Combination blade vs. Woodworker II?

[cgallery]

I have a think kerf Woodworker II blade on my BT3K. Lately I've been trying more exotics and I've had some difficulty cutting 45-degree miters for boxes in .75" material like Afzelia. Ripping is just okay, but I imagine that if I go much more than .75" the saw is going to labor quite a bit.

While I like the quality of cut of the WWII, I wonder if another blade configuration, like a combination, would cut a little easier? Even if it was at the expense of cut quality (a little bit), it may be worth not burning my motor or belts up.

BTW, I haven't used the WWII that much, I'm pretty certain it is very sharp. And I've kept it pretty clean of pitch and resin, too. Although I'm going to clean it tomorrow and see if it improves.

Thoughts?

Thanks,
Phil

[Knottscott]

Most combo blades are 50T which, in spite of typically having a flat raker tooth to aid in ripping, may have a tendency to bog the saw a bit more because of the increased tooth count. It's possible to have your WWII resharpened so that every 4th or 5th tooth has a flat raker...many of the new ones come this way, and the Ridge Carbide TS2000 comes this way. I've had the TS2000 in my saw and thought it was every bit as good as my WWII, but I don't recall it ripping noticeably easier. I've tried the Freud LU combo and the Leitz, but neither cut quite in the same league as the TS2000 or WWII.

One sure bet is to use a rip blade. It will undoubtedly be easier on the motor, but will also undoubtedly not cut as cleanly...it may cut clean enough though. Check my post in the bargain section for a steal on a Leitz ripping blade for $11 plus s/h. http://bt3central.com/showthread.php?t=21830

A Freud LU87 may be a good compromise...it's a 24T blade but has an ATB grind vs the FTG of most rippers, which equates to a cleaner rip, although a less aggressive rip than the FTG. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...lance&n=228013

Be certain to double check your alignment which can have as much or more impact than a blade. A beveled cut increases the thickness of the wood the blade is cutting, so it's logical for ther to be more resistance.

[drumpriest]

The woodworker II IS a combination blade. As dustmight points out there are 50T combo blades as well, 40T-50T is the range. For ripping something like a Freud's rip blade will be more efficient. A combo blade is really there so that you don't have to change the blade between rip and cross cut operations.

[Knottscott]

The woodworker II IS a combination blade.

Some do call all general purpose blades "combos", but I'd like to clarify a bit. A combo blade is one that uses a combination of tooth grinds, typically an ATB/R configuration (alternating top bevel/flat raker). The newer 40T WWII with the raker and the TS2000 are combo blades as are many 50T blades, but the traditional 40T ATB grind is not. They do all fall under the category of "general purpose" which we tend to use as an interchangeable term with "combination" b/c of their similar multi-functions of ripping and crosscutting. To aid in the confusion, some refer multi-cuts as "combination" cuts, but to clarify from a pure definition of grinds, a straight ATB isn't a combination grind. Sorry to be so knit-picky first thing on Saturday morning!

[Holbren]

Here is a chart showing some of the tooth geometries if anyone is interested.

http://www.tenryu.com/ToothGeometry.pdf

I'm one of those people that calls every 40 or 50 tooth a combo blade. There is a definite need for ripping blades and I think people are starting to realize the combo blade is a compromise for those not wanting to change or buy multiple blades. While cut quality may be as good, feed rate will suffer. For sheet goods, I score all mine before making the cut when using a combo blade. Can I avoid that with a 60 tooth blade? Don't know never tried but just another possible compromise.

I have a project down the road where I'll be ripping a lot of hard maple for a top. I have a couple Ridge 24T rippers that I may use or else I'll try the Tenryu 30T TCG ripper which is a glue line bit. The time to make a blade change isn't that long when ripping a couple hundred feet.

[cgallery]

Some do call all general purpose blades "combos", but I'd like to clarify a bit. A combo blade is one that uses a combination of tooth grinds, typically an ATB/R configuration (alternating top bevel/flat raker). The newer 40T WWII with the raker and the TS2000 are combo blades as are many 50T blades, but the traditional 40T ATB grind is not. They do all fall under the category of "general purpose" which we tend to use as an interchangeable term with "combination" b/c of their similar multi-functions of ripping and crosscutting. To aid in the confusion, some refer multi-cuts as "combination" cuts, but to clarify from a pure definition of grinds, a straight ATB isn't a combination grind. Sorry to be so knit-picky first thing on Saturday morning!

Thank you for the explanation. So, what about hook angles? I notice a wide range (-5-degrees to +20-degrees) being used. While I realize the WWII is a great all-around blade, I'm looking for something particularly good for cross-cutting. Esp. exotics (think Teak or other very dense, hard woods).

Thanks!
Phil

[Knottscott]

Thank you for the explanation. So, what about hook angles? I notice a wide range (-5-degrees to +20-degrees) being used. While I realize the WWII is a great all-around blade, I'm looking for something particularly good for cross-cutting. Esp. exotics (think Teak or other very dense, hard woods).

Thanks!
Phil

There are many other factors. Everything is a compromise, and there's a downside to every plus side. Many blades defy the logic of the "rules of thumb", so don't adhere strictly to any of them...just be aware of them. Usually the steeper the hook, the more aggressive and rougher the cut, but steeper hooks allow faster feedrates for ripping and reduced burning. The lower the hook, the more polished the edge but also means slower feedrate. A higher number of teeth usually means cleaner, but is more prone to burning....higher is better for crosscuts, lower is usually better for ripping. The grind of the teeth is a big factor too - Hi-ATB with a very steep bevel is the cleanest, but is the most prone to dulling...usually found on ply/laminate/melamine and ultra-fine crosscut blades like Forrest's Duraline, Amana's 10-800, and Freud's F810. A very common versatile grind is the ATB like that on a WWII. Flat top grind (FTG) is most common on a pure rip blade but is used on the BT's stock blade with a 36T count...not sure what the hook is on that blade. A triple chip (TCG) grind is very durable and is great for softs metals and tough stuff like flooring, though often not considered the cleanest cutting grind. Side relief angles play a factor in how polished an edge is too, but also effects burn tendencies. The body stiffness, tensioning, and anti-vibration technology can also play a factor. The quality of the sharpening job is also a huge factor...something Forrest is well known for.

American WWer's November 2005 (issue #118) had a great article explaining blades...worth looking up. I'm not a big fan of Oldham blades, but they do have some good basic info on the anatomy of a blade.

http://www.oldham-usa.com/Products/S...components.htm

The Freud F810(aka LU80R010) is the cleanest cutting crosscut blade I've used, but that doesn't make it best for your needs. I'm also very fond of their LU88R010 60T. The LU88 is all I've needed so far....I haven't used alot of dedicated crosscut blades to compare to.

[Holbren]

Great info dustmight, now you know why I call you saw blade man.

[drumpriest]

Dustmight, you are quite right, I refer to general purpose blades as such, you are also correct that it is more correct to refer to the tooth grindes. I concede the point.

[ElRay]

Splitter?

Do you have a splitter on while doing the cuts? I experienced something similar and the was the wood pinching the blade at the back.

Ray

[cgallery]

Do you have a splitter on while doing the cuts? I experienced something similar and the was the wood pinching the blade at the back.

Ray

I have one of the very first splitters that was sold by Mr. Shark Guard. I keep it on the saw ALWAYS. I think my problem, though, occurs on the front (down-stroke) of the blade. Just not enough power to cut, I have to slow the feed, the saw blade starts to burn the wood. I'll ding around with it.

[bigsteel15]

Do you have a splitter on while doing the cuts? I experienced something similar and the was the wood pinching the blade at the back.

Ray

Be careful that you have the shims placed correct on the splitter, whether stock or Shark Guard. If you have them wrong the splitter could be offset from the blade. The same can happen if, like me, you put a thin-kerf blade meant for a CMS. the kerf on that blade was thinner than the splitter on my SG.