Thread: Combination saw blades

For an SCMS you don't need to look to a combination blade, because the saw is not set up for and should not be used for ripping.

Fine tooth blades are not good for ripping because there is not enough tooth gullet to effectively clear the waste material, so it remains in the kerf inhibiting the cut and causing heat buildup in the kerf and blade. For a combo blade, some large gullet rip teeth are added, displacing some of the fine teeth. These large gullets collect and remove the rip waste more effectively, reducing the heat buildup, but the fine teeth do most of the cutting.

For your purposes, you want as high a tooth count as you can get in a blade, but you haven't indicated a blade size so it's hard to come up with a specific number. It would also be useful to have a neutral or negative rake, rather than a positve rake (hooked) tooth form if you can get it. This gives a less aggressive and cleaner cut.

Some of the newer series blades are using a high bevel angle alternate bevel profile which produces a very clean through cut, but I don't know what sizes, tooth counts, rake angles etc they are being produced in.

Hope his helps you a bit. Enjoy your self to self gift.

What he said.

Got a 10" at work running a 60 tooth negative rake and the cuts are super clean.
If you have a 12" I would suggest between 72 and 96 teeth, depending on your budget.

Haven't used the Makita blades, but I've found the Bosch blades to be quite good.