Thread: Budget Table saws

Howdy Ian
I have considered these before and while the may be the bee's knees for glue ups I have my concerns that a plane or ROS will be needed to prepare the surface for a finish ... I mostly use shellac or wax finishes.

I might give one a go to prove itself when Im due for my next rip blade.

Thanks for the info

Rob

Originally Posted by ian

Hi Rob

you should try one of these https://www.kmstools.com/freud-indus...ing-blade-2093
the thin kerf version is https://www.kmstools.com/freud-indus...-ripping-13724


I don't know if this 2 blade set is available in AUS https://www.kmstools.com/freud-2pc-10-blade-set-119729 but I got mine on special for about $70 CAD

I'm pretty sure both those blades are only available with a 5/8" arbor so won't fit the OP's saw.

Originally Posted by Tahlee

Howdy Ian
I have considered these before and while the may be the bee's knees for glue ups I have my concerns that a plane or ROS will be needed to prepare the surface for a finish ... I mostly use shellac or wax finishes.

I might give one a go to prove itself when Im due for my next rip blade.

Thanks for the info

Rob

A finish off any saw blade still needs sanding, but for glue ups these blades are brilliant.

Originally Posted by ian

Hi Ozzie

given that your immediate desires are

you may initially wish to stay with the supplied all purpose Makita blade.

I suggest that your first aftermarket blade should be a dedicated ripping blade, and of those sold by the vendor you linked to, this would be my pick https://www.timbecon.com.au/sawing/circular-saw-blades/ripping-saw-blades with a 30mm to 1" reducing bush.

Your second after market blade might then be a replacement combination or general purpose blade, but you could put off purchasing one till the OEM Makita blade is blunt. Typically the blades supplied with a job-site saw don't have enough carbide to allow more than one, or possibly two, re-sharpenings.

just remember to purchase thin kerf blades

Will do
How thin is thin in kerf?

Originally Posted by Tahlee

Hi Ozzie

You will need a few of these reducers if you are going for the 30mm W401D | Reduction Ring Sleeve | For Sale Sydney Brisbane Melbourne Perth | Buy Workshop Equipment & Machinery online at machineryhouse.com.au

My saw has a 30mm bore and I mainly use CMT blades (get a bottle of their blade cleaner while you are there ... its grousey grouse).

On a day to day basis I use a general blade .... you have just got to adjust your feed rate on thick (50mm plus).

I use my 80 tooth crosscut for finishing cross cuts only ... with that many teeth it is expensive to have resharpened. The Mitre saw gives almost as good crosscuts as the 80 tooth table saw (use a backing board and zero clearance insert on the MS though) ... but I do get the MS blades sharpened regularly.

You should find that you will be doing rip cuts mainly, and finishing off with a plane or ROS. I am yet to find a rip saw that gives a "finished"cut.

My tip is to go for a decent general use blade (around 40 teeth), and keep it clean and from resin buildup and have it resharpened regularly. A dull $120 blade cuts worse than a sharp $50 blade!!

As a luxury ... I also have a blade for melamine (96 tooth with rake teeth for square cut surface). I only use this for melamine where the edges are exposed, and for the occasional spline cut in boxes .. I have used it on ply also but as almost all of my ply is used for infill panels the edge cut is not critical.

So ... for a home shop ...
(1) get a good 40 tooth CMC or Freud, of Forrest general purpose blade ... and keep the one that it comes with as your spare for when the good quality blade goes to the sharpener, and
(2) forget a crosscut blade (80+ teeth) and use the mitre saw with zero clearance insert and backing board, and
(3) keep you blades clean and get them sharpened before they are blunt.

If you have to do melamine then tape the cut and use a 0.5mm blade height to score the cut before final full depth cutting (finished side down on the table)

Good luck ...

Regards

Rob

Hi Rob
Thanks for that,great info in that appreciate it,I'll get my self a good general purpose 40 tooth saw.
Thanks
ozzie

If you get other blades for the saw ensure they are the same kerf as the supplied blade it comes with. If you go thinner then you will have to get a thin riving knife/splitter to suit that blade. Not always an easy thing to do.
Regards
John

I received a couple of days ago two forrest blades the 10" Woodworker II 48 teeth and the 10" Woodworker II 30 teeth and I can confirm these are the best blades I've ever used on a table saw.

Woodworker II - 48 Tooth For Crosscuts :: 10" Woodworker II Saw Blade - 48 Teeth - For Crosscuts -

Woodworker II - Ripping Saw Blade for Table Saws :: 10" Woodworker II Saw Blade - 30 Teeth -

Originally Posted by Tahlee

Howdy Ian
I have considered these before and while the may be the bee's knees for glue ups I have my concerns that a plane or ROS will be needed to prepare the surface for a finish ... I mostly use shellac or wax finishes.

I might give one a go to prove itself when Im due for my next rip blade.

hi Rob

perhaps I should have read your initial post more carefully, as Aldev says,

the finish off any saw blade still needs sanding

or smoothing prior to the application of a finish. I was thinking in terms of glue joints and joinery, not finishing.

Originally Posted by ozzielee303

How thin is thin in kerf?

a "standard" or "full" kerf is 1/8" or 3.2 mm.

"thin" kerf is typically 3/32" or 2.4 mm.

The UK Manual for your saw advises:
Max blade diameter 260 mm, Min blade diameter 230 mm -- which means you can also use 235 mm (9-1/4") blades.
Saw plate thickness 1.9 mm or less
Kerf (the width cut by the blade's teeth) 2 mm or more.

A thin kerf blade removes less material than a full kerf blade placing less stress on the saw's motor.

Originally Posted by orraloon

If you get other blades for the saw ensure they are the same kerf as the supplied blade it comes with. If you go thinner then you will have to get a thin riving knife/splitter to suit that blade. Not always an easy thing to do.
Regards
John

Yeah good point.
I thought about that,but you have confirmed it.
Thanks

Originally Posted by jms_8087

I received a couple of days ago two forrest blades the 10" Woodworker II 48 teeth and the 10" Woodworker II 30 teeth and I can confirm these are the best blades I've ever used on a table saw.

Woodworker II - 48 Tooth For Crosscuts :: 10" Woodworker II Saw Blade - 48 Teeth - For Crosscuts -

Woodworker II - Ripping Saw Blade for Table Saws :: 10" Woodworker II Saw Blade - 30 Teeth -

NICE!
Are they in the USA?

Originally Posted by ian

a "standard" or "full" kerf is 1/8" or 3.2 mm.

"thin" kerf is typically 3/32" or 2.4 mm.

The UK Manual for your saw advises:
Max blade diameter 260 mm, Min blade diameter 230 mm -- which means you can also use 235 mm (9-1/4") blades.
Saw plate thickness 1.9 mm or less
Kerf (the width cut by the blade's teeth) 2 mm or more.

A thin kerf blade removes less material than a full kerf blade placing less stress on the saw's motor.

Thanks again for that Ian
I have a few 9-1/4 saw blades
All understood
Cheers

ozzie

Yea I ordered them from the US website, I had to email them to to work out postage but its very much worth it.

I had the blades within 5 days.

Originally Posted by ozzielee303

NICE!
Are they in the USA?

I'm sure this won't be the last "one more thing"

I'm not sure I'd be cutting old palings with a USD $150 Forest Woodworker combination blade. I think I'd be reaching for a less costly, more "disposable" blade from the Green Shed. Old palings are likely to be impregnated with lots of dust and dirt which would quickly blunt a good blade.