Thread: Flat top grind crosscut blade?

Enquire at a saw doctors regarding having an existing blade re-ground to a flat top profile. It would probably be a lot cheaper than buying a blade from Timbercon and having it re-bored to suit your machine. https://www.timbecon.com.au/torquata...ado-saw-blades

Alan...

Timbecon also have this blade - https://www.timbecon.com.au/torquata...lar-saw-blades - if you'd be happy with a standard kerf. Have you considered cutting them by hand? That would allow a much finer kerf, which IMO is a much more classy look.

Thanks for the replies.

Alan,
I hadn't considered regrinding an existing blade, but I don't have a spare one I could sacrifice anyway. Thanks for the link. Those Torquata dado blades look good, but it just dawned on me I need a 300mm blade because my riving knife will foul the cut with a smaller diameter blade.

Aldav,
that Torquata ripping blade looks like it might work. Do you think 30 teeth is enough on a 300mm blade to do crosscuts without tear-out?
Hand sawing? Egads! I'm the kind of lazy woodworker who will use a power tool every time if there's one available. I'll consider it though.

Edit- I just watched the video on the Timbecon website. They reckon that Torquata ripping blade will "bash" it's way through a crosscut.

I run mine through the router table with a slot cutter bit...

Thanks David,
I have a ⅛ slot cutting bit I will have a play with. I assume that method limits you to cutting slots near the top and bottom of the box sides due to the short reach of the slot cutter? You wouldn't be able to cut a slot in the middle of anything but the smallest box.

Originally Posted by jack620

Edit- I just watched the video on the Timbecon website. They reckon that Torquata ripping blade will "bash" it's way through a crosscut.

You want to cut slots for mitre keys? That is a ripping operation, not cross cutting, in 99% of the boxes I see. Am I misunderstanding? If you want a really fine finish the more teeth the better but I would have thought that the 184mm 20 tooth blade would do a reasonable job, you'd have to remove the riving knife of course. The other option, as Alan suggested, is to buy a cheap 60 tooth blade and have it re-ground.

I've used a 24 tooth 10" blade for cutting slots for mitre keys and found it did a reasonable job if you take some precautions to help prevent tear out at the end of the cut.

Originally Posted by aldav

That is a ripping operation, not cross cutting, in 99% of the boxes I see. Am I misunderstanding?

Nope, I am. You're right of course, it's a ripping operation. I reckon I'll just buy the 30 tooth 300mm Torquata ripping blade for $75. It's a bit of a pain to reset the riving knife on my saw.

Thanks for the help everyone.

Yowie posted this photo of his slot cutting jig last week


Allows him to cut slots for mitre keys at the top an bottom of a box.

It wouldn't take much to modify this jig to allow slots in the middle of the box side. Use a 1/8" down-cut spiral bit to cut the slots.

Originally Posted by ian

It wouldn't take much to modify this jig to allow slots in the middle of the box side. Use a 1/8" down-cut spiral bit to cut the slots.

Thanks Ian. With a spiral cut or fluted router bit you can put the slots wherever you want them by adjusting the router table fence. I assumed David was talking about a slot cutting bit like this:

4 Flute - Assemblies with Ball Bearing Guide - Carbide Tipped - Carbitool

I may have misunderstood him.

Apologies all. I saw mitres and assumed frames, like picture frames etc. Did not even think of boxes...