# CMT 210.080.10 Hi-ATB 80T Fine Crosscut/Plywood/Melamine Blade



## knotscott (Nov 8, 2007)

After being disappointed with the performance of not one, but two different 40T CMT 213.040.10 general purpose blades that were purchased from different retailers more than a year apart, I was beginning to doubt their quality level, but the CMT Orange 210.080.10 has restored my faith.


The CMT 80T Hi-ATB 210.080.10 is a full kerf fine cutoff blade with a steep 40° top bevel for super low tearout in crosscuts, plywood, melamine, and laminates. It’s got a 5° hook angle making it suitable for TS, RAS, CMS, or SCMS. The 210.080.10 also features a bright orange protective coating, laser cut expansion slots, and large C4 carbide tips. Other comparable blades are the Infinity 010-080 Ultrasmooth, Forrest Duraline, Freud LU80R010, Amana MB10-800, among others. The CMT is as good as any of those that I’ve tried. It makes an amazingly clean cut in plywood, and amazingly clean crosscuts. It has too many teeth to rip efficiently, but is an excellent dedicated crosscut blade…don’t ask a piano teacher for tennis lessons, and don’t ask a Hi-ATB crosscut blade to rip thick cherry!


The Hi-ATB grind has the least amount of tearout compared to any other grind (assuming all other parameters are equal), and a bevel angle of 40° is about as steep as it gets. One limitation of a Hi-ATB design is that those razor sharp teeth with the fearsome looking points are more prone to dulling because the tips tend to abrade more rapidly than other grinds. Great for hobby use, but not such a good choice for high commercial volumes where edge life is more important. If you need the ultimate in cut quality with low tearout, and are willing to pay for a blade that operates superbly in a narrow range of cuts, this blade is a great choice.


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

Are you recommending this blade (ATB) over a quality 80T, TCG?


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## knotscott (Nov 8, 2007)

cabinetman said:


> Are you recommending this blade (ATB) over a quality 80T, TCG?


Depends on the application...for applications where you want the least amount of tearout, yep...a Hi-ATB blade takes the cake for plywood, fine crosscuts, clean melamine cuts, etc. For non-ferrous metals, very hard/brittle materials, high volume applications, etc., then a TCG is a better choice.


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## clarionflyer (Apr 27, 2008)

Hey knotscott!?!

This is a little ironic, but I've used the Freud "general" (with much love) for awhile now. But I was heading out tomorrow to buy a CMT, just to try things out. 
So stick with the Freud?
Dave


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## knotscott (Nov 8, 2007)

Hi Dave - I'm not big on broad scale brand loyalty or brand name avoidance, so I won't suggest sticking with Freud and avoiding CMT in general terms, but my two experiences with the CMT 213.040.10 were not good, so I can't recommend that particular model. The CMT 80T Hi-ATB is superb.


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## TexasTimbers (Oct 17, 2006)

knotscott said:


> …don’t ask a piano teacher for tennis lessons . . .


I don't know man, I heard Liberace had a pretty mean game. :blink:

Nice review - I am with you on the brand thing. Some brands do have better quality in general but you can still get an inferior tool from any of them.


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## Ghidrah (Mar 2, 2010)

I only buy general or cross use blades for my circs. My shop saws TS and RAS and my SCMS and SDCMS get rips for ripping, crosscuts for crosscuts and plywood for it and veneer this has always provided me with excellent results. When I do get poor results more often than not its do to my error. 

I have a lot of blades, and prefer the thicker ones. IMO the amount of stock saved with thin kerf blades doesn't warrent the occassional wobble and or warpage I get from them due to heat and or the occassional knot or odd grain pattern. I know it shouldn't bother me, I always run them through the jointer anyway but it does.

When I want to concerve material I use the BS. In general I don't favor any one brand either, I have CMT, Freud, Oldham, Tenryu, Diablo, and Irwin.


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## knotscott (Nov 8, 2007)

TexasTimbers said:


> I don't know man, I heard Liberace had a pretty mean game. :blink:....


So there's more to him than meets the eye....And to think, all these years I thought he just had a "pretty". :laughing:


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## duncsuss (Aug 21, 2009)

*two questions ...*

Scott,

I just ordered the Delta 35-7657 10" x 40T General Purpose blade that you recommended on another forum.

Would I notice a significant improvement when cutting plywood and/or MDF if I get the CMT 210.080.10 Hi-ATB 80T blade?

Also, would the Delta 35-7657 be a suitable blade for ripping? (e.g. for ripping pen blanks out of 3/4" boards?)

If not, do you have a recommendation for a good ripping blade at a reasonable price?

Thanks --

Duncan


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## knotscott (Nov 8, 2007)

Hi Duncan - The 7657 will leave a cleaner cut than most dedicated rip blades, and should have no trouble ripping 3/4"...it should even do fairly well to 5/4", maybe 6/4" or more depending on the material and your saw. For routine ripping of materials thicker than that, you may want a dedicated 24T FTG ripper.

A good 80T Hi-ATB blade like the CMT should have a notable advantage in plywood and fine crosscuts over a 40T ATB grind, but MDF is pretty easy to cut, so it may not be worth the cost. MDF is also known to be tough on carbide, and Hi-ATB grinds are known to wear faster. You may find that the 7657 is more than adequate for most ply and CC applications too. The real debate is whether or not it's worth the extra money to gain that advantage of the 80T Hi-ATB, and that'll really depend on the application and your objectives.


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## duncsuss (Aug 21, 2009)

Thanks Scott -- I'll see how the 7657 handles the cuts I'm likely to make before deciding if I need another blade.

I suppose I should try the ripping blade I have -- it's primitive though! (Just steel -- no carbide, no laser-cut expansion slots, no teflon coating ;D)


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