# 60 or 80 tooth blade



## hedorah99 (Feb 7, 2011)

Another newbie question here...

Won a gift certificate to Home Cheapot, er, Depot, and wanted to buy some actual quality blades. I was going to get a Diablo Ripping blade and another cross cut blade. The two they had were 60 and 80 teeth, I just wanted to know the advantages of one over the other. The main stuff I build are boxes and shelves, usually in just oak and poplar but sometimes I work with walnut and mahagony.


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## MastersHand (Nov 28, 2010)

hedorah99 said:


> Another newbie question here...
> 
> Won a gift certificate to Home Cheapot, er, Depot, and wanted to buy some actual quality blades. I was going to get a Diablo Ripping blade and another cross cut blade. The two they had were 60 and 80 teeth, I just wanted to know the advantages of one over the other. The main stuff I build are boxes and shelves, usually in just oak and poplar but sometimes I work with walnut and mahagony.


For chopsaw go with the 80 tooth Diablo. For table saw go with a thin rip blade 
Read the package look for fine rip for hardwood


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## dwendt1978 (Mar 13, 2010)

For a chop saw the 80 tooth. I have the Diablo 80t and love it.:thumbsup:


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

I don't use TK blades any more. Depending on the hook, and which tool it's used on, the 60T is a more of an all around tooth count for a blade. The 80T, is better for cutting thin materials and small mouldings.












 







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## knotscott (Nov 8, 2007)

The simple answer: If all else is equal, more teeth tends to equate to smoother cut with less tearout, but also tends to mean a slower feed rate with more resistance, and more tendency to burn in thicker materials. Less teeth tends to mean a slightly rougher cut but faster feedrate, and better versatility. I assume it's for a TS since you're also getting a rip blade, so I'd opt for the 60T Ridgid R1060C (made by Freud and is HD's best 60T blade) or possibly the Diablo D1060 (very similar)...these both have a more positive hook angle that's better for TS use and are both fairly versatile for many tasks except for thick ripping. The R1060C now features a dual side grind similar to that of the Freud Premier Fusion blade, which helps leave a very polished edge. If for plywood or use on a CMS, RAS, or SCMS, I'd go with the 80T Diablo D1080 because it'll leave a smoother cut and has a lower hook angle that's safer for RAS/SCMS. 

_*There's far more to the equation than tooth count though...the rest of the answer:*_

*Tooth count* is one of the more important considerations of a saw blade. Number of teeth should be based on the intended application along with the other design parameters of the blade. 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. Depending on blade diameter, it’s common to see between 10 and 30 teeth on a specialized ripping blade, and 60 to 100 teeth for crosscut blades and blades used for plywood, veneers, melamine. laminates, and other sheet goods. Note that more teeth cost more to make, more to buy, and more to sharpen when the time comes, but more teeth also tend to hold an edge longer because they share the work load.


*Side Clearance:*
The side clearance is another important feature that is essentially the amount of overhang a tooth has relative to the blade’s body. The tangential and radial side clearance angles are the geometry of the sides of the teeth. These features all combine to determine 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.

*Gullet:*
A gullet is the trough between the teeth. A larger gullet allows for more efficient chip removal, which is one of the reasons that a blade with fewer teeth will cut faster…there’s simply more gullet space on a lower tooth count blade. Ripping operations have larger chip size than crosscutting operations, which makes lower tooth count blades more conducive to ripping operations. Crosscutting operations tend to have smaller chip sizes, so a dedicated crosscut blade can have more teeth around the perimeter of the blade, which allows for a cleaner cut.


*Hook Angle:*
Hook angle (or rake) is the amount of forward or backward lean of the teeth on a blade. The hook angle can range from roughly -7° to as much as + 22°. The steeper the hook angle, the more aggressive and faster the feed rate will be. A steep, or positive hook angle, will have more pull on the material than a low or negative hook blade, which is a feature well suited for ripping operations on a table saw. A low to negative hook blade is well suited for use on a sliding compound miter saw (SCMS) or radial arm saw (RAS) to prevent “climb” or self feeding of the material, and is highly recommended when cutting metals on any type of saw. The steeper hook angles will feed faster but can also increase tear out characteristics at the exit of the cut. A lower hook angle will have less tear out, but will require more feed pressure and may have a higher tendency for burning to occur if the saw bogs down.

*Anti-vibration slots:*
Laser cut anti-vibration slots help channel heat buildup during the cutting process, allowing the blade to expand and contract without distorting and destroying the tension of blade’s body. Ultimately, they help the blade run true with low noise and vibration for a cleaner cut. Filling the slots with silicone can further reduce noise. Some blades will have copper silencers in the “keyhole” of the slot.


_*Tooth Grind can be as, and sometimes more important than tooth count:*_

*ATB* – Alternate Top Bevel (ATB) is a very versatile grind that features a bevel across the top of the tooth that angles from the outside in, alternating between left side and right side. The angle of the bevel can vary from about 10° to approximately 20°. The versatility of the ATB grind makes it a very common grind on many types of blades, especially woodworking blades. The bevel helps reduce tear out on cross grain and plywood cuts, is reasonably durable, and can still be fairly efficient at ripping with the grain. Essentially the steeper the bevel angle, the less tear out the teeth will cause, but also becomes increasing less efficient at ripping as the bevel increases. The ATB grind is very well suited in a configuration as a higher tooth count dedicated crosscut blade, and as a versatile medium tooth count general purpose blade.


*Hi-ATB* – Teeth with a top bevel of roughly 25° or higher are commonly referred to as High Alternate Top Bevel grinds. Hi-ATB grinds are a variation of the ATB grind, and have the lowest tear out characteristics of any other grind. They’re extremely well suited for ultra clean cuts in plywood, laminates, melamine, veneers, and ultra fine crosscuts in hardwood, and are most commonly found combined with high tooth count blades and moderate hook angles. The sharp points of the higher bevels give up some durability and some ripping efficiency compared to some grinds, but are still capable of good ripping efficiency when combined with a lower tooth count and positive hook angle, but blades with this configuration are less common. 

*ATB/R* – The ATB/R grind is a combination of two different tooth grinds in one blade. It typically features groupings of five teeth that consist of four ATB ground teeth and one flat top “raker” tooth with large gullets between the groupings. Common configurations are found in a 10” blade with 50 teeth and a moderately steep hook angle of 10° to 15°. The ATB/R combination grind is well suited for both ripping and crosscuts, and general purpose woodworking applications on a table saw or compound miter saw, but the hook angle should be low to negative if used on a SCMS or RAS.


*FTG* – Flat top teeth are used on blades intended primarily for ripping wood with the grain. A flat top grind (FTG) is very efficient at removing large chips from the kerf, and is a very durable grind that tends to have very good edge life. A flat top grind is the only grind that will leave a truly flat bottom kerf, which also makes it a good choice for cutting grooves and splines. The FTG is commonly found on ripping blades with a steep positive hook angle and lower tooth count, typically 10 to 30 teeth, but can also be found as part of a combination grind in a variety of hook angles intended for other applications.


*TCG* – The triple chip grind (TCG) also combines two different tooth grinds in one blade – a flat top grind and a trapezoidal grind, which is essentially a flat top tooth with chamfered top. The TCG alternates between a flat top “raker” and a trapezoidal tooth which protrudes slightly higher than the raker tooth. The TCG is extremely durable, and exhibits low chip out characteristics in brittle materials, which makes it well suited for cutting metals, laminate flooring, very hard woods, abrasive materials like MDF and teak, and sheet goods like melamine. Its durability also lends itself to high volume applications where edge life is important.


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## mveach (Jul 3, 2010)

I am using a Dewalt precision trim 40 tooth on my table saw. I picked it up at Lowes for about $35. It produces a very nice cut. The feed is a little slower than a 24 tooth but not bad (Lowes does not carry the 24 tooth). I was working on a dust collection the other day and used it to cut a peace of 1/4 birch cross grain. I was amazed at the cut. almost no tear out. Best blade for the buck I've seen.


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