New table saw blade ..?

Hi All,

The tablesaw seemed to burn the wood I was using (its very hard), so me thinks we need a new blade?

Saw this on clearance? Any suggestions or comments …
http://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/freud-24t-circular-saw-blade-10-in-0556979p.html#srp

Its $29, made in Italy.

Thanks
-Bob

I have no idea at all about blades… but if an expensive blade is
better/lasts longer but if so we should probably get the space to buy one.

Thanks for noticing that and looking into new blades.

If the blade we have is a good blade then they can be sharpened a few times before replacing.

Also depends if you were doing ripping in hard wood. May need to change the blade to one that has fewer teeth as this generates less heat according to my quick google search.

Essential Saw Blades

Mark

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Hi Mark,Janet,

Wasnt ripping, am hoping to, but that blade for cross cutting say pine, seemed good. Im not sure what other blades we have, there’s one mounted on the side of the saw itself.

Incidentally, someone came in and I helped them use the miter saw. This saw I feel is dangerous, for one thing, the switch is broken and we had to jam a nail into the hole, later someone told us not to use a metal object since its a power switch. After a while the blade cover stopped working, it locked itself and we had a heck of time figuring how to get it working properly.

Maybe it should be junked for a new one?

-Bob

Hmm…Bob can you shoot me the model number if you are still at the space?

Sounds to me like there is something wrong with the mitre saw. Perhaps it does need to be junked. My suggestion would be in a situation like this is to immediately stop using the saw and find someone who knows what is going on as opposed to trying to “figure it out”?

Mark

Is the blade actually dull ? I dont’ know what the test is, but generally wood tools tends not to get dull like metal cutting tools. I try to stay away from wood and stick to engineering materials (which ironically require no engineering) like metal and plastic, because wood is much more complicated. I know if wood has internal stress it could start to bind against the blade and get hot or even kick back
As an aside my brother, who has a lot of experience with wood, rigged a foot operated power switch for his table saw so that if the cut starts to go wrong he can stop the blade asap while keeping hands on the workpiece.

Rob, Im not sure, it cut pine well, but the Ipe hardwood sample, seemed to cause burning.

Can someone tell me what size, in inches, the blade for the table saw is? Might just pick up this blade, its made in Italy, should be reasonable quality. Perhaps one with many more teeth.

Janet, sorry just noticed your msg, and already left the space.

-Bob

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Well if the new blade works then we’ll know for sure the old one is dull. Maybe don’t chuck it out … keep it around as an example of what a dull blade is like. ?

Just an idea, but you can get also carbide tipped table saw blades, which are especially awesome because you can actually cut 6061 aluminum bar stock with them. Doesn’t get dull. I was cutting off blanks for CNC machining little mold cavities, and you can also use the same blade to cut out a notch onto which you can secure the blank to the mill table. Very quick and efficient method it was for me.

Could do Rob.

Im not actually sure who’s in charge of the saw.

I looked at a better blade from Freud, but most dont recommend cutting solid metal or only extrusion.
This combo blade is rated excellent for all wood, includes antivibration for reduced noise, etc online reviews (60+) give it a 5 stars.

https://www.homedepot.ca/en/home/p.10-in-combo-blade---50-teeth.1000102618.html

Freud makes good tablesaw blades although that Freud blade at CT is a rip blade and, if you are going to replace the blade, you should probably get a good combination blade instead.

Before you replace the blade, check a couple of things first:

  • Is the blade installed correctly? Are the teeth pointing toward the front of the saw as they should? A blade installed backwards is a common error and will result in the cut generating smoke and a poor cut.

  • Is the blade actually dull or is it merely dirty. Cutting a lot of softwood tends to gum up the blade teeth with pitch. Soak the blade in some concentrated Simple Green for about an hour and scrub the teeth with a toothbruch (seems appropriate).

  • Is the blade damaged? Check the teeth very carefully for bent, broken on missing teeth.

Virtually all tablesaw blades manufactured after about 1975 have carbide teeth. And yes, you can use them to cut aluminum. However, unless you get a “non-ferrous metals” blade, it will not give you great results. The teeth also tend to gum up with melted aluminum when cutting some of the softer aluminum alloys. Like any other blade, they do get dull after time.

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Thanks Steve. not sure if anyones touched or swapped the blade. It worked fine on some leftover pine. I can post the cuts of both woods. I havent examined it closely but I think its only a 24T blade, the spare attached to the side of the unit didnt seem to be any different if I recall. Will check on all these things, when Im down again.

If there are other blades anywhere in that workshop it would be great to know, otherwise, I might buy the HD combo blade - it looks good and has good reviews.

-Bob

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Considering that I don’t use a table saw because in my opinion it’s too dangerous a tool, I probably shouldn’t be offering up any of these sort of tips at all. Anyone interested in using a tool that involves placing all your vital organs in the path of a projectile launcher should get training.

Don’t worry, @Stevemopolis has been diligently saving everyone’s extremities one workshop at a time.

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Highly recommend @Stevemopolis’s class; as he does an excellent job helping you to mitigate the danger. Not all safe practices are common sense; so having someone who so selflessly gives his time to keep us safer is amazing.

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Should we have a sign on the saw that says, “Training mandatory before use” …?

Also I might pick up the Diablo Combo blade from HD and maybe donate to the Space.

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Also there’s a chance you have the fence locked on crocked. if the guide isn’t perfectly straight as your guiding the wood through then the saw blade rubs against the side of the wood at the back of the cut.

I know the blade is straight I checked it a month ago unless the blade has been removed recently.

Easiest way to make sure the fence is square measure from the left side of the table to the edge of the fence same distance means its square.

Thanks Dan, great tips. Do you know what type of blade it is in there right now? How many teeth, etc?

Hi. I was wondering if anyone was aware of there being a push stick (as per Steve) for pushing work through the tablesaw? And whether there are any simple dust masks? (I thought I had a couple at my house but can’t find them).

Thanks
-Bob