Thin kerf blade on Miter Saw

[mojo_13]

I got a Craftsman miter saw for christmas this year and put it together but have not gotten to use it much yet, cold winters. I was planning on putting a thin kerf freud blad on it but when I was reading through the instructions it says not too put a thin kerf blade on it. I was just wonderin what the reasoning was behind this and if it was still possible to do this. Thanks

[Tom Slick]

maybe the way their arbor is set up you can't get the TK blade tight enough.

[SARGE..g-47]

Greetings Mojo...

If it has a laser (which you didn't mention) maybe the way it is set up would throw the laser beam off by the thinner plate the TK sits on. But.. that is only one possibility.

I used to run a TK 24 tooth TK on my BT 3000 for ripping. But.. I always ran a CMT 4 1/2" stiffner to avoid deflection of blade in thicker hard-wood. And that was with a 10" TS.

I just got a 12" SCMS and ordered the Freud 12" TK blade. I planned on adding a stiffner to avoid deflection of that thinner plated blade. Opps... the 12" SCMS arbor is not long enough to accept the thickness of a stiffner on the outside.

So.. I am stuck with a 12" TK blade for it with no way to stiffen the plate. If I had done my home-work before the fact.. I would be running an FS or Sytemmatic full kerf blade to keep that larger spinning disc as close to center line as possible when I cram a piece of 4" - 5" maple or oak under it for a cross-cut. I have not used the Freud yet to see if it will deflect.. but I know that the possibility exist from experience and my next blade for that saw will probably be a full kerf.

Regards...

[sweensdv]

The laser shouldn't have anything to do with whether or not you use a thin kerf or full kerf blade. And besides, the arbor mounted laser doesn't work anyways. Your actual cut line will be about 1/32" to the right of the laser line.

There is only one reason I can think of as to why they say to use a full kerf blade and that would be blade deflection. A full kerf blade would greatly lessen the chance of the blade deflecting than a think kerf. I won't say it isn't done but I've never heard of anyone using a blade stiffener on a miter saw either.

[Knottscott]

I think high quality TK blades are a great choice for a TS that's less than 3hp, but there's less reason to use a TK on a chopsaw, b/c crosscutting is typically easier on the motor than ripping. I can't think of any mechanical reasons why you shouldn't use the TK...I just don't see as much benefit on a CMS.

[mojo_13]

Thanks for all the info guys I really appreciate it. So if a TK blade isn't the best can anyone give me any suggestions on a good full kerf blade that i could put on it. I just want something that does a nice clean cut.

[sweensdv]

I have the Freud LU85R010 on my CMS. It produces glass smooth crosscuts.