Best blade for me?

[mackmack]

I have read some posts regarding blades on here but I was wondering if you guys could provide me with the best for my particular needs?

I cut almost exclusively 3/4 - 1 inch plywood. Still need a nice cut on that because all sides show even though I sand them down and paint over it for my finished projects.

I bought a thin kerf DeWalt blade at HD when I got my BT3100. It is all black and ran me about $70. Its got a lot of teeth and I haven't had any problems with it.

I don't mind spending the money as long as it's a good product that will last.

Also, How long will this DeWalt blade last me? I cut for 2-3 hours a day I suppose, again only plywood. What is a typical life on it, and what are some indications that I need to replace it? Also, is it dangerous if it gets too dull? Will I get kickback or anything? Thanks alot guys!

[Knottscott]

Your DW sounds like it's a Series 40....if it has lots of teeth, it's probably a DW3215TK 60T or DW3218TK 80T, which are fairly nice blades. It should be pretty good on crosscuts and plywood...how does it do in plywood for you? It should last you at least a good year or two with average use. The indications of dulling are burning and increased resistance, and yes, that does increase the risk of a mishap. Keep it clean, and have it resharpened a couple of times before getting rid of it. I clean my blades with 409 or LA's Totally Awesome and a toothbrush every few cutting sessions....just look for pitch build up on the teeth.

The cleanest cutting design is a Hi-ATB tooth grind. The bevel on the teeth is very steep and it scores the wood as it cuts. Hi-ATB blades tend to have a low to negative hook angle and are usually 80T....two more characteristics that lead to cleaner cuts. The downside is that Hi-ATB teeth tend to dull a bit faster because of those sharp points. Some of the Hi-ATB blades I know of are: the Freud LU80R010 (aka F810) and LU79R010 (TK), Amana MB10-800, and Forrest Duraline....I know Ridge Carbide has one too, but I don't know the model....Holbren might be able to hook you up. There are many others. I've tried the Freud F810 and would find it hard believe another blade could cut significantly cleaner...that type blade makes an amazingly clean cut.

My Forrest WWII 40T does pretty well, but I suspect a good 60T to 80T blade may do a tad better....haven't tried my 80T DeWalt DW7647 or 60T Freud LU88R010 in ply yet. There are lots of other blades marketed specifically as plywood blades. Just go with a known high end name that states that it has superior performance in ply.

American WWer's Issue #118 Nov 2005 has a great article on blades and their usage....worth getting a hold of IMHO.

[LCHIEN]

dustmite made some good points.
In addition to slower cutting and burning you may also notice increased chipout and tearout when the blade gets dull. It happens so gradually and usually you don't have a comparison, so its hard to tell.

That Dewalt blade is at the low end of premium pricing. If you like it and are happy with the cut, Buy another of the same model and when you think the original gets dull, put on the new and compare the cut.
If the new one is better, then send the original out for sharpenening.
Most blades that cost a lot more than $10 are going to have enough carbide to be resharpened 10 or more times at a cost of $.25 to .33 per tooth, a lot less than a new blade, but should cut every bit as good.
You can save the sharpened blade until the 2nd blade on your saw gets dull. and repeat the tradeout process, thus you always have a sharp blade handy.

[mackmack]

Thanks guys!

[Holbren]

I do have some of the Ridge Carbide blades on they way, don't know the model number though. I ordered them mainly because I need one but will put them up on the web probably for $99.95. I'll give you one for $85 delivered if you promise to post your feedback so I know how it compares to the DeWalt.

10"
80T
Hi-ATB
-5 rake
C4 carbide polished with 1200 grit
American Made

Usual Ridge story.

[sweensdv]

It seems to me that a negative hook angle blade would be a dangerous thing to mount on a table saw. With the negative hook angle, I would think the blade would have a tendancy to push the workpiece up and back at the operator.

[LCHIEN]

It seems to me that a negative hook angle blade would be a dangerous thing to mount on a table saw. With the negative hook angle, I would think the blade would have a tendancy to push the workpiece up and back at the operator.

Once it gets over 5 degrees past the top of rotation, it'll be pushing the piece down in front.
Since all the cutting forces are done on the down going portion,
it would not seem like that bad a deal.

Miter saw is a little different, the negative hook is useful because on a noarrow piece , all the cutting is done on the upgoing portion of the blade near the back.