F.Y.I. - For those of you wanting to get into woodworking I just wanted to say I am very pleased with Steve's woodworking program and helpful staff. Just before the pandemic I signed up for his Weekend Workshop to setup my own workshop. His plans are excellent and extremely practical. Also Steve's large collection of free instructional video's, like this one, are excellent.
I agree with Timothy. Last year, I signed up for the course as well. Before this I had never (never, I tell you) made anything. I didn't have hardly any of the tools. But I completed the course and can say I feel confident in moving forward with my new hobby. Thanks Steve!
Good to hear, I have done the same and while you may not build every project, each one has taught me ways of doing certain tasks, or given me ideas for things to incorperate into other projects
Your timing with this video is perfect. I’ve been wondering what blade would work best for me, and your description of FTB and ATB was something I didn’t know about. Thanks!
I seem to recall when I started the weekend woodworker in 2018 that you recommended the combination blade over all. I am going to buy a new blade today... will try the general purpose one. Thanks again.
Thanks for a clear, concise explanation of these two blade types. I do find a rip blade advantageous for ripping "two by" construction lumber or hardwoods, but your description and case for a default general purpose blade is very compelling, and it is the blade most commonly installed in my table saw. While your intended audience might be "mere mortals", there is nothing "mere" about your content or style. Your approachability, clarity, and focus are outstanding and have given me a lot of inspiration for the kinds of things I would like to build and the ways I might build them.
I have a rip blade and a combo blade. Its more work in changing out blades often, but it minimizes wear and tear on each blade. I also primarily purchase my wood in a rough cut format, and tend to make several rip cuts in the process of preparing my lumber for use.
Just love your clean easy to digest info. I have been using tools and a table saw my whole life, very very infrequently, and never knew what blade differences meant.
I'm a pretty intermediate woodworker and know all about the different cuts and types of blade and what you should use for cross cutting or ripping etc, but I still learned something from this video and enjoyed watching it. I learned the angle of the teeth for the blades that I use most, had no idea a Diablo GP 40 tooth has a higher 30° angle or the 15° combo angle. Personally I keep the higher count teeth in my miter saw and use a 24 tooth ripping for thick 12/4 exotic hardwoods,but everything else I use a 40t, and if I need a flat bottom I just use a dado stack.
I agree with your general assessment, but I have found one personal exception to the rule. For me, something like a Freud glue line rip blade is really good when you're going to be doing some edge glue ups that you don't want to spend a lot of time making sure are tight. Just rip and go. Obviously, there's a trade off in terms of time spent changing the blade (and cost of blade), but when edge gluing long (say, >4') boards, it's worth it for me.....especially if you don't have a floor mounted jointer.
I had been using one of the Diablo combo blades, and recently (after reading some forum comments, and talking with a sales person) decided to update to dedicated rip cut and crosscut blades. After seeing this video, I now question whether that was really necessary, or if I fell into the trap of "need more tools!" That said, I think I am still okay with this idea of swapping blades for a few reasons: 1. Swapping blades for different cuts will hopefully put me in a mindset of "slowing down" and thinking about each step of a process, rather than just plowing through a whole bunch of steps (which is when errors or injury could occur). 2. Swapping blades gives one a good opportunity to inspect the blade, clean the blade and the setup, and just make sure I've always got my eye on the everything. If one *never* changed blades, it would be easy to ignore what is happening under the throat plate. 3. Probably will get more life out of both blades, if swapping, than out of a single blade, for the reasons Steve noted. So... that's that :)
Fantastic breakdown of different blade types. One of the best I’ve seen. Very straightforward but still full of good detail. Thank you Steve for always sharing your practical approach. I love other channels too but it’s nice to have this to counter some of the more bourgeois guys out there.
Hi Steve from New Zealand.. This video is very timely… I have just a couple a month ago purchased a bright and shiny table saw and I decided that it would be good to replace the blade that came with the saw with a “more superior” / good brand 80 tooth blade.. But as you mentioned when using it I experienced burn marks and very hard to feed wood through!! I then watched your video and got the correct info and replaced the blade with a 40 tooth general purpose one, (actually the exact same make as the one in your video), boy I instantly noticed the difference… like a hot knife through butter!! Thanks for your help!
I really like your common sense approach. Most folks in woodworking are doing it as a sort of hobby and don’t want to spend a ton of money of equipment. Thanks for your great videos.
After watching this video I bought a new 50 tooth combo blade. That and Taylor tools is have a sale of 30-50% of CMT saw blades. I’ve been wanting one for a while and your video helped me decide which one to get yesterday.
Hola! 🖐 Thanks for the excellent and detailed explanation. You are right that one can easily get saturated and overwhelmed with data and information. Your videos and this one included, help simplify the subject you discuss. Even though blades are not the biggest investment in the shop, it's probably one of the most used and most relied upon for a good finished product. Thanks for the video, hope to see many more in the future. Take care and have a good one, Adios! 👊
Awesome, simplistic view of blade types. Really enjoyed the blade pitch definitions. But maybe another thing that should have been noted is how they are used and maintained. Most people buy new blades when their perfectly good blade only needs cleaning. Usually due to pushing too hard or cutting too much pitchwood (pine, etc.). A well maintained blade will last much longer than a dirty and abused blade, saving even more.
Great point about blade maintenance/cleaning. A lot of good blades are thrown away because they are covered in pitch/sap....there are cleaners out there that will take that stuff off a blade, and it'll cut like new again. Course it also helps to not cut through nails, screws, etc. That kind of tears up blades....although some can take a few nails/screws with little damage to the carbide teeth, old blades before carbide was common one nail/screw and the blade was toast LOL. Still, its not a good idea to be cutting through nails/screws, even a general purpose blade isn't really that cheap, especially the 10-12 inch ones. Buy a metal detector and run over boards that you are unsure of before cutting them to be sure there aren't any pieces of metal in them.
For years I've used rip cut (24t) blades in my circular saw because I use them to break down sheet good to rough dimensions, so speed is best. I use the combo blade (40t) blade in my table saw, and a crosscut (60 or 80t) in my mitre saw. Have gotten the best results doing it this way. Also Diablo make the the best blades I have used and remember to clean you blades at least once a year, more if you use your saw more.
I use Diablo blades as well, they're a great blade made by Freud, and they're pretty decently priced too. A clean blade is a must, just as well as a sharp blade...they don't cut very well when they're dull and covered in pitch/sap.
I used one of those on a colleague's saw, it was amazing. It's like hot knife thru butter. I need to make flat bottom occasionally, so my choice was dictated. So combo is best for weekend woodworker like me. Just in case I need to rip a lot of stuff, I can always put back on the 24-tooth blade that comes with the saw. It has 0 miles on it. Changing out saw blade on my saw was not as bad as the old ones. Since it uses ACME thread, it comes off pretty easily and both blade alignments were near perfect (Diablo has better flatness).
Great video Steve, even by your standards this is a particularly well scripted and chosen topic hitting on an area that hasn't been done to death of great use to the hobby woodworker.
A very clear explanation on blade types and differences. If you want to show comparisons (like you attempt at the end of the video), make sure to take your time showing the cuts, display the cuts in a comparable manner and show any differences longer and clearer than in this video. Keep up the great work Steve
Thank you for this common sense approach! Especially the "lab tested" differences. It's like "the best jigsaw"; it just depends so much more on the individual ability than the lab-tested quality of the tool.
Thanks Steve for the info. I am about to order a new table saw for myself and wanted to know which saw blade is best for me. I think I’ll go with the Combo one!
Great discussion. As a hobbyist I can make most of my cuts with a general purpose blade, including rips up to about 1.5 - 2 inches. In seems the general purpose does much better on crosscuts and sheet goods as compared to a combination blade. But when ripping thicker stock the general purpose struggles and the combination blade shines. However the combination blades does just a little worse on sheet goods and cross cuts. All this assumes the table saw fence and miter slots are properly aligned, if not no blade will perform well. The choice may come down to whether or not you own a band saw. Bandsaws are fantastic for ripping even thick stock and in my opinion safer. I now rip on the band saw and clean up on the jointer to table saw. So for me, the general purpose blade is ideal and I only pull out the combination blade is rare cases.
Hi, Steve. I didn't imagine such science on this subject. Even some professional woodworkers I know can tell the difference between saw blades with this detail level. That's a very important information to make nice and safety cuts. Thank you for sharing and have a nice day.
"that slight edge they need" - har har har. I see what you did there. Nice video. I bought a glue line Freud rip blade for a very fancy project a while back (I don't have a jointer) and was very pleased with it.
Frankly I use an 80T crosscut blade for everything and have never had a problem. I'll trade going a little slower for a sanded like finish on the cut surface and less tear out.
Awesome. I suspect for most of us we’d rather get a cut done than spend time switching blades 😅 (even if it just takes a few seconds). I’ve been making jigs with oak plywood because that’s all the big box stores had when I bought it and my rip cut blade tears out horribly! Will pick up a GP for my lazy self to set and forget 👍
While I don't feel the need to have an 80t crosscut blade in the table saw, I certainly think the rip blade is worth using for any long or deep rips. If you've spent big bucks on hardwood, it's worth making a blade switch to cut it more cleanly. With a good table saw it won't take long to switch the blade once you're used to it. I find changing the blade to be trivial on my SawStop. It was a bigger hurdle to realize it wasn't a big deal to change the blade. Even switching to and from a Dado set isn't so tough except for lining up the other brake.
I bought a rip blade for turning some ugly but free 2x12s into 2x4 for random usage and wish I'd bought the blade sooner for ripping 2x4s in half, which I do a decent amount for household projects where 2x4 is overkill. My favorite use is supports for fruit laden tree branches where the ripped 2x4 is much easier, and a pair of them gives me simple height adjustment.
One thing to do is plan your cuts so you don't have to change the blades as often during a project, if you decide to use dedicated blades....or have 2 table saws, one setup for each blade LOL.
It's worth mentioning that rip blades have another feature that can be beneficial. They are thinner, and if you are re-sawing with a table saw, your material savings might be important.
Great video. I still prefer cross cut and ripping blades when I need a perfect cut though. "Near perfect" is usually okay most of the time. Edit: Actually I've been using general purpose blades for a few projects and I noticed I get way smoother rip cuts. And cross cuts aren't that bad. I'm really liking general purpose blades now.
Thanks very much for the info Steve. 👍 I'm hoping to begin woodworking this summer as I have a big(ish) birthday coming up and my wife has seen me watching your UA-cam videos. She doesn't miss much! I have expressed my concerns about not having enough space for a Mitre saw and a Table saw in our 12 x 8 shed (which we share), but we'll see how we get on. Any tips on setting up in a small space would be most welcome. All the best, Andy in North Yorkshire 👍
Ah! I consider myself a student much more than a teacher, but feel like I have something relevant to say here. First, I have found from helping other people that many less experienced woodworkers who are frustrated with the performance of their tablesaw often don't have it set up right. They get a contractor style used or from a big box store, and they never check to make sure that their miter slots are parallel to their blade. Stumpy nubs has some great info on this, so before you throw out the blade, check your alignment. Second, cleaning your blades DOES help more often than not. Simple green and a bucket lid, doesn't have to be crazy. Third, a big thick boi like Forrest or Ridge Carbide can produce a pretty amazing finish on a well aligned saw. When I first saw it I was amazed. I went in with high expectations and they blew my mind out of the water. Fourth, unfortunately, if you have a smaller, more available tablesaw, putting a .125in thick blade on there probably isn't the best use of your limited horsepower. Many inexperienced woodworkers love the idea of thin kerf, but mostly to preserve material, which is typically a hilariously small benefit compared to that it doesn't require nearly as much power. And fifth, the configuration I personally liked, and that I recommend to all inexperienced woodworkers, is a decent thin kerf blade and some 4in blade stabilizers. You go down to ~2 5/8in depth of cut, but you can take them off when you need more, and honestly were you really using more than that? In return you get a nice thin easy-to-cut kerf, maximum material preservation, and comparable performance to the blades that cost as much as your saw does. Those stabilizers will also be usable far and away into your hobby, they aren't suddenly moot if you get a bigger saw. For cheap, high quality blades I buy diablo if I'm in a hurry, but if I've got time I would buy ITC orange blades from Taylor toolworks. Very good, modestly priced.
Nothing wrong with Diablo blades, they're made by Freud, also a very high end blade manufacturer.....but Diablo blades are readily available at many hardware stores, where the high end brand blades mentioned are not available in many places, and oftentimes you would have to order them online. Blade brand makes no difference if the tool isn't setup right, and if the user has no clue what they are doing....and if the blade is dull...don't matter if its a $200 blade or a $10 blade, if its dull it will cut like crap...and be dangerous. Cleaning blades don't take very long, and if they're really bad, soak them for a while in dawn dish soap, then with a nylon brush you can usually brush them off and all the sap/pitch will usually brush off.
I enjoyed this video and have enjoyed all your videos for quite some time. I downloaded your tool list but didn't see the handy crosscut miter fence. Do you have a link to that? I make my own crosscut sleds but they can take up a lot of room. Thank you and keep the videos coming.
I remember back in the 90s, my dad used to have a combo blade on his table saw, but if he was working on melamine shelve projects, he would switch to a melamine blade because it produced easier cuts, and he said that he could feel it when cutting. Fast-forward to now, I now use the same system, a combo blade and a quality blade for sheet goods.
I have a combo blade and a flat-bottom-groove blade and I find myself reaching for any other with less and less frequency. but my father also convinced me that 'it isn't going in the [redacted] smithsonian" is a good general rule and as such having the exact right blade probably isn't all that crucial.
I would love to hear what the main difference is between these types of blades (which you can buy at the local home center) and the more expensive ones around $100+ dollars, for instance amana, forrest, frued industrial. Do these high end blades really cut better than the more affordable options to justify the cost.
The higher end blades don't really cut better, you pay more for the name, and in many cases you can't find those high end blades in stores anyways, unless you go to a dedicated wood working store, and be prepared for $200+ sticker shock for some of those blades. Unless you are doing extremely fine furniture building, where everything needs measured down to the millimeter, all those expensive blades are far from worth it...and they get dull just like any of the other blades out there that cost 1/4 or 1/8 of the price. I've been using Diablo blades for years, they're made by Freud, and work just fine for the $20-40 price tag...I wait until they are on sale and pickup a few....sometimes they have the 2 pack 10" general purpose blades for about $45 and the 2 pack 12" general purpose blades for around $50...I grab those 2 packs when I can. The only time I've found where a different blade is needed is that laminate fake wood flooring....I use a 60-80 tooth blade for that stuff to keep from chipping the finished side of the material....other than that, a general purpose blade does pretty much all my cutting needs....even through plywood, MDF, and OSB. The key is having a clean sharp blade...it can be a $200 blade, but if its covered in sap/pitch, or its dull, it isn't going to cut any better than a $20 blade.
Explained very good, I also just want one blade does all because I dont work with wood all the time, changing blades is a PITA, thanks for posting........
If you have to force the material through the blade, excessive burning on cuts, excessive tear outs of your material, are a very good indication that your blade is dull....it can also mean that your blade is covered in sap/pitch and just needs cleaned. Before you assume its dull, give the blade a good scrubbing with soap and water, or you can also use Simple Green. The pitch/sap can build up over time and give the appearance that the blade is dull as it causes resistance when feeding material through the blade....so clean the blade first and give it a try before sharpening/replacing....physically checking the blade's teeth for missing or broken carbide tips is another great way to tell if it needs sharpened/replaced, if there are broken/missing tips replace the blade...if the tips are just rounded over or slightly nicked they can be sharpened.
This is useful, thanks. Big Orange has the Diablo 10” general purpose blades in stock for about $30 and combination blades for about $37. I like the idea of a flat bottom cut. I have a 80 tooth yellow blade on the saw for over a decade and this cements the decision to replace it with a more appropriate blade rather than sharpen it.
Those angled teeth reminded me of something important: The opening shots of Twin Peaks :) I was thinking about the was these blades might be manufactured, cut from a thick sheet or steel and then the teeth sharpened to the desired form, then I remembered that Twin Peaks shows a lumber mill or something and there's a circular grinder thingy sharpening some blades, and it turn plus-minus some degrees between the teeth. Look it up if you know what I'm talking about :) (I'm talking the original opening for season 1 and 2, I haven't seen season 3 yet).
One thing that I learned was picking up a can of brake cleaner or laquer thinners and wash your saw blade around the teeth area to clean out the glues and saps that collect on the teeth of the blade you won't get wood burning or heating the saw blade as well as not needing to sharpen it as often since the glues and saps will gum up and slow down the blade and put a stress on your saw expressly if your cutting laminate flooring or plastics...
🎵 Flat bottom blades, you make the sawing world go round 😆👍
Finally, complete blades explanation, simple and efficient. Thanks again Steve.
F.Y.I. - For those of you wanting to get into woodworking I just wanted to say I am very pleased with Steve's woodworking program and helpful staff. Just before the pandemic I signed up for his Weekend Workshop to setup my own workshop. His plans are excellent and extremely practical. Also Steve's large collection of free instructional video's, like this one, are excellent.
Well thanks Timothy! I really appreciate that! 👍👊
Ditto.
Completely agree! Been amazing what I have learned and built for family and friends. Thanks Steve!
I agree with Timothy. Last year, I signed up for the course as well. Before this I had never (never, I tell you) made anything. I didn't have hardly any of the tools. But I completed the course and can say I feel confident in moving forward with my new hobby. Thanks Steve!
Agreed! Built a couple RIOs, a couple Flip-Top carts and the lumber racks already. Great course!
My wife and I watch your videos everynight. just started woodworking a few weeks ago, your videos have helped A lot. We thanks you.
Good to hear, I have done the same and while you may not build every project, each one has taught me ways of doing certain tasks, or given me ideas for things to incorperate into other projects
Absolutely a perfect video. I needed this exact explanation to know the difference. Thank you.👍🏽
Videos like this one is why I keep coming back to your channel. Thanks Steve.
Time to renew my table saw blade. Thanks Steve. Great advice from the maestro!
Your timing with this video is perfect. I’ve been wondering what blade would work best for me, and your description of FTB and ATB was something I didn’t know about. Thanks!
Just when you thought Friday couldn't get better, another great video from Steve
It's the first practical explanation about blade design I've heard, and one that hasn't left me more undecided than I was before I heard it.
I seem to recall when I started the weekend woodworker in 2018 that you recommended the combination blade over all. I am going to buy a new blade today... will try the general purpose one. Thanks again.
Thanks!
Thank you David!
Good information to know before ripping long cabinet panels (plywood and paper thin veneer) - thanks!
Thanks for a clear, concise explanation of these two blade types. I do find a rip blade advantageous for ripping "two by" construction lumber or hardwoods, but your description and case for a default general purpose blade is very compelling, and it is the blade most commonly installed in my table saw.
While your intended audience might be "mere mortals", there is nothing "mere" about your content or style. Your approachability, clarity, and focus are outstanding and have given me a lot of inspiration for the kinds of things I would like to build and the ways I might build them.
I have a rip blade and a combo blade. Its more work in changing out blades often, but it minimizes wear and tear on each blade. I also primarily purchase my wood in a rough cut format, and tend to make several rip cuts in the process of preparing my lumber for use.
Just love your clean easy to digest info. I have been using tools and a table saw my whole life, very very infrequently, and never knew what blade differences meant.
I'm a pretty intermediate woodworker and know all about the different cuts and types of blade and what you should use for cross cutting or ripping etc, but I still learned something from this video and enjoyed watching it. I learned the angle of the teeth for the blades that I use most, had no idea a Diablo GP 40 tooth has a higher 30° angle or the 15° combo angle. Personally I keep the higher count teeth in my miter saw and use a 24 tooth ripping for thick 12/4 exotic hardwoods,but everything else I use a 40t, and if I need a flat bottom I just use a dado stack.
Great information Steve. I use a general-purpose blade and feel no reason to but or use anything else.
20 years of woodworking. This man speaks the truth.
2 years of woodworking. Seems like a nice guy. He probably speaks the truth. 😂
Great video Steve. Explained this confusing subject extremely well!
I love Diablo blades.
Great job 👍
The flat tooth on the combo makes it the winner in my mind because you can make grooves and dadoes and have them be smooth inside.
Excellent video....finally on this topic. For the uninitiated, this topic is bewildering. Thank you.
I've been watching you for a decade. Yet another informative video.
Very well spoken Steve. Wonderful explanation.
Thank you. New DIY'er here. I appreciate the insight. Going with the GP blade for my circular and a 80t Diablo for my MITRE
Steve, the best and simplest blades types video I ever see!! As always, thank you 👍🏻
Steve I know shorts are taking off, but I need long from videos from you. You are my zen. Thank you for all of your content!
I agree with your general assessment, but I have found one personal exception to the rule. For me, something like a Freud glue line rip blade is really good when you're going to be doing some edge glue ups that you don't want to spend a lot of time making sure are tight. Just rip and go. Obviously, there's a trade off in terms of time spent changing the blade (and cost of blade), but when edge gluing long (say, >4') boards, it's worth it for me.....especially if you don't have a floor mounted jointer.
I had been using one of the Diablo combo blades, and recently (after reading some forum comments, and talking with a sales person) decided to update to dedicated rip cut and crosscut blades. After seeing this video, I now question whether that was really necessary, or if I fell into the trap of "need more tools!"
That said, I think I am still okay with this idea of swapping blades for a few reasons:
1. Swapping blades for different cuts will hopefully put me in a mindset of "slowing down" and thinking about each step of a process, rather than just plowing through a whole bunch of steps (which is when errors or injury could occur).
2. Swapping blades gives one a good opportunity to inspect the blade, clean the blade and the setup, and just make sure I've always got my eye on the everything. If one *never* changed blades, it would be easy to ignore what is happening under the throat plate.
3. Probably will get more life out of both blades, if swapping, than out of a single blade, for the reasons Steve noted.
So... that's that :)
That’s some solid advice. Thanks 👍
Wonderful explanation of table saw blades! One of my favourite videos from you this year.
Fantastic breakdown of different blade types. One of the best I’ve seen. Very straightforward but still full of good detail. Thank you Steve for always sharing your practical approach. I love other channels too but it’s nice to have this to counter some of the more bourgeois guys out there.
Couldn't agree more. Gave me the confidence to experiment cutting unusual shell depths. Cheers.
Hi Steve from New Zealand.. This video is very timely… I have just a couple a month ago purchased a bright and shiny table saw and I decided that it would be good to replace the blade that came with the saw with a “more superior” / good brand 80 tooth blade.. But as you mentioned when using it I experienced burn marks and very hard to feed wood through!! I then watched your video and got the correct info and replaced the blade with a 40 tooth general purpose one, (actually the exact same make as the one in your video), boy I instantly noticed the difference… like a hot knife through butter!!
Thanks for your help!
I really like your common sense approach. Most folks in woodworking are doing it as a sort of hobby and don’t want to spend a ton of money of equipment. Thanks for your great videos.
Awesome tips, Steve! Thanks a bunch! 😊
Stay safe there with your family! 🖖😊
After watching this video I bought a new 50 tooth combo blade. That and Taylor tools is have a sale of 30-50% of CMT saw blades. I’ve been wanting one for a while and your video helped me decide which one to get yesterday.
Hola! 🖐 Thanks for the excellent and detailed explanation. You are right that one can easily get saturated and overwhelmed with data and information. Your videos and this one included, help simplify the subject you discuss. Even though blades are not the biggest investment in the shop, it's probably one of the most used and most relied upon for a good finished product. Thanks for the video, hope to see many more in the future. Take care and have a good one, Adios! 👊
I agree with the brand and the 40 tooth blade. I've tried many different brands and Diablo has been best hands down.
Awesome, simplistic view of blade types. Really enjoyed the blade pitch definitions.
But maybe another thing that should have been noted is how they are used and maintained. Most people buy new blades when their perfectly good blade only needs cleaning. Usually due to pushing too hard or cutting too much pitchwood (pine, etc.). A well maintained blade will last much longer than a dirty and abused blade, saving even more.
Great point about blade maintenance/cleaning. A lot of good blades are thrown away because they are covered in pitch/sap....there are cleaners out there that will take that stuff off a blade, and it'll cut like new again.
Course it also helps to not cut through nails, screws, etc. That kind of tears up blades....although some can take a few nails/screws with little damage to the carbide teeth, old blades before carbide was common one nail/screw and the blade was toast LOL. Still, its not a good idea to be cutting through nails/screws, even a general purpose blade isn't really that cheap, especially the 10-12 inch ones. Buy a metal detector and run over boards that you are unsure of before cutting them to be sure there aren't any pieces of metal in them.
You've really done your homework. Thanks for a good job.
Good comprehensive talk.
Short & sweet - thanks, Steve.
For years I've used rip cut (24t) blades in my circular saw because I use them to break down sheet good to rough dimensions, so speed is best. I use the combo blade (40t) blade in my table saw, and a crosscut (60 or 80t) in my mitre saw. Have gotten the best results doing it this way. Also Diablo make the the best blades I have used and remember to clean you blades at least once a year, more if you use your saw more.
Yes! Clean your blades. Especially if you're cutting a lot of green wood.
I use Diablo blades as well, they're a great blade made by Freud, and they're pretty decently priced too.
A clean blade is a must, just as well as a sharp blade...they don't cut very well when they're dull and covered in pitch/sap.
Great video!! Lots of info.
Great video - clear, concise explanation of valuable information!
Thank you, great information 👍. All the best. Peace and good fortune and good health to you and your family. ❤️ 😀
Thank you for this info and your personal experience
I used one of those on a colleague's saw, it was amazing. It's like hot knife thru butter. I need to make flat bottom occasionally, so my choice was dictated. So combo is best for weekend woodworker like me. Just in case I need to rip a lot of stuff, I can always put back on the 24-tooth blade that comes with the saw. It has 0 miles on it. Changing out saw blade on my saw was not as bad as the old ones. Since it uses ACME thread, it comes off pretty easily and both blade alignments were near perfect (Diablo has better flatness).
Great video Steve, even by your standards this is a particularly well scripted and chosen topic hitting on an area that hasn't been done to death of great use to the hobby woodworker.
A very clear explanation on blade types and differences. If you want to show comparisons (like you attempt at the end of the video), make sure to take your time showing the cuts, display the cuts in a comparable manner and show any differences longer and clearer than in this video. Keep up the great work Steve
The cuts look the same. Not much else to show.
Thank you for this common sense approach! Especially the "lab tested" differences. It's like "the best jigsaw"; it just depends so much more on the individual ability than the lab-tested quality of the tool.
Thanks Steve for the info. I am about to order a new table saw for myself and wanted to know which saw blade is best for me. I think I’ll go with the Combo one!
Did see you for e few years now. But so happy you are still in great shape 😍😍
Great discussion. As a hobbyist I can make most of my cuts with a general purpose blade, including rips up to about 1.5 - 2 inches. In seems the general purpose does much better on crosscuts and sheet goods as compared to a combination blade. But when ripping thicker stock the general purpose struggles and the combination blade shines. However the combination blades does just a little worse on sheet goods and cross cuts. All this assumes the table saw fence and miter slots are properly aligned, if not no blade will perform well.
The choice may come down to whether or not you own a band saw. Bandsaws are fantastic for ripping even thick stock and in my opinion safer. I now rip on the band saw and clean up on the jointer to table saw. So for me, the general purpose blade is ideal and I only pull out the combination blade is rare cases.
Thank you for sharing this with us, so many choices. Blades cost a lot of money. From Henrico County Virginia
Hi, Steve. I didn't imagine such science on this subject. Even some professional woodworkers I know can tell the difference between saw blades with this detail level. That's a very important information to make nice and safety cuts. Thank you for sharing and have a nice day.
I'd go with the combination blade because of the included flat top raker for dados.
Thank you Steve for the information. You made my decision easy watching this video.
"that slight edge they need" - har har har. I see what you did there. Nice video. I bought a glue line Freud rip blade for a very fancy project a while back (I don't have a jointer) and was very pleased with it.
This is useful, I didn't much about table saw blades until i saw this.
Frankly I use an 80T crosscut blade for everything and have never had a problem. I'll trade going a little slower for a sanded like finish on the cut surface and less tear out.
Interesting to watch a woodworker dive deep into blade science and get it mostly right. Well done
does this also translate to a 7 1/4 circular saw? I searched for 7 1/4 general purpose blades but can't find any
I learned something, thank you.
And know I am wondering how to know when to get a new blade?
Thank you for the lesson. This is great info.
Awesome. I suspect for most of us we’d rather get a cut done than spend time switching blades 😅 (even if it just takes a few seconds). I’ve been making jigs with oak plywood because that’s all the big box stores had when I bought it and my rip cut blade tears out horribly! Will pick up a GP for my lazy self to set and forget 👍
Another informative video I'm about to buy some new blades for a couple of my saws so well timed
Just the explanation I needed. Thanks!
Best courses ever!
While I don't feel the need to have an 80t crosscut blade in the table saw, I certainly think the rip blade is worth using for any long or deep rips. If you've spent big bucks on hardwood, it's worth making a blade switch to cut it more cleanly.
With a good table saw it won't take long to switch the blade once you're used to it. I find changing the blade to be trivial on my SawStop. It was a bigger hurdle to realize it wasn't a big deal to change the blade. Even switching to and from a Dado set isn't so tough except for lining up the other brake.
I bought a rip blade for turning some ugly but free 2x12s into 2x4 for random usage and wish I'd bought the blade sooner for ripping 2x4s in half, which I do a decent amount for household projects where 2x4 is overkill. My favorite use is supports for fruit laden tree branches where the ripped 2x4 is much easier, and a pair of them gives me simple height adjustment.
Agreed! I think a nice rip blade is needed for thick hardwoods.
One thing to do is plan your cuts so you don't have to change the blades as often during a project, if you decide to use dedicated blades....or have 2 table saws, one setup for each blade LOL.
Very informative! Thank you, Steve!
Steve, great video, learned something, thank you, thumbs up!
thanks for the info....good job
Love your videos! Great info.
Great information thanks for sharing ✌️💪💪
Thank you for your explanation.
Great info! Awesome video
It's worth mentioning that rip blades have another feature that can be beneficial. They are thinner, and if you are re-sawing with a table saw, your material savings might be important.
The is excellent, so helpful. Thank you for posting.
Great video. I still prefer cross cut and ripping blades when I need a perfect cut though. "Near perfect" is usually okay most of the time.
Edit: Actually I've been using general purpose blades for a few projects and I noticed I get way smoother rip cuts. And cross cuts aren't that bad. I'm really liking general purpose blades now.
very well put!!!!
Thanks very much for the info Steve. 👍
I'm hoping to begin woodworking this summer as I have a big(ish) birthday coming up and my wife has seen me watching your UA-cam videos. She doesn't miss much!
I have expressed my concerns about not having enough space for a Mitre saw and a Table saw in our 12 x 8 shed (which we share), but we'll see how we get on.
Any tips on setting up in a small space would be most welcome. All the best, Andy in North Yorkshire 👍
Ah! I consider myself a student much more than a teacher, but feel like I have something relevant to say here.
First, I have found from helping other people that many less experienced woodworkers who are frustrated with the performance of their tablesaw often don't have it set up right. They get a contractor style used or from a big box store, and they never check to make sure that their miter slots are parallel to their blade. Stumpy nubs has some great info on this, so before you throw out the blade, check your alignment.
Second, cleaning your blades DOES help more often than not. Simple green and a bucket lid, doesn't have to be crazy.
Third, a big thick boi like Forrest or Ridge Carbide can produce a pretty amazing finish on a well aligned saw. When I first saw it I was amazed. I went in with high expectations and they blew my mind out of the water.
Fourth, unfortunately, if you have a smaller, more available tablesaw, putting a .125in thick blade on there probably isn't the best use of your limited horsepower. Many inexperienced woodworkers love the idea of thin kerf, but mostly to preserve material, which is typically a hilariously small benefit compared to that it doesn't require nearly as much power.
And fifth, the configuration I personally liked, and that I recommend to all inexperienced woodworkers, is a decent thin kerf blade and some 4in blade stabilizers. You go down to ~2 5/8in depth of cut, but you can take them off when you need more, and honestly were you really using more than that?
In return you get a nice thin easy-to-cut kerf, maximum material preservation, and comparable performance to the blades that cost as much as your saw does. Those stabilizers will also be usable far and away into your hobby, they aren't suddenly moot if you get a bigger saw.
For cheap, high quality blades I buy diablo if I'm in a hurry, but if I've got time I would buy ITC orange blades from Taylor toolworks. Very good, modestly priced.
Nothing wrong with Diablo blades, they're made by Freud, also a very high end blade manufacturer.....but Diablo blades are readily available at many hardware stores, where the high end brand blades mentioned are not available in many places, and oftentimes you would have to order them online. Blade brand makes no difference if the tool isn't setup right, and if the user has no clue what they are doing....and if the blade is dull...don't matter if its a $200 blade or a $10 blade, if its dull it will cut like crap...and be dangerous.
Cleaning blades don't take very long, and if they're really bad, soak them for a while in dawn dish soap, then with a nylon brush you can usually brush them off and all the sap/pitch will usually brush off.
I enjoyed this video and have enjoyed all your videos for quite some time. I downloaded your tool list but didn't see the handy crosscut miter fence. Do you have a link to that? I make my own crosscut sleds but they can take up a lot of room. Thank you and keep the videos coming.
I remember back in the 90s, my dad used to have a combo blade on his table saw, but if he was working on melamine shelve projects, he would switch to a melamine blade because it produced easier cuts, and he said that he could feel it when cutting. Fast-forward to now, I now use the same system, a combo blade and a quality blade for sheet goods.
I have a combo blade and a flat-bottom-groove blade and I find myself reaching for any other with less and less frequency. but my father also convinced me that 'it isn't going in the [redacted] smithsonian" is a good general rule and as such having the exact right blade probably isn't all that crucial.
Thank you 🙏
I would love to hear what the main difference is between these types of blades (which you can buy at the local home center) and the more expensive ones around $100+ dollars, for instance amana, forrest, frued industrial. Do these high end blades really cut better than the more affordable options to justify the cost.
The higher end blades don't really cut better, you pay more for the name, and in many cases you can't find those high end blades in stores anyways, unless you go to a dedicated wood working store, and be prepared for $200+ sticker shock for some of those blades. Unless you are doing extremely fine furniture building, where everything needs measured down to the millimeter, all those expensive blades are far from worth it...and they get dull just like any of the other blades out there that cost 1/4 or 1/8 of the price. I've been using Diablo blades for years, they're made by Freud, and work just fine for the $20-40 price tag...I wait until they are on sale and pickup a few....sometimes they have the 2 pack 10" general purpose blades for about $45 and the 2 pack 12" general purpose blades for around $50...I grab those 2 packs when I can.
The only time I've found where a different blade is needed is that laminate fake wood flooring....I use a 60-80 tooth blade for that stuff to keep from chipping the finished side of the material....other than that, a general purpose blade does pretty much all my cutting needs....even through plywood, MDF, and OSB. The key is having a clean sharp blade...it can be a $200 blade, but if its covered in sap/pitch, or its dull, it isn't going to cut any better than a $20 blade.
Thanks Steve!
It's true, there are so many different types of blades to choose from. For me, the choice is simple, though: I use ONLY the round ones with teeth. 🤣🤣🤣
That’s how I chose a spouse.
@@CorbinMusso88 👌
Do you use the ones that are metal to
@@cameronknowles6267 Occasionally, yes.🤣
@@CorbinMusso88 lmao
Great video - thanks so much.
If I want to know something I go to you! Thank you for explaining things so well
Thanks for always bringing new school insights! Usually helps us mere mortals save some money! 🤓👍
Explained very good, I also just want one blade does all because I dont work with wood all the time, changing blades is a PITA, thanks for posting........
Can you please also give some checklist on when the blade needs to be sharpenned/replaced?
If you have to force the material through the blade, excessive burning on cuts, excessive tear outs of your material, are a very good indication that your blade is dull....it can also mean that your blade is covered in sap/pitch and just needs cleaned. Before you assume its dull, give the blade a good scrubbing with soap and water, or you can also use Simple Green. The pitch/sap can build up over time and give the appearance that the blade is dull as it causes resistance when feeding material through the blade....so clean the blade first and give it a try before sharpening/replacing....physically checking the blade's teeth for missing or broken carbide tips is another great way to tell if it needs sharpened/replaced, if there are broken/missing tips replace the blade...if the tips are just rounded over or slightly nicked they can be sharpened.
This is useful, thanks. Big Orange has the Diablo 10” general purpose blades in stock for about $30 and combination blades for about $37. I like the idea of a flat bottom cut. I have a 80 tooth yellow blade on the saw for over a decade and this cements the decision to replace it with a more appropriate blade rather than sharpen it.
Those angled teeth reminded me of something important: The opening shots of Twin Peaks :) I was thinking about the was these blades might be manufactured, cut from a thick sheet or steel and then the teeth sharpened to the desired form, then I remembered that Twin Peaks shows a lumber mill or something and there's a circular grinder thingy sharpening some blades, and it turn plus-minus some degrees between the teeth. Look it up if you know what I'm talking about :) (I'm talking the original opening for season 1 and 2, I haven't seen season 3 yet).
One thing that I learned was picking up a can of brake cleaner or laquer thinners and wash your saw blade around the teeth area to clean out the glues and saps that collect on the teeth of the blade you won't get wood burning or heating the saw blade as well as not needing to sharpen it as often since the glues and saps will gum up and slow down the blade and put a stress on your saw expressly if your cutting laminate flooring or plastics...
GREAT info steve. How do you know when to replace a saw blade?
Perfect 👌🏻 thank you 😉