Rocklers Saw Blade Selection Guide??

[Aimlesssoul]

I currently own just a few blades and I am looking to upgrade. I found this on Rocklers site and would like to know if people here agree with the recommendations. I own a 22114, so under 3 HP. I have read that Hitachi blades are good, but are they comparable to Forrest and Frued? Rockler also like Irwin blades, any thoughts there. Thanks in advance.
https://www.rockler.com/articles/art...fm?story_id=85

[phrog]

I have the Freud LU87R and agree with its inclusion for ripping with underpowered saws. When I rip with this blade I don't have to use a jointer because the finish is so smooth. I can't comment on the others (or Hitachi or Irwin) because I don't have any of them.

[Knottscott]

I don't necessarily agree or disagree with Rockler's guide, but its only gives very broad suggestions. Ie: the first listing for a ripping blade for a saw < 3hp is the LM75R010, which is Freud's 30T triple chip grind (TCG) "Glue Line Rip" blade...it's a very nice blade for specific applications, namely clean ripping in material of 1" or less. The LM75 isn't a good choice for thicker bulk ripping, and it won't crosscut well, so it offers very limited versatility. A good 40T or 50T blade like the Forrest WWII or Freud LU83 will also provide glue ready edges in 1" rips, will typically rip efficiently to ~ 2", will crosscut reasonably well, and is acceptable for most plywood, MDF, melamine, or pressboard applications too, so they offer a lot more versatility with little sacrifice to the specific task that the LM75 is suggested for.

My experience of Hitachi blades is somewhat limited. Though they appear well made, I'd have a tough time believing it's comparable to the Forrest WWII, Freud Fusion, Infinity Super General, Tenryu Gold Medal, or Ridge Carbide TS2000 or other premium general purpose blades. It's also my understanding that the Hitachi blades use C2 carbide, which if true, aren't likely to hold an edge for long, though they may cut well for a while....I'd buy only if the price is right.

I'm definitely not a fan of the Irwin Marathon or Sprint series....they're cheaply made from stamped steel, small carbide, sloppy brazing, etc. There are too many other bargains on well made blades like the Freud Diablo, former Freud Avanti (be sure it says Freud "Avanti", otherwise leave the non-Freud imitation "Avanti" on the shelf in HD), Freud Industrial (on sale), Ridgid Titanium series (by Freud), Porter Cable Razor, DeWalt Precision Trim series, CMT ITK series, etc. Irwin did have a very good "Woodworking" series once upon a time that was made in Germany by Leitz. There's still some new old stock (NOS) around, but that line is currently marketed as the HO Schumacher & Sohn brand.

What specifically do want to do with the upgraded blades?

Blade buying tips

[Aimlesssoul]

The goal is to add

blades, that will work well in a 22114, for Ripping, Crosscutting, GP blades and veneered/plywood. As you can see still a newbi, and I am looking to upgrade and expand the blades I have. Looking at it from a quality then cost perspective, the budget isn't unlimited, but I can afford to buy, keep, and have sharpened as they wear.

Shop consists of: Delta dust collector, TS, Makita 1013 SCMS, Bosch Router and table, Jet DP, DW735 planer, Ridgid Sanders orbital and 1/4 sheet, Bosch barrel jig saw Dremel scroll saw. Much of it bought courtesy of Bargin alerts or Craigslist. So I have a good basic shop short of a bandsaw and would like to get the Ridgid OSS sometime in the future.

Thanks again

[Knottscott]

If you want a general purpose blade that will truly do an outstanding job with nearly every task you're likely to encounter, including superior plywood performance you might consider two blades. The combination of the Infinity 010-060 60T Hi-ATB blade and the Forrest 30T WWII TK are nearly a perfect compliment to each other, and offer extremely good performance across a very wide range. These two blades each offer a taste of the dedicated specialty blades but they don't suffer from the limited range that the specialty blades do. Either is suitable for most general purpose applications, but each has it's strength at the opposite extreme. I had this combination on my 22124 and thought the two were wonderful together, and is a combination I've suggested many times in lieu of a standard 3 blade set. My 80T Leitz blade and 24T Freud ripper sat dormant most of the time I had the 30T and 60T blades available. It's unlikely you'll encounter any situations (other than junk wood) where you'll want another blade...keep the stock blade for high risk stuff. Combining these two blades is like taking a typical 40T or 50T general purpose/combo blade and extending it's functional range of excellence into the regions where a dedicated blade is generally used. While a bit on the expensive side, I can't give a higher recommendation than this combo for your saw for the tasks you described. They should cover all your bases with flying colors.

The Infinity 010-060 is a great compliment to the 30T WWII. Where the 30T WWII is weak (ultra fine crosscuts, ply, etc), the 010-060 is at it's best. The Hi-ATB grind offers superior crosscuts, superior plywood cuts, but the geometry also allows it to rip very cleanly to ~ 5/4". It doesn't rip as efficiently as the 30T (or a 40T), but it will rip well in most common thicknesses, so it doesn't need to be changed out most of the time if you don't feel like it. The 010-060 is also very versatile in what type saw it can be used on...it's an excellent CMS, RAS, or SCMS blade as well as being terrific in the table saw.

The 30T WWII will cut nearly as cleanly as the 40T WWII...it's very difficult to tell the cuts apart, but when you start ripping thicker materials, it's nearly as efficient as a 24T ripper...and it cuts cleaner than any 24T ripper up to ~ 3". While it's not known as a great crosscutter, it can give respectable crosscuts in many applications, so it's not essential that it be changed out if you don't feel like it either.

Another similar scenario that's not quite as expensive is to substitute the Freud LU87R010 24T ripper for the WWII 30T. You'll loose a versatility overall because the LU87 doesn't crosscut, but you'll gain some efficiency in thick ripping.

[Aimlesssoul]

Shop update

Bought a few recommended blades and picked up a brand spanking new Ridgid Oscillating sander for cheap off of Craigslist. Let the fun begin.