# saw blade



## ccrow (Jan 14, 2010)

I'm going to be cutting oak, purple heart, walnut and ash into strips for cutting boards. What toothed blade should I use and is standard kerf ok? I think I currently have a 40t dewalt in the saw and I have a 60t, do I need a better blade?


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## phinds (Mar 25, 2009)

If you are ripping, which is the normal way of making cutting boards, then you want a mininum tooth count blade, probably 24. You're going to have to use a jointer or belt sander in any case to get a good flat gluing surface.


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## Colt W. Knight (Nov 29, 2009)

ccrow said:


> I'm going to be cutting oak, purple heart, walnut and ash into strips for cutting boards. What toothed blade should I use and is standard kerf ok? I think I currently have a 40t dewalt in the saw and I have a 60t, do I need a better blade?


I asssume you are going to be putting this blade in a table saw. For ripping you want fewer teeth, like 24. For cross cutting you generally use higher teeth blades like 60-80 teeth. 

Oak, Purple hart and walnut can be some pretty tough wood, I would reccomend a good ripping blade and zero clearence plate for your table saw.

I use a Diablo 24 tooth ripping blade available from Home Depot for 28$. It is a thin kerf blade. This blade rips as well as blades costing three times as much, and cross cuts better than my 40 tooth Rigid blade. I highly reccomend it. 

A zero clearence plate will not only make your table saw safer, it will help eliminate those annoying little wood splinters and fuzzies. They are caused by the blade ripping the last fraction of wood instead of cuttting it because standard throat plates generally have a 1/2" slot. This wide slot doesn't provide enough support for the wood in order for the blade to shear off the wood instead of tear it. They are quick and easy to make, and you can ussually do it from scraps available in your shop.


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## knotscott (Nov 8, 2007)

First question is what saw do you have? Most saws will spin a full kerf blade, but if it's < 3hp a good quality thin kerf blade will be easier on the motor and will allow you to rip thicker material with your saw.

Secondly, DeWalt has some very fine blades with their former series 40 and series 60 blade that were made in the UK. Their yellow Precision Trim series is also very good. Their more common construction series isn't suitable for fine woodworking IMHO, so whether your blade is suitable really depends on which DW blade you have. Their full kerf series 60 DW7657 (40T) and DW7646 (60T) are excellent IMHO.

There are always several things to consider. If all other parameters are equal, more teeth will equate to a cleaner cut, but it’s not as simple as that. There are several other factors that influence cutting performance in addition to tooth count, and more teeth is not always better. More teeth also means more resistance to the saw, slower feed rates, more friction & heat, and a higher chance of burning. Fewer teeth equates to a faster more efficient cut, but typically also means a rougher cut. Depending on thickness, it’s recommended to have 5 to 7 teeth in the material for crosscutting and finish cuts in hard wood, and 3 to 5 teeth for ripping operations. Side clearance parameters also contribute to how much “polish” or “burnishing” characteristics the teeth will contribute to the edge of the wood. Tight side clearances and tight angles mean that more tooth makes contact with the edge of the cut, and thus gives a more polished look. The same characteristic can also increase burning if the feed rate slows too much, and/or if the wood is naturally more prone to burning.


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## ccrow (Jan 14, 2010)

OK, so clearly I still have lots to learn.. Thank you all for helping as I do.

Knot- I have the ridgid r4516. And the blades were ones that I bought in a dual pack at Lowes other than what came in my saw or in my miter saw. I only paid $40 or saw for the pair so I bet they aren't quality. 

After the post from Colt I've been trying to find a zero clearance plate for my saw, but not having much luck, so I may get to make one. In the even that I do, would I cut it out and install it with the blade below the table then surn on the saw and slowly raise the blade to cut the ker opening? 

Additionally I'm not against getting a new blade, I was contemplating the Diablo's from HD.


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## ccrow (Jan 14, 2010)

Correction from above... The blades I have are Irwin Marathon 40t, 80t and then the Dewalt 40t that came with my miter saw and the ridgid 24t that came with my table saw.


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## Gene Howe (Feb 28, 2009)

ccrow said:


> In the even that I do, would I cut it out and install it with the blade below the table then surn on the saw and slowly raise the blade to cut the ker opening?


I would make a pattern from 1/2 MDF or similar, first.
Trace your stock insert onto the 1/2" material, cut it out just out side the line. (ideally, you'd rip a piece of insert stock to the correct width and cross cut to the correct length and band saw or jig saw any curves) Sand to fit. Then, attach the pattern to the narrow edge of a shorter piece of 2X4. The 2X4 will be used to hold the pattern in a vise. Then cut several blanks for your ZCIs and double stick tape one to the pattern, clamp in a vise and rout with an flush trim bit.
And, yes. Secure the finished ZCI in the saw and slowly raise the blade.
If you want to get real fancy, PM me and I can explain how to make a sacrificial strip insert to save changing the entire ZCI.


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## knotscott (Nov 8, 2007)

ccrow said:


> Correction from above... The blades I have are Irwin Marathon 40t, 80t and then the Dewalt 40t that came with my miter saw and the ridgid 24t that came with my table saw.


The Irwin Marathon series isn't exactly state of the art, but the 80T blade might leave a sufficiently smooth edge for you. The question is whether or not your saw you cut efficiently enough with that blade to not burn...best way to find out is to give it a cleaning, and try it out. :thumbsup:

If that doesn't work too well for you, you might consider something like the Infinity 010-060 60T Hi-ATB blade, or maybe the Freud LU88R010 or Ridgid Titanium R1060C (by Freud and similar to the LU88). All are marketed as crosscut blades, but have a positive hook angle and actually rip reasonably efficiently up to ~ 5/4" material, and will leave a very clean rip edge. The Infinity is very similar to the Forrest WWI, and will also be excellent for ply and ultrafine crosscuts.


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