# Delta Shopmaster Blade Replacement



## rok3269 (Feb 4, 2009)

Hey Peoplezz !! 

I was given a Delta Shopmaster Table Saw in exchange for old baby clothe from a co-worker of my wife who doesn't need it anymore and he suggested a new blade because the old one had been on tere for awhile and was worn.

My question is, Is a 40 tooth blade good? 
I am going to be doing some around the house work as well as some furniture building. I know to a point less teeth are better because they are less prone to clogging while working, and with a limited budget to work with, i don't want to buy any hundred dollar blades, while still trying to put together a shop to do the work in.

All input is greatly appreciated .... Let the Grand Debate Begin !!!! ... lol 

thanx 
Mario


----------



## knotscott (Nov 8, 2007)

If all else is equal (seldom is!), more teeth equals cleaner cut, but more resistance to the saw, and a higher chance of burning in thicker materials. A 40T is a good midpoint general purpose blade if you don't need ultra fine crosscuts and thick ripping over 2". 60T gives better crosscuts, but won't typically rip much over an inch or so. A 24T rip blade will handle thick ripping nicely, but leaves a slightly rougher cut, and will typically have unacceptable tearout for crosscuts or plywood. 

Your saw will benefit from a decent thin kerf blade. The Freud Avanti series represents excellent value and good performance. The TK306 40T is ~ $27 shipped from Amazon or Peachtree. The TK406 60T is ~ $35 shipped, and the TK206 24T ripper is about $22 shipped. Getting a 60T and a 24T will cover a wider range, but a 40T will do an acceptable job of most of what you'll encounter. 

Freud Avanti blades on Amazon 

Is the saw a Shopmaster TS300?


----------



## Gerry KIERNAN (Apr 20, 2007)

Hi rok

Depends largely on what you are cutting and whether you are crosscutting or ripping lengthwise with the grain. 

If you are going to be sawing plywood you will want a plywood blade to get clean edges. If you are ripping lumber lengthwise you will want a moderately coarse blade, say 24 to 32 teeth. If you are cutting across the grain you can use a 40 tooth or finer blade. In most cases, except plywood you will want to purchase a blade with cabide teeth. Carbide will stay sharp far longer than conventional steel blades. These can be purchased at very moderate cost now, and are very common. 

Assuming your table saw is a ten inch size you could probably do most combination cutting with about a 32 tooth carbide combination blade. 

You do not have to spend $100 to get a decent 10 inch carbide blade. I say decent, not superb. I would think about $20 should get you one.

Gerry


----------



## rok3269 (Feb 4, 2009)

The saw is a TS 200 series (not sure if it is a TS200 or TS200LS)

I haven't used it yet, still making room in the soon to be shop.

So, from what I am reading, a saw with between 32 - 40 teeth would be a really good all around choice between home repair and novice wood working. ( I am going to try my luck at a Captains Bed style, eventually.)

My next question is... 
Does Freud make a combo blade w/carbide teeth ?
Also, is Freud really as good as they say ??, with the anti-vibration squiggles in the blades ???

If 20 - 30 dollars will get my a decent blade... How much would a superb blade cost me for my 10 inch table saw??? (out of curiosity)

Thanx for the help peoples.


----------



## knotscott (Nov 8, 2007)

rok3269 said:


> The saw is a TS 200 series (not sure if it is a TS200 or TS200LS)
> 
> I haven't used it yet, still making room in the soon to be shop.
> 
> ...


If the saw has legs, it's TS200"LS" (Leg stand), if not, it's either TS200, or used to be a TS200LS. :laughing:

Whether or not Freud is really as good as they say depends on who said it and what they said....they have a lot of good blades and some really excellent blades. Their Diablo and Avanti lines are made from the same materials and the same machines as their more expensive Industrial line, but the Industrial line has more carbide and can be resharpened more times, which is more of a concern in a commercial setting. The Industrial line also offers a greater selection. 

Those $20-$30 Freuds are pretty darn good IMO....prolly the best bang for the buck going. A $100 blade might a little better, but to be frank, I don't think your saw is precise enough to reveal the difference to warrant spending that much on a blade. Going with two blades to better suit the task...(ie: 60T and 24T) will give you better performance within each blade's suggested usage range than the 40T, so that's one way to improve performance a little without spending a bunch. Because that particular 60T blade has a 15° hook angle, it actually rips pretty well for a "crosscut" blade, so it'll do a nice job in a lot of different tasks....when you need to rip ~ 1.5" or more, switch to the ripper. Your saw will have an easier time spinning the 24T blade, but the 40T and 60T blades will cut cleaner, but you should be able to get a glueable rip cut from the 24T under most circumstances.

You could go with something like the 50T Infinity Combomax "Lite" (010-150)...it's a little nicer blade than the Avanti or Diablo lines IMO, but will run more like $70. If you think you'll need a cleaner cut yet, go with the 60T Hi-ATB 010-060, also for ~ $70. (see the reviews with the model number link for more detail)


----------



## rok3269 (Feb 4, 2009)

That's a lot of really good info , thanx much ... .I'm going to digest all that and I know I will be making a very educated purchase... thanx to all of you for your info.

Mario


----------



## BobbyfromHouston (Jul 4, 2008)

I think Freud blades are really good. I have all sizes of them. I also really like the 50 tooth combo blade that Delta makes. I watched a guy use it at a woodworking show and was truly impressed. The price was not bad either. something around 50 I think.
Bobby


----------



## rok3269 (Feb 4, 2009)

I am probably going to go with the freud blade, I want to replace the fence first as it doesn't move evenly and is missing parts.
(about 28.00 from delta and others.) Then I will be buying the new blade.


----------



## jeffreythree (Jan 9, 2008)

I used to have one. Don't spend big bucks on a blade. It was never accurate enough to bother with one. A $20-$30 combo blade will do just fine for what it is capable of. I made a cross cut sled to get any kind of accuracy.


----------



## Sleeper (Mar 24, 2009)

knotscott said:


> Those $20-$30 Freuds are pretty darn good IMO....prolly the best bang for the buck going. A $100 blade might a little better, but to be frank, I don't think your saw is precise enough to reveal the difference to warrant spending that much on a blade.


I was cutting some long pieces of ¾” plywood today with an old combination blade and noticed my cuts were a little rough. It turned out that my fence was out of adjustment and not parallel with the blade. It got me thinking about maybe getting a new blade because I’m in the middle of a project with some oak plywood and don't want to mess it up. 
You mentioned that the Delta saw may not be precise enough. I have a 20 year old 10” Craftsman table saw. Do think I would notice much difference?


----------



## knotscott (Nov 8, 2007)

Sleeper said:


> I was cutting some long pieces of ¾” plywood today with an old combination blade and noticed my cuts were a little rough. It turned out that my fence was out of adjustment and not parallel with the blade. It got me thinking about maybe getting a new blade because I’m in the middle of a project with some oak plywood and don't want to mess it up.
> You mentioned that the Delta saw may not be precise enough. I have a 20 year old 10” Craftsman table saw. Do think I would notice much difference?


Hi Johnny, it really depends on the particular saw. Many Delta saws are excellent, as are some of the Craftsman saws. The TS200 is an entry level inexpensive saw with modest precision....I think it'll be worth putting a decent $30-$40 blade on, but I would not spend $100 for a Forrest WWII blade or equivalent. Craftsman has some that are in the same class, but they also have some saws with very good precision. You're likely to notice an improvement from a clean, sharp, good quality blade on almost any saw that runs reasonably well. If you're saw is a full size cast iron saw with a belt drive induction motor hanging out the back, it's should be capable of some very good precision, and would be worth getting a good blade for. The definition of "good" is where things become less clear. 

I'd avoid the cheapest blades you can find...most are junk, and those that cut well won't hold up too long. A good $30-$40 blade like the Freud TK Avanti series offers a lot of performance for the money. So does the DeWalt "Precision Trim" series if you can find them on sale, but I don't recommend going with the DeWalt Construction series for fine woodworking. AFAIK, the Ridgid Titanium line is made by Freud to similar standards as the Avanti and Diablo lines, so those can represent good value too. Some of the Craftsman blades appear to be made by Freud also and can be a decent value on sale....model 32808. If you're careful and know what to get, you'll continue to get slightly improved performance for increasingly more money spent, but I'd guess you'd be fairly pleased with any of these sub $50 blades for overall general use. 

If you'd really like cleaner cuts in plywood, consider going with a good quality blade that has more teeth (60 to 80 teeth), and that is recommended for fine crosscuts and/or plywood (will have an "ATB" grind, or better yet, a "Hi-ATB" grind). Blades like the Freud TK Avanti 406, Freud LU88R010, Freud LU79R010, Infinity 010-060, DeWalt DW3215PT, DW3218PT, or Forrest Duraline will all be excellent in plywood, but will offer a bit less versatility of other tasks depending on which you choose.

Keep the blade clean and it'll perform well for a fairly long time. 

Some reading that might help you choose:

Saw Blades 101
Saw Blade Comparison


----------



## Sleeper (Mar 24, 2009)

knotscott said:


> Hi Johnny, it really depends on the particular saw. Many Delta saws are excellent, as are some of the Craftsman saws. The TS200 is an entry level inexpensive saw with modest precision....I think it'll be worth putting a decent $30-$40 blade on, but I would not spend $100 for a Forrest WWII blade or equivalent. Craftsman has some that are in the same class, but they also have some saws with very good precision. You're likely to notice an improvement from a clean, sharp, good quality blade on almost any saw that runs reasonably well. If you're saw is a full size cast iron saw with a belt drive induction motor hanging out the back, it's should be capable of some very good precision, and would be worth getting a good blade for. The definition of "good" is where things become less clear.
> 
> Some reading that might help you choose:
> 
> ...


Thanks, my saw is the cast iron type with the pulley motor and it does run pretty smooth. My only complaint is the fence. I’m going to start looking for a new blade.:icon_smile:


----------

