question on table saw blade and lifespan

[sailor55330]

Hi-

I've been working with 1/2" maple ply lately while trying to make a jewelry armoire and noticed that towards the end of the project, the cutting is getting more laborious. I'm using a Ridgid 4512 table saw, which normally has plenty of power. I put a new Avanti pro 60 tooth blade in to cut the plywood to get smoother cuts (mostly because I got a 2pk as a gift a few years ago and figured how bad could a new blade be? I was also using it to crosscut some 3/4 maple. In the beginning, it cut well with miminal effort, but now, after breaking down the equivalent of one 4x8 sheet of plywood and cutting the hardwood 1x8's to size, the saw actually bogs just a bit and the effort to move the wood through is increased. I'd say I've made about 100 cuts in total, maybe a bit more. Is is possible that the blade could be dulling already? I know the Avanti brand isn't considered a great blade and that plywood is hard on blades, but I am a little surprised. I put an older 40t combo blade on to test and the issues went away.

I would have thought even a low/medium quality blade would have stayed a little longer.

How long does a typical TS blade last before needing sharpened?

Thanks

BTW---I still have a BT3100 in great shape that I just couldn't make work and now it sits in the corner., so I guess that qualifies as a bt3 owner still

[jussi]

Try cleaning it.

[leehljp]

As Jussi said.

Do you see any saw dust/pitch just behind the carbide teeth? Or saw dust smears/marks around the blade below the teeth? These are sure signs that it needs cleaning. Even some plywoods can inject pitch on the blade, or cause dust to stick to the back side of the teeth. This stuff can slow down cuts and require more power.

Try soaking in simple green.

[sailor55330]

Thanks for the thought on cleaning. I checked the blade last night and there isn't anything visible or that I can feel on the blade. The printing on the blade isn't even worn or covered. I'm beginning to think its just not a very high quality blade, but I'll clean it just to be safe.

[Knottscott]

The current Avanti line is a shell of it's former self when it was made in Italy by Freud. They're now cheap Chinese knockoffs, not quality Chinese made blades like Tenryu or Oshlun. To me, they appear to be made very much like most stock saw blades that come free with a saw...poor manufacturing, made from lesser materials, untensioned bodies, stamped steel, sloppy brazing, tiny carbide, and most likely very soft carbide that doesn't hold an edge long. So "yes", it's definitely possible that it is dulling after only a few cuts. As suggested, cleaning it can't hurt, but it's not something I'd spend money on having sharpened. For < $30 you can get a really good blade from the Freud Diablo or Irwin Marples lines...both made in Italy.