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TS blade

1K views 11 replies 11 participants last post by  coxhaus 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
Hi y'all, It's been awhile and hope y'all are having a great summer. Anyways, I'm going into unchartered territory here and want to build a jewelry box for my cherished 7 year old granddaughter. I just finished a computer desk made of poplar for my grandson. It was my first project ever and had a few mistakes that I'm not proud of. The jewelry box is going to take some extremely accurate cutting, planing, routing and box joint making. I've never done such intricate work in my life and I'm shaking already. However, I'll be making this with curly maple and need to get some advise on what type of saw blade to use. I'll be performing both rip and crosscut work on a 10 inch contractors saw. With the multitude of various types of blade out there, choosing the correct blade is a real effort. Hook angle, tooth count, manufacturer…...the list goes on. In addition, should I use two seperate blades or can I use just one. As you are all aware, the cuts must be as clean as possible. So guys, let me know what you think.
 
#2 ·
You'll probably get many different opinions but the Marples combination blade (50T ATB+R) I got at Lowes gives me perfect rip and crosscuts in both hard and soft woods and the price is reasonable as well. I even use it to resaw and get a finish that almost needs no sanding or other surface work as long as I set the blade perfectly at 90 degrees.
 
#4 ·
That's why I bought it Rick and it cuts so well that I never find a reason to change it. If I need to rip many long hardwood boards I would probably switch to a dedicated ripping blade but I typically go back and forth between rips and cross cuts for most of my projects so it just doesn't happen often. You hear much about glue ready cuts. This blade gives me finish ready cuts. I switched from a Freud combo blade and the Marples seems better to me.
 
#5 · (Edited by Moderator)
A blade that's clean and sharp is always critical. Generally jewelry boxes use thinner material than many larger pieces, and curly maple can be prone to tear out. Higher tooth count will give a smoother edge, but runs the risk of more burning. I think I'd opt for something like a 60T blade with a Hi-ATB grind that will give lowest possible tearout, cleaner cuts than a 40T or 50T, and isn't as prone to burning as an 80T. The Infinity 010-060 is an excellent choice, and is one of my all time favorites. It'll do a great job with both rip and crosscuts for this purpose. It's similar to the Forrest WWI, but is more economical. The Freud LU88R010 is another good choice.

Tips for picking saw blades
 
#6 ·
If we bought blades by the project, we'd probably all go broke in a few months OSG ;-) Personally, I use a different blade for ripping and cross-cutting. That's not necessarily because a combination blade won't do the job though, it's more because with the domestic hardwoods I have I just like to use a high tooth count blade for crosscuts to get a cleaner end grain. But, I think a moderate 50-60 tooth combination blade like the ones mentioned above will give you good results for what you're doing. Good luck with the project!
 
#7 ·
I too like different blades for rip and crosscut. Unless changing blades on your saw is a real pain, I'd go with multiple blades. Personally, I use an Irwin Marples 40T for ripping and an Irwin Marples 80T for crosscutting. They are a great value, IMO. I bought both for under $80.
 
#8 ·
Agree with knotscott for Infinity quality.
I have their 20 tooth rip and the combo blades. I've had the rip blade in my Delta contractor saw for about 2 years cutting 3/4" oak. Does a very nice job. I cross cut on my miter saw for the current project.
As he recommended, the higher tooth count will work better for your maple cross cuts.
If Infinity fits your budget, they are nice blades.
 
#9 · (Edited by Moderator)
I would recommend 2 blades: a 60-80 tooth crosscut, and a 24T flat top rip.

There are blades specifically made for box joints, but you can use the flat top rip.

On a contractor saw in the 1 1/2HP range, you might consider a thin kerf.

Here are two specific blades I think will serve you well:

Cross cut

Rip.

If you're looking at Freud, there are two lines: Freud Industrial and Diablo. I definitely recommend the Industrial line.
 
#11 · (Edited by Moderator)
Forrest Woodworker II. Initially a bit pricey but with the long life of this blade; and the high quality performance, it is worth it. I use the 40 tooth configuration as my every day blade; and it performs very well. When necessary, I send them to Forrest for sharpening and tooth repair/replacement. I use other blade configurations for specialty work, but the WWII is my go to workhorse. That Forrest blades are made in America and is a family owned business is a bonus for me.
 
#12 · (Edited by Moderator)
I use a 60 tooth Cabinet Makers Freud Industrial blade and a 24T rip Freud Industrial on my 3hp Unisaw. They work well. But next time I think I will switch over Forrest blades. Switching blades is easy.

I also have an 8 inch with a lot of teeth, I use for cutting veneer and thin plastics. I use a zero clearance insert. The 8 inch blade is very thin which works well for me with thin material.
 
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