Tablesaw Blade Shootout

[@tomm2519]

Late last winter I watched a video that Colin Knecht (WoodWorkWeb) did reviewing saw blades. He spoke well of the 10" Next Generation Premier Fusion General Purpose Blade So I bought one(Freud P410T). It is an outstanding blade that made frequent blade changes unnecessary. While it doesn't rip or crosscut as perfectly as a dedicated blade, it is darn close. crosscuts are smooth without tearout; same with plywood. At $78 on Amazon, the price is right. Several years ago I bought a Forrest Woodworker II Combination blade for nearly twice that price that was terrible in plywood and I have not used it since. The only downside to the Freud P410T is that it lacks flat teeth.

[@TheThoughtfulWoodworker]

I agree about the general purpose blades. I use a 40 tooth general purpose for most cuts. I haven't tried the Premier Fusion but plan to. Still, I always find a use for dedicated blades, especially those with flat raker teeth for cutting grooves and whatnot. Thanks.

[@acerjuglans383]

If you're not changing blades to match your material or purpose, than you're not understanding how to even use a tabĺesaw, how to prevent kickback, how to prevent burning, how to prevent over forceful pushing.... You would NEVER use a combination blade to rip lumber in a millwork shop. Actually, there's a good chance a millwork shop wouldn't even own a combination blade.

[@tomm2519]

@@acerjuglans383 I have never seen a professional shop that had only one table saw, typically one or more is dedicated to either ripping or cross-cutting, so there is no need to change blades except for resharpening or replacement, and thus no reason to have a combination blade. My shop is very small (11' by 13') and much of it taken up by my cabinet saw. If I were going to rip stock much more than 1" thick I would consider changing the blade, but that's not something I encounter. The suggestion that blade choice has something to do with kickback is novel; most think that alignment (blade and fence to miter slot and use of a riving knife) and proper technique are key. Of the purchasers of this blade on Amazon, 78% give this blade a five-star rating, and another 13% give four stars. The needs and purposes of small home shops differ from production shops. Before I purchased the Forrest combination blade I mentioned, I had tried a Freud combination blade. I didn't like the results with that Feud, which is why I tried the Forrest. Since Colin Knecht, who teaches woodworking and clearly knows how to use a table saw, recommended this blade, I tried it and have been pleased with the results.

[@robertmceuen3630]

I just woodwork in my garage. Not an expert by any means, but do pretty good work. That said, I think it is SUPER EASY to change bldes on my Sawstop table saw. So I have a 24 tooth rip blade and a 60 tooth finish blade. Good results so far.

[@TheThoughtfulWoodworker]

@@robertmceuen3630 I agree, it's easy to change blades. I don't really like 24 tooth or 60 tooth blades on the tablesaw. I prefer 30-40 teeth for ripping and 40-50 teeth for crosscutting. I mostly use hardwood though. I can see the benefit of a 60 tooth blade in plywood etc. Thanks for your input. Best.