeWALT 24 Tooth Ripping - amzn.to/3y6zfEn
DeWALT 40 Tooth Combination - amzn.to/3Ymjm7j
Diablo 40 tooth General Purpose Blade - amzn.to/3YFbeiD
Diablo 60 Tooth Cross Cutting - amzn.to/3Yj5Hhd
Circular Saw Blades
CMT 40 Tooth - amzn.to/3yo9wHl
Diablo 40 Tooth - amzn.to/4deyaZK
Other Tools in this Video
MicroJig Blade Cleaning Kit - amzn.to/4dmJCTt
Simple Green Cleaner - amzn.to/3A3ojI7
Push Stick - allredwoodworks.com/shop/ols/products/allred-woodworks-push--stick
Miter Guage - amzn.to/4cWwdlf
MicroJig GRR-RIPPER - amzn.to/3YgXVoc
Feather Board - amzn.to/3YgCfbP
Faith Over Fear Shirt - shopvictoryapparel.com/products/faith-over-fear-tee-vintage-royal?_pos=1&_sid=c85c474c9&_ss=r
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Did you see that the Cmt blade is cracked from the arbor hole out
After 50 years as a woodworker/cabinet maker, I have tried a lot of saw blade brands. I seem to have settled on the CMT Chrome. They are available from Taylor Tools and are usually on sale. When needed, I send them to Ridge Carbide for re-sharpening. They offer great service and are 1/3 the price of my local sharpener. For cleaning, I have cut a 5 gallon bucket down to about 5". Put in a 50/50 mix of the cheapest laundry soap (Dollar General) and water. Put in your blades, router bits, etc. Let sit for about 10 minutes, remove, brush with a Harbor Freight brass brush, rinse, dry and wipe with with a rag that has some light oil on it. Works every time. Thx.
I got my table saw from a friend. It's not the greatest but I am grateful for it. It's a Ryobi RTS21 and it has been a godsend for me. It didn't have a good blade cause it was rusted so I bought a Bauer 50 tooth count Combination blade for about $25 at Harbor Freight and it's lasted for about as long as I've had the saw. I've had it for about 6 months, it's not without it's quirks but it gets the job done. Still, I can't wait to have a saw with a rack and pinion fence, it is such a pain to set the fence every time I make a cut lol. I have been watching your content since I got into woodworking just after Thanksgiving last year and I wanted to say thank you. I have learned so much from you and others like you showing people like me how to do things. I also hope to be on RUclips at some point but I have a long way to go still before I can do that. Keep up the great content and stay safe 💯😁
I am a 68 year old hobbyist who learned woodworking back in my high school shop class. I'd have to agree with your recommendations, a good all purpose blade for the table saw and a higher tooth count for the compound miter chop saw. I keep a 24 T rip blade for the few times I rip solid boards but much of my work is with birch ply for cabinets and boxes. When I started out in the 80's remodeling our first home, carbide wasn't as common as it is now for blades. I really liked a hollow ground planer for cabinet work, gave really smooth and clean cuts. I only use carbide now but still have a few of those old non carbide blades on my saw blade rack, mostly Craftsman since Sears was the place to go as the big box stores weren't common yet.
When Matt showed that hollow ground blade I busted up laughing. If I recall, the idea behind those was to create blade plate clearance on teeth that were not widely set, mostly better quality plywood blades and crosscut blades. The old steel blades had some wide set teeth in the 24-40T configuration...again as I recall...so blade clearance wasn't an issue
Excellent video....If you have a SawStop you need to be sure the blade is compatible, The ones with the haunches behind the teeth are frowned on. Check with SawStop. Also, the lid for a 5 gallon bucket makes an excellent container for cleaning blades. Lots of great tips, thanks.
I am a hobbyist woodworker and an absolute noob to table saws. I just got my first table saw a few months back and I am still figuring out the safest way to incorporate it into my workflow from a wheelchair, assuming that I do have a workflow. I had a spinal cord injury several years ago as a result of a high speed motorbike crash. Woodworking is my getaway. You are right, though. Saw blade terminology can be confusing. You referred to FTG as Flat Tooth Grind, I have always seen it mentioned as Flat Top Grind. I have been following your videos for a while now; and, I would like to thank you for such informative content. Accept my gratitude for experimenting on all your audience's behalf so that we do not have to. If you could recommend some sellers who ship internationally, it would be amazing. I am in India and woodworking isn't a very popular hobby here. Let alone that, I haven't come across a single professional who uses aftermarket blades on their table saws, they mostly use locally made cast iron table saws resembling those from the colonial era. I build small projects which I always give away to my friends. And, if I build something for someone, I want it to be near perfect. I should stop now, this is starting to sound more like an email than a RUclips comment. Let me end by saying that you have been a great inspiration. Thank you once again.
I just wanted to tell you to not be concerned so much about being perfect.
Perfect is a mass produced garbage.
The tiny imperfections are what help make handmade items priceless.
How much would the Mona Lisa be worth it if was perfect, not much.
Inspiring brother.. for me it's more than a hobby. It's good to see someone from here talking about this.. hope you keep on pressing even with your difficulty.. thankyou
@@amanhunjan3626 I am currently renovating my home and I do not have space for a full sized workshop here. However, I am planning a small shed for myself. Do you do woodworking for a living? Where are you based if you don't mind me asking?
Diablo (Freud) makes some high quality affordable blades. They are an Italian company. You can contact the manufacturer of the blades directly to find out where you can purchase.
@@CrazyManwich Thank you for the information. I will definitely check it out. Diablo would be a huge upgrade from what I currently have on my saw. Having said that, I am actually quite impressed by the all purpose blade supplied with my Bosch GTS 254. It has given me clean and burn free cuts through Sheesham. It is a particularly dense hardwood from India also known as the East Indian Rosewood. Being a hobbyist, I do not feel the need for anything more currently. But, I would definitely like to check out Diablo's range of Flat Top Grind blades for some things that I have planned.
The swirl looking thing is called an expansion slot which is to help with heat buildup and to avoid warping the blade when it gets hot.
Also for mitigating vibration
I use CMT blades exclusively. All three I own have performed flawlessly for me, and for the price they are probably the best value going. If you've not tried them, do.
He recommended them forever. Now he wants another
I tried the CMT ripping blade but was disappointed in how little the carbide is compared to my older delta, freud and onsrud blades. It also came with one tooth broken off even though the packaging was fine.
Great information didn't know about and will be looking at my blades and will probably be changing them for a proper one
Thanks
I started with inexpensive blades. As you said, they can make a cut but get dull faster and also often leave a rough surface.
I finally purchased a Ridge Carbide and a Forrest blade. These cut well and make a much smoother surface.
I have sent both back to the respective factory for re-sharpening and both companies do a very good job on sharpening.
You mentioned cleaning the blade. I agree that cleaning a blade can make a BIG improvement in how well the blade cuts and reduce the heat when cutting.
Thank you for the blade primer, Matt. That was good information and you presented it very well. Just the right amount of technical without going overboard. Have a great week. 😃😃😃
😀😀😀
Matt: So helpful, thanks. As a fairly new woodworker, i think I lucked into buying Diablo blades, because I like the quality. But I've bought the wrong types!! Thanks again.
Great video as always Matt so much valuable information for us new woodworkers. Thanks for sharing and doing what you do.🙏🏻🙏🏻
I know that clears up a lot of question beginners have, I know it did for me. Thank you
Thanks for sharing
I have been delighted with my Kobalt job site table saw. I have a small (12'x20') barn building for my shop, being able to fold up my saw and but it to the side out of the way for my rolling assembly table is great. Plus I have not had any reason to be disappointed with it's performance.
I did pick up one of the Forest blades. When dull, I sent it off to an old guy who did sharpening and it came back sharper than it was out of the box. I agree, not really worth the extra money. For the negative rake blades, I think they are for cutting softer materials like some metals and any laminate type stuff from polycarbonates to melamine. They don't take as big of a bite as the positive rake teeth.
I'm about to invest in a table saw. So this is really helpful
TY for the great review. A variety of Freud blades have served me well over the years for my table saw. Note: I love my Kapex BUT, not the blade replacement cost! Ugh.........😐
I absolutely love these informative videos where you comparing multiple brands and specs. Thanks Matt!!
Many good tips here. I don't know if this has been mentioned, but if your blade is overtaxing your motor, try moving from a 10 inch blade to a 7 1/4 inch blade. With the same tooth counts, etc., you will get the same cut but with a lower load on your motor. Of course, your cut depth will be reduced, so that may be an issue. If not, it's good to be nice to your saw motor!
Im a trim carpenter. The best blade I've used is a Forrest. My Forrest 9" WW1 has been in my 10" table saw for 4 years now without need of sharpening. Best box store blades IMO are Diablo but they wear much much faster than Forrest. I also like Amana blades and CMT. theres some higher end blades that i haven't tried, but i mostly cut poplar so theres really no need for me to surpass Forrest.
I can also add from my own experience that cleaning a new blade before first use is a good idea too. I had a few new blades with too much protective coating, and sawdust stuck to them. I spent a lot of time figuring out why the cut was not as good as I expected, but it was just about cleaning the saw blade.
I've always went with Wood River saw blades, pricey but dang. That blade last a long time. Diablo is another Favorite. The 40 tooth does last a long time. Over time it does wear out. For 30 doll hairs I'll buy those every time, but for good cuts, Wood River all the way
Great video as always! Thank you, you've saved me tons of cash with tips over the years. The tip on the Miter is timely for me! Thanks again!
Great video, understanding saw blade type is pretty confusing as a beginner. When I first started (which wasn't too long ago) I thought that more teeth was better for woodworking. I thought that a ripping blade was only for rough construction work. So I got an 80T CMT blade and used it for everything. Which it worked, but I didn't understand why some things were hard to push and why I got burning. I didn't understand that the gullet had a purpose. And it's not only table saw blades that it mattered for. The same concept applies to band saws. It was certainly more nuance than I expected.
Now I keep a 42T full kerf blade in my saw most of the time. Full kerf also just helps for estimating how much material is going to be removed with each cut. 1/8" is easy to incorporate into measurements.
Good video with some solid info. You should do one for band saws.
I recommend checking to make sure a General Purpose blade actually has a flat rake tooth, as not all of them do. I run a CMT 50T 4:1 ATB+Flat in my Delta table saw and it is fantastic.
IMO, if the blade doesn't have a flat tooth it's really more of a Combination Blade rather than a General Purpose, but manufactures call them GP anyway.
I used the stock blade in my Ridgid jobsite saw for a couple of years. I changed to a Diablo 40T ATB this year. On the first cut I had to stop and lift the blade guard to see if it was actually cutting, because I couldn't hear or feel the saw working. It was that much better.
However, it is labeled GP even though it has no rake.
The question marks are expansion slots, and Diablo does have them on all their blades (16:25 ). The "little squiggles" are stabilizer vents, and reduce vibration and noise.
I use a 12" Diablo 60T ATB+R in the miter saw. Very nice, and should last a long time. My miter saws don't cut nearly as much material as the table saws.
I told my wood working friend about CMT blades and he was amazed how much better they are than the big store brands.
I really like the CMT blades for my shop.
Tenryu Gold Medal 40 tooth combo blade. $97 on Amazon and every bit as good as Forrest or Ridge Carbide. Hand hammered in Japan to exact specs and can be resharpened many times.
Japan is the best!
I am definitely a DIYer rather than fine woodworker, and I don’t have a table saw but a 7-14” circular saw. My blade is a Freud Diablo 60 tooth blade picked up for under $20 on Amazon. Most of my projects involve plywood or 3/4” solid material, and for my needs, the 60 tooth Diablo works fantastic whether ripping or crosscutting. Its major selling point fro me is how clean it crosscuts veneered plywood.
I have Diablo high tooth blades on all my circular saws. Almost all of my projects use plywood.
60T is definitely a plywood/fine crosscut in the 6-7" blade sizes. I use a 24T for ripping and construction stuff, and a 40T for the pretty stuff in my 6 1/2" Makita cordless. Mostly use the red ones. I stock up during the Black Friday sales when they do the two-fer thing 😅
I’m a huge fan of the CMTs. I got some premium blades at a great deal and didn’t notice enough af a difference to pay full price in the future. I will say that when ripping 3in oak, the premium went through it like it was a loaf of bread. All that being said, I still fight myself to not buy more blades. I really want to try the UltraShears and Whiteside when I finally found out they make blades.
He brought up something I hadn't known before. Some of those more premium blades have more carbide, which means you can keep sharpening them, so a professional shop could continually sharpen a blade instead of buying new ones. But if a blade isn't constantly being used, you won't go through as many and need sharpening as often. Meaning they may not be as beneficial to a hobbyist as they are to a professional shop.
I'm sure there might be other benefits, but this might be a primary reason for a more premium blade.
I love the Freud 42 tooth blade. Works well for every application
Very good video Matt! I know you have touched on saw blades before but much more important information and general advice than reviewing blades. Everyone is going to have their opinion about their experience on blades. As I see it when your on a budget typical box store blades are just as expensive. My go to is Diaoblo. I to have figured that cleaning your blade helps tremendously especially after cutting multiple pine. Simply because it’s not usually dry and wet. Water and sap collect on the blade. I do plan on trying out CMT as it seems like a slight step up and not so hard on the wallet.
All I have known the “J” on a blade is for is exactly what you described as an expansion slot to help cool the blade, keep from getting hot and expanding and contracting the blade.
Keep up the good work!!
I have a CMT Orange blade, but the blade that I keep on my saw is the Diablo combo with a flat grind every 4th tooth. I was a bit surprised that I ended up loving that blade at about $60
I’ve been using Freud and CMT and I’ve had good luck with both. If you clean the blade every month or so, it makes a lot of difference.
One of your better vids lately. Made me think i need a better blade for my miter saw...
Thank you
Early in the 1990s I learned to invest in quality tools after burning out the motor in a Craftsman “industrial” saber saw, snapping the pot-metal components that held the top of the line 10” Craftsman radial arm saw motor to the arm, experiencing parts fly off of a half-sheet Craftsman sander, burning out the motor in a Craftsman 4x24” belt sander, and having various other problems with Craftsman power tools (auto-depth adjusting 1.5 HP router ruined several boards).
Roughly twenty two years ago, I switched over to saw blades made by Forrest, buying a 10” Forrest Woodworker II for my Delta Unisaw, a 10” Forrest Chopmaster for my radial arm saw, a 12” Forrest Chopmaster for my DeWalt chop saw, and a Forrest Dado King dado blade. Last year I was finally able to use my three phase Delta 12” radial arm saw, so I bought another 12” Forrest Chopmaster blade for it. A few months later, I came across a good deal on a single phase Delta 12” radial arm saw, so I bought another 12” Forrest Chopmaster blade for it. Last year I got a good deal on a 40 year old Rockwell Unisaw, so I bought a 10” Forrest Woodworker II for that saw. Last year I also bought a Ridge Carbide TS2000 10” 24 tooth rip blade, a Ridge Carbide TS2000 10” 40 tooth flat top box joint blade (that is the Ridge Carbide Superblade that you showed), and a Freud Industrial 18 tooth thick stock rip blade.
The 10” Forrest Woodworker II blade I bought roughly 20 years ago produced a cut surface when ripping a board that was so smooth and polished that a person might think that the board had been hand planed after being cut by the saw blade. Crosscuts with the same blade were just as smooth and polished. The Forrest Woodworker II blade that I bought last year cut just as smoothly after I replaced the arbor bearings, installed a new blade arbor, and switched over to Fenner Drive link belts in the Rockwell Unisaw. The Forrest Chopmaster blades are designed for crosscutting and have a negative 5 degree tooth angle. With a negative tooth angle, the blades are less likely to self-feed (climb cut) when installed in a radial arm saw, making the blades much safer to use in a radial arm saw than a typical crosscut or combination blade. At the time I purchased the Chopmaster blades, only narrow kerf blades were available, which is actually a benefit in the radial arm saws as my saws are all 1.5 HP or lower. I was initially disappointed in the cut quality of the Ridge Carbide 24 tool rip blade, with the blade leaving visible blade marks. I then determined that the saw’s arbor had developed a problem, where it could shift side to side roughly 1/32” during a cut. After correcting that problem, the Ridge Carbide rip blade leaves a cut surface that is nearly as smooth as a Forrest Woodworker II, producing a “glue line rip”, meaning that there is no need to pass the cut edge over a jointer before edge gluing boards. I have only used the Ridge Carbide 40 tooth box joint blade a few times in my Delta contractors saw for creating a few dado type cuts - it worked acceptably for this task. I have not found a use case for the Freud rip blade yet.
I needed this video when I first got started woodworking! So much great and useful information
Yes, the factory blades coming with a TS or MS are pretty much crap but I keep them and they have their use when rough cutting wood that can have nails or metal in it.
very thorough, thanks!
I use glue line rip blades the most. Sometimes a combination blade. This is on my tablesaw. I bought a thin kerf glue line rip Freud blade and was underwhelmed at the cut. Used it once and went back to the regular kerf Freud blades.
Thanks for the video. Good to know how versatile the 40 tooth blade is from someone other than my own experience. I do have to say $80 to me is an expensive blade. I can get a CMT blade for $30-$40 at Menards depending on tooth count. That’s more of a midprice blade to me. I think they are thin kerf but for the cost I’ve been really happy
I'm a bit careful of what I get from Harbor Freight, but my experience with their Hercules line has been really good. I got a full kerf (.126") 40T Hercules blade, and I've been really happy with it's performance. But those are ~$25 when there isn't any deals going on, and I think are comparable to CMTs $40 blades.
@@SpartanORGN I’m the same way with Harbor Freight too. I usually buy their cheap tools for emergency back up. Like oscillators, sawzalls, angle grinders. They’re pretty good back up tools for $15-$20. I’ve not bought their saw blades. Being able to get a CMT blade everyone seems to love at Menards for the price they have it seems like a huge win. I think they are all thin kerf though but have held up well so far!!
CMT, like Freud, has different levels of quality. Avanti (good), Diablo (better), Freud Industrial (best) can also describe the product availability. Avanti might have 3 tooth counts in 10", Diablo five or six, F I has more tooth counts and configurations than you can count with both shoes off. I bet if you take a deep dive into CMT, you will find the same.
How can you tell when your saw blade needs changing/sharpening? What are some of the visible clues? Great info on blades.
when it gets harder to push the wood through the cut and you get more fraying/splintering where you didn't used to have that.
Great video, you managed to cover a lot of information in a relatively short space of time. The only thing which I would add is that you might have wanted to include is about the thickness of the riving knife in relation to the blade as this will dictate what blade you are going to be able to safely use on your machine. Those of us that have spent a week researching a new blade then chosen a lovely new expensive one only to find the blade is thinner than the riving knife and the material won’t pass through like a total 🤡 😂
Great information sir!
Once again. SO Informative. I appreciate your content!
731 Woodworks, you talked about many different types of blades in this film. You only mentioned the Triple Chip Blade (TCB) but did not talk about that type of blade with it's advantages and disadvantages. I wish you had explained them with their use. I personally have used a 60 Tooth TCB blade for many years with wonderful results. It rips well with good clean cuts, and it crosscuts with very smooth cut in plywood and solid wood up to 2" thick stock. I don't change blades all the time. I would be interested in what experience you may have had with a TCB blade. Thank you so much for your videos I always enjoy them. John in Missouri Valley Iowa
I was given an old '58 vintage 9" DeWalt radial arm saw. Guy said it worked, but took a long time to spin up to speed. I looked at it for twenty seconds, and swapped the 120v plug for a 240v plug and ran like a champ. I used it for about thirty minutes before it tried to climb up into my face, so I started investigating blades
I bought a 9" Freud Industrial 48T TCG with a -3° rake for somewhere in the area of $90. Buy once, cry once...right? It turned the saw from a killer to a downright nice saw to use. Sold the saw two years ago for $150 with that blade still on it, after two sharpenings.
TCG's are also configured for melamine, veneered plywoods, and non-ferrous materials. I think everyone should have one hanging around to make those 'speciality' cuts, especially if they own a 10" miter saw because the blade can cut T-track today on your miter saw, and melamine covered particleboard tomorrow on your table saw.
Great video, learned a lot.
wonderful Sir....thank you so much
Your saw and blade videos are always so informative. They have significantly improved my woodworking even though I only get do do a little on the weekends. Would you be willing to do a saw blade shoot-out? Maybe a 3 part series, cheap, mid-range, expensive as the catagories. One video per catagory and take the top two from the first video and see how they compare to the various mid-range ones, then take the top two mid-range ones and see how they compare to the high end ones. I'd like to know what the extra money gets people when they move up a catagory, and also what might be a good starter cheap blade in my area to make some money with on beginner projects to afford to buy a better blade. I know that Harbor Freight's revamped lines of table and miter saw blades have gotten good reviews, but I don't know exactly how they compare to Diablo or wood river. Just an idea that I think you are super qualified to do.
There's a couple things I want to add to Matt's brilliant (no...he doesn't pay me to say nice things 😂) dive into circular saw blades.
He covered tip grind nicely. But...in the ATB genre, there are varied angles of grind. Most 40T general purpose blades are cut at a 10° bevel plus or minus 5°...and I have found that the more expensive the blade, the higher the degree of bevel...generally. Higher degrees of bevel tend to shear the wood more that just whacking at it creating a cleaner cut. You might also see higher degrees of bevel as you increase the tooth count of a blade, as 'generally' higher tooth counts are meant for finer cuts.
Rake...the angle the tips are set into the plate (body of the blade)...also has a bearing on both the cut and longevity of the blade...in a table saw! Note the rake on a Forestt blade like the one Matt had. Very forward...probably in the area of 20-25°. Again, more shearing action as opposed to scraping action...less friction and heat, thus longer life...in most cases.
Composition of the carbide tips can affect overall life and sharpness. The higher the number, the more brittle the carbide. C2 tends to not hold an edge as long as C4, but cuts cleaner when new. A lot of vendors now use C3, which is an acceptable compromise.
In miter saws, blades with steeper bevel but less rake are common as they allow more cutting control and help to reduce kickbacks. On my radial arm saw I go even further, using a triple chip grind with a -3° rake!
Way back when dinosaurs roamed the earth and I started woodworking there was a company called Systematic that made high quality blades. They were my first experience with quality blades. Loved them, but they got purchased by a company called Freud from Italy as a way to get into the American market back in the early '90's. I use Freud Industrial blades to this day, with the exception of the 60T Systematic I still have and run on occasion in my table saw only. It only has about one sharpening left, so I save it for special stuff.
Last point. When you look at the cost if a quality blade, also factor in the cost of sharpening. Sure, you may invest $90 on a Freud Industrial 40T general purpose blade like I run. But my woodworking store offers sharpening service for $0.40/tooth...or $16 for that blade. The blade can be sharpened several times. So...$90 + $16 + $16 + $16 is $138 for a quality blade that is going to be sharp for years and years. Consider how many $40 red blades you'd likely buy, use and toss in that time. (Most sharpening services recommend you not resharpen the red blades, or any 'budget' blades due to the thin carbude tips) In my pointy lil' head I'm better off with a good blade and a sharpening service available, considering the quality of cut and longer quality of cut before sharpening is required.
I'm a Forrest blade fan. I've used it 3-1/2 years and counting, had it sharpened twice since I've had it. I use CMT 80tooth for crosscuts and miter saw. How are you liking that 2024 Push Stick? Thanks for the link!
Why are some more expensive than others is the quality of the carbide and how long they last before they need to be resharpen. I have 6 blades and they have lasted over 4 years so far and only one had to be resharpened. I have Freud, CMT, and Forrest Woodworker. I have doubles of some so if they start to burn because they need to be cleaned I swap it out for another and later take the time to clean them so I don't have to stop in the middle of a job. A clean blade will last longer, cut cleaner, run cooler and cut faster. The dado stack I use is Freud and I haven't had them ever resharpened in the 10 years I have used them. When I got the new saw 4 years ago I got all new blades and tossed the old ones. I have the Grizzley 10 cabinet saw with 5 HP and the Serpentine belt for no vibration, best saw I have ever used.
I use Diablo blades and haven't dulled one yet running hard woods. I regularly clean mines though which might reduce heat.
I’ve pretty much gone CMT and have no complaints. I find it difficult to keep the different grades straight.
And, the lid off a 5 gallon plastic bucket does just fine as a plate to clean your saw blades. I thought the Micro Jig setup a tad pricy though you do get to reuse your cleaner. That said, a jug of Simple Green shouldn’t break the budget.
Good information.
It's a heat dissipation cut or expansion gouge to keep the blade from diverting or warping front heat generation in the blade.
My 10 year old 40T Diablo blade still cuts without any chip out on melamine boards, I do keep it clean since day one may have a lot to do with it. 10 inch on table saw and 12 inch on miter saw.
Very little information was given on the tooth angle... Ain't there guidelines to which is better suited for tablesaws? I've read that negative teething is bad/dangerous on tablesaws because they push the material upwards, is that true?
I've been waiting for a bigger name to cover this topic. I don't have enough reach lol. Well done sir. It is alternate though, as many have said.
I like the Diablo blades. There are actually 2 different types of Diablo blades. The ones at the big box stores are not that good after some use. The ones you buy at Woodcraft for example are much better and can take multiple sharpenings. I just put on a CMT Chrome, 24 tooth ripping and it is simply amazing.
I think of the Freud blades at the woodworking stores as Freud Industrial, and you will likely see them packaged under that name. I've been running them for thirty years. Really like them for longevity (and the available carbide for three or four sharpenings) and the availability of so many types of tips and rakes.
What blades are good for plastics either thick or thin?
Excellent video! Thanks Matt!
Big fan of Freud (think you call them Diablo) Difference was night and day when I swapped out the standard DeWalt blade on my mitre saw. 😊🇬🇧
Freud is the maker of Diablo. The Diablo line is their more affordable options.
Excellent summary!
What blade should you use on composite decking? I understand the adhesives bind up blades. As a matter of fact Home Depot and Lowe's will not cut composites for you.
I picked up some DeWalt blades for my table saw and miter saw. Felt they were affordable and get the job done (though I probably went too high on the teeth count for my table saw). Any complaints about DeWalt blades?
I find that the vast majority of the time, I use a Freud 24tooth rip. Only swapping to a Freud 60 tooth on the rare occasion I'm cutting sheet goods or a quick one off dado. I chose the 60tooth Freud cause its a TCG tooth pattern and leaves a flat cut that works great for dados, while leaving clean cuts on sheet goods and cross cuts. A 40 tooth combo blade really doesn't have a place in my shop, for my work flow
I have been looking everywhere for a good 8.25” general purpose blade cause I just got my first table saw (Dewalt 8.25”). Any suggestions on brand? 8.25” is a lot more limited on options
Great information, as usual.
I want to throw this out there.
Back in the 70's an old timer told me something that helped.
He said if you have trouble remembering how many teeth for which then remember this,
Rip has fewer letters than crosscut so rip uses fewer teeth.
More letters, more teeth.
I am just getting into woodworking and I’m finding your videos extremely helpful! I have a small contractor-style Ryobi table saw that I got a few years ago for a project. I watched your video on techniques for jointing using a table saw, and I found that my blade does not appear to be perfectly 90* square to saw. I don’t have the electronic degrees indicator that you mentioned, so I don’t know what it actually is at-I think it’s close, but not perfect. What is the best way to compensate if it’s not exactly 90*? Will any of the other techniques (I tried the first one with the long level) work? Or is there a good way to fix the joint besides lots of sanding and/or hand planing? Thanks!
Would love to see a review of the Woodpeckers Ultra-Shear saw blades.
My favorite saw? I’ve used a couple different Craftsman. I used a commercial grade at a cabinet shop I worked. Can’t remember it’s name. Had never heard of it. Also used Delta and DeWalt some. I currently have a Grizzly 1023RLW I bought in 2006. Have added the extension rails on it. This has been one nice saw! I have a number of grizzly tools which I am thrilled with. I’m in my shop a lot and appreciate good tools. Some say Grizzly isn’t any good. I say they haven’t actually used one. It’s not a Harvey, which I’ve been researching, but it’s 1/2 the price. I’ve had my grizzly bandsaw for 22 years and it still cuts as good as new
I ran a Griz G1022x for eight hours a day, for two and a half years. Damnfine saw. Imagine the 1023 is three times that.
I have owned some Griz tools over the years. They always did what they were supposed to do without too much complaining. Bought a ton of their smalls...router bits, sanding belts, etc. Always decent stuff at a more than reasonable price.
Great info-thank you!
As with everything I've seen so far, neither the low end nor the high end will give you good value for your money. That's not to say that there is no reason to choose either of them. If you won't use your gear a lot it doesn't matter too much if the blade dulls faster. And if you're a pro, having to remove your blade more often costs time and therefore money.
But in almost all cases, the higher mid-tier stuff is going to be good enough at half the price of the high end or less.
Should also do a video on the different jigsaw blade. My favorite is the laminate blade. It has teeth pointing in 2 directions to prevent blow out.
The “A” in ATB stands for alternate, not “alternative.” Meaning every other tooth is set, or rather “bevelled” to the alternate side of the blade. This defines the actual width of the kerf and helps the blade both clear the kerf and prevent kickback as the cutting teeth are a scosh wider than the blade plate.
What percentage of English speaking people would you say know the difference between the words alternative and alternate 🤔
@@gan_the_whiteI know the difference. May be the one day I WAS at school 😂
@@gan_the_white I'd take a guess at 20 to 30 percent.
@bubbaconda. I don’t know. What percentage of people do you suppose know what ATB actually means or other ways teeth can be raked or bevelled? What you want to actually know is the tooth count and how the selected rake and bevel define how you use it. I enjoy Matt’s videos but if you’re doing a tutorial on saws and blades you probably want to get the terminology correct.
I’m running a CMT 50 tooth in a DeWalt E7491 saw
Just wondering please on what power saw would you use a thin kerf versus a full kerf. Like in hp?
I run full kerf (0.125") in my 60yo Delta 10" contractor's saw with a 2hp Dayton 120v motor. No problem. I tend to look for thin kerf (0.093") with my Harbor Freight 10" sliding miter saw. Frequently use 7 1/4" blades in the job site saw out on flooring jobs (0.064")
Diablo is just one grade of Freud's table saw blades, most of which are red. I think all of the Table Saw blades are red if they are thin kerf, don't quote me on that. The blades labelled Freud are the higher quality blades.
There are also many variations in quality/grade on the CMT blades, but I don't know enough about the CMT sub-types to tell you much. I use a variety of blades, including Freud and CMT.
Hey Matt, I have the same 799 miter saw that you have what is the best blade for that saw.
I like the CMT Orange Chrome 80 Tooth (linked in description). It does a really good job. Diablo 80 tooth also works well.
@@731Woodworks thanks Brother.
The expansion cuts also cut down on noise. Back in the 70’s I got my first negative rake blade that also helped with noise. Some blades would have a constant whistle. Or whine. Since the expansion cuts were put in I don’t think I have heard the whistle or maybe it is my deafness kicking in.
Methinx you're making very good choices if you go with the Diablo or Spyder. They outclass everything else in their price range, but even if they don't live up to the Wood River, they cost the third of that. And the Wood River won't last you 3 times longer than a Spyder, absolutely not. For the same price you can have 3 new blades and never need to sharpen; just replace them if they're worn.
Corrections on a couple of your statements: "a Glue-Line Rip Blade means a thinner kerf". Not True. Freud for one, makes a Glue-Line Rip Blade with a full kerf as well as a thin kerf version. And the deep gullets on a "rip" blade aid in any ripping cut, not just in thicker material.
Awesome! Learned a lot
Great Video
Hi Matt, would it be possible to get your opinion on the harbor freight hercules blades?
I haven't used any of those yet. I need to check some out for sure.
@@731Woodworks yeah I'm definately curious
Good
I had a person who sharpened saw blades recommend a -5 degree teeth bevel for use on miter saws when making cuts for fine woodworking.
What blade would you recommend on a 12” sliding compound miter saw mostly cross cutting finished glulam beams?
I'm still using the one that came with the table saw
I it is for heat distribution keep the blade cooler and straighter an expansion joint. As in concrete.
Expansion slots.....😊😊😊😊😊😊
J mark or copper inserts are for thermal contraction
I bought a Diablo 50 tooth count for my table saw. It was like night and day compared to the saw blade my table saw came left.
I love my Freud Industrial blades
love CMT blade cheap in Denmark
Can you review new Ryobi barrel grip jigsaw
Have sent in my request for it.