Thread: Ultra thin kerf table saw blades

Good day
There is a bunch of thin kerf conversation on you tube here is a link https://www.youtube.com/results?sear...erf+saw+blades
Most thin kerf 10 inch 254 mm dimeter blades here in USA are 3/32 in or 2.36 mm, not much of a kerf savings and most typically incorporate a stabilizer disc there are some that do not. The thinnest blade typically available is 1/16 in 1.58 mm is a Fret saw blade and are typically only 6 in 152 mm in diameter. The general thought is you just don't reduce significantly the material loss with a thin cut blade especially considering they will wobble / vibrate more than common kerf blades reducing the advantage one would expect.

I typically use a thin kerf blade when I am cutting segments for bowl work. It is a 7 1/4 184 mm diameter blade for use on circular saws . it does offer a thinner cut at 1.6 mm but I find I need stabilizer plates to keep the blade running true . $22 US (17 Quint) at big box store
7-1/4IN 60T Ultra Fine Finish Saw Blade - Spyder Products Her is a 1/16 kerf blade 1.6 mm blade that might work for your purpose

At the end of the day a thin kerf cut deeper than maybe 30 mm is the holy grail

Infinity Cutting Tools - 10" Super General Thin Kerf Saw Blade
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xtm_X8ZhUtc

calabrese55

Doesn't seem worth the risk to me.

Be aware if you use a riving knife a thin kerf blade wont cut wide enough and your piece will jam between the fence and the riving knife.

Ask me how i know....

Originally Posted by havabeer69

Be aware if you use a riving knife a thin kerf blade wont cut wide enough and your piece will jam between the fence and the riving knife.

You're right- the piece will jam. But it doesn't jam between the fence and riving knife. The narrower kerf left by the blade binds on the riving knife.

A lot of people think the riving knife should be thicker than the kerf, so the knife 'spreads' the timber and prevents it binding on the blade. This is totally wrong. The knife should be thicker than the saw blade's plate and narrower than its kerf.

Anthony,
unless you can buy a riving knife for your saw to match the thin kerf blade, you shouldn't fit the blade to your saw.

Anthony

I haven't watched any videos of these blades, but my immediate thoughts are to the type of timber that is being cut. If a blade builds up heat because it is having trouble cutting, it will bend and wobble and a thin blade is more prone to this. Australian timbers are typically harder, but if you are only cutting pine this may not be a problem.

The riving knife is there for timbers that want to close up on the cut after they have passed though the blade and this is caused by wood that has stress locked up. It can close up or it can go the other way. A thicker blade will be less likely to be caused a problem of binding as the timber will be further away from the saw when it closes.

Regards
Paul

Thanks everyone for the advice.

The riving knife issue to me is not an issue because you have to make a zero clearance plate and purchase the specific splitter for the blade. But I can see everyone here, there (Very thin kerf 10" tablesaw blades - FineWoodworking) and there (1/16" Saw Blade | Woodworking Talk) has concerns about riving knives. So it remains a live issue.

For information, the two retailers I came across were:
10" Laser Thin Kerf Saw Blade - 1/16" Kerf
10 in Micro-Kerf 40 Table Saw Chop Saw Mitre Saw Blade

There are also some people selling 1/16" blades on eBay for those who place little value on their own wellbeing.

Perhaps in future there will be an Australian retailer, who doesn't sell them at a stupid mark-up, so until then I will stick to wiping the tears from my resawn boards

Anthony

Felder can supply a 3/32 x 300mm x 30mm diamond blade and as Leutz make it I am guessing they can supply a smaller diameter as well. I have one and it is an exceptional blade but it would want to be for $800. The only issue is cutting bevels because it flexes too much so I don't use it for that but the up side is it cuts melamine and laminated panels near enough to chip free without a scoring blade. It is not dangerous in any way and cuts Sydney Blue Gum like butter and that is a tough timber.

Thin kerf blades only offer significant material savings when you are creating numerous small pieces for say segmenting or inlay banding.

One benefit of them is that thin kerf saw blades with a high tooth count reduce the damage / splintering when cross cutting or ripping thin stock. The smaller cross section of the tooth is more gentle on the stock.

Appropriate saw blade selection i.e. tooth count, profile, rake, etc offer more advantages than saw plate & kerf thickness alone.