Recommend me a table saw blade

[wolfsburged]

I'm looking to replace the generic 10" blade that was on my saw when I got it with something decent.

I have an old Craftsman 113.27520 table saw, circa 1956. It has a 1 HP motor. I would like a general purpose blade for now. I hear good things about the Forrest Wood Worker II. Not sure if I should spring for that over a cheaper Freud blade. Also should I go with thin kerf based on my small-ish sized table saw motor?

 

[SubGuy]

I use this almost exclusively: http://www.amazon.com/CMT-P10050-Co...5437721&sr=1-1&keywords=cmt+10+inch+saw+blade

With a good fence, you can make glue line cuts with it. The fence is as important as the blade.

I'm a big fan of CMT BTW. When I dull this one (had it for 5 years with fairly regular and moderate to heavy use), I will send it off to be sharpened as I will have ordered another but the industrial grade.

 

[Berta]

I use Frued. I don't do super special things with my table saw. It does give me clean cuts for my small boxes and it is reasonablely priced.

 

[SubGuy]

I've also cut coves with it on my old B&D TS.

 

[Mark Gottesman]

Yes, Thin kerf will help make it easier for your saw motor. Although, if you have the original 1 HP motor, you will probably see the belt slip before the motor stalls. It is more the fact that the trunnions are small and made of pot metal while the is arbor is sized for a portable contractors saw. If you hog to much, something will move. They are great saws and can be very accurate. I've used a similar (Craftsman "100" in Power Bronze) one that I rebuilt for the last seven years. No problems or complaints. I will be selling it soon as I have just about finished restoring a Craftsman Cabinet saw of the same vintage and don't have the room for both. It has done a great job with a Freud blade.
I have been happy with the Freud TK , crosscut, rip and combo. I don't build anything real challenging, but if I was going to go down that road, I would seriously consider a Forrest blade. Best accessory for that saw is a crosscut sled and an aftermarket fence.

 

[wolfsburged]

This is my saw:

Recently have fitted the padddle switch/crash bar for safety.

It is in decent shape for its age. Just bought a link belt for it and new arbor bearings. Hopefully will complete the rehab soon and have it ready for the new blade.

Bill

 

[Mark Gottesman]

Really like the switch/bar assembly. Is it the one from Grizzly? Will put that on the to-do list for mine. Link belt will help alot as will the arbor bearings. Have you thought about also getting a set of machined iron pullies and a PALS adjustment system? Not really needed, but nice addons for that last little bit. How is that fence working for you?

 

[junquecol]

Cripe Distributing will sell you a Delta 7657 for $18+ shipping. Shipping per unit drops when ordering multiples. I own two WWII's, but the 7657 stays on the saw almost all the time. And no you don't need a thin kerf blade.

 

[Bas]

I'm looking to replace the generic 10" blade that was on my saw when I got it with something decent.

I have an old Craftsman 113.27520 table saw, circa 1956. It has a 1 HP motor. I would like a general purpose blade for now. I hear good things about the Forrest Wood Worker II. Not sure if I should spring for that over a cheaper Freud blade. Also should I go with thin kerf based on my small-ish sized table saw motor?

i have had great luck with a Freud 60 tooth (yes, 60) thin kerf blade as my general purpose blade on my previous saw. Very clean cuts and it can rip up to 1". For anything thicker, I used a Freud 24t thin kerf ripping blade.

 

[MarkE]

Freud blades hit the 'sweet spot' for me. Good quality that stays sharp for a long time at a reasonable price.

 

[NOTW]

I'm a big fan of Freud blades, this is what I use 99% of the time.
http://www.amazon.com/Freud-LU84M01...=1425479319&sr=8-4&keywords=freud+combination

Although after seeing the price of the CMT blade Zach posted I may have to give it a try, I do like orange

 

[Rwe2156]

I've been using CMT blades of late.

 

[JimD]

I don't remember buying a CMT circular saw blade but I've been impressed by their router bits and would try one of their blades - especially at $35.

I use a Ryobi BT3100 table saw which has a 15A universal motor - so if anything less power than your Craftsman. I use thin kerf blades some but also full kerf. I don't observe much difference. It is much more important for the blade to be clean and sharp than it is for it to have a smaller kerf.

I also like 50 tooth blades with 40 alternate tip bevel teeth and 10 flat topped teeth. I have a Freud and a DeWalt of this pattern. It is a good all around blade.

 

[Bill Clemmons]

Go w/ a decent combination blade. 50 teeth is probably a good number. Look for ATBR: Alternate Top Bevel w/ Raker. Two teeth slant to the right; two to the left; and one has a flat top (raker). Also, look at the thickness, or amount of carbide, on each tooth. The more carbide, the more often that blade can be sharpened.

Save your money (for now) on the Forrest WWII blades. I have a couple and they're great blades, but I rarely use them.

 

[Skymaster]

I have been woodworking professionally for 40 years, I have only this recommendation; My shop uses Freud,Freud Freud.Amana,Freud. I have yet to find anything a Freud blade cant handle very very well. Freuds are on my tablesaw,radial,skilsaws,miterboxes,router bits.

 

[Rwe2156]

Forgot to say:

I would get a good flat top ripping blade and a good 60 tooth crosscut.
Not a big fan of combo blades.

The FT rip lets you to grooves, tenons, etc.

Also, the CMT blades seem to have more carbide than others.
I've resharpened CMT blades 2 times.
Don't think you can do that with many others.

 

[Canuck]

I have had really good luck with my Freud Fusion (Thin Kerf), Freud Glueline rip and 80 tooth Freud 80 tooth plywood blades.

I also have the Forest Woodworker II and it is a good blade, but for the price I like the Freud blades.

(BTW ... I have the Craftsman 1 3/4 HP 22124 saw and have used nothing but TK blades and never had an issue with blade deflection.)

Wayne

 

[CrealBilly]

+1 for Freud blades

 

[CDPeters]

I use a Freud 50 tooth ATB Diablo combination (D1050X). I have several other blades (none of them Forrests) but I keep the Diablo on the saw and use it for just about everything. I've always be satisfied with the glue lines I get with this one. I do clean it regularly.

I do wish I had an ATBR blade as Bill metioned, having the raker tooth would keep me from having to switch to the straight up rip blade when cutting splines and box joints.

IMHO, for the $$, Freud is a good way to go.

 

[wolfsburged]

Really like the switch/bar assembly. Is it the one from Grizzly? Will put that on the to-do list for mine. Link belt will help alot as will the arbor bearings. Have you thought about also getting a set of machined iron pullies and a PALS adjustment system? Not really needed, but nice addons for that last little bit. How is that fence working for you?

This is the switch:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005W17HYY/

Inexpensive, and has a relay in it so that you cannot leave it energized by accident. I.e. if you remove power it drops out, so you can never plug the saw in and accidentally have it start up.

I had to mount it in a deep box like this:
http://www.lowes.com/pd_71209-15527-14250_0__?productId=1098639

Plus I used an extension ring:
http://www.lowes.com/pd_69766-15527-14223_0__?productId=3136765

This was due to the depth of the switch internals and the backside of the switch having spade connectors straight out the rear.

I used some small 1" L brackets for the box to some unused holes in the extension wing. The crash bar is just scraps I had laying around hanging from two small hinges, also made use of some opportunistic holes. I stacked the depth of the vertical in order to have the crash bar rest just flush with the paddle. All of this is basically just a half inch or so proud of the table surface so easy to bump with a hip if needed. I spray painted the bar red just to grab some more attention. So far working well.