Leon,
Any particular reason you don't recommend thin kerf blades? I've been using
a Freud Diablo thin kerf on my 12" sliding table Wadkin for the past year
with excellent results, mainly on maple but also some red oak and teak. The
reason I switched was because of poor results I had from a DML.
Thanks
Bernard
"Leon" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> "Bernard Randall" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > Leon,
> >
> > Any particular reason you don't recommend thin kerf blades? I've been
> using
> > a Freud Diablo thin kerf on my 12" sliding table Wadkin for the past
year
> > with excellent results, mainly on maple but also some red oak and teak.
> The
> > reason I switched was because of poor results I had from a DML.
> >
> > Thanks
> >
> > Bernard
>
> Blade flex. While for many people and what they do with their saws may or
> may not require "dead flat" cuts, when cutting 45's and other angles in
> thicker and wider hard woods the gap can be pretty serious when it comes
> time to assemble. I like joints where the joint line literally
disappears.
> Many years ago and when woodworking was still in my hobby stage I used
thin
> kerf blades. Wow.. they cut like a hot knife through butter. After the
> gee whiz factor wore off I noticed that some cuts were not coming out
> "flat". No problem, I'll sand it. ;~) I put up with this unknowingly
for
> several years as I never really had a better cut. Prior to going to thin
> kerf I used the regular kerf blades. Boy were they slow, so slow that I
had
> to stop often to let the saw catch up and come back up to speed.
> Unfortunately this can often cause a wavy and or "non-flat" cut also. It
> also goes without saying that I was using a saw that had lack of power
> issues.
> 1989 comes around and my wife and I decided to redo the kitchen in stages
> and replace all the cabinets and change the shape of the kitchen. While
> visiting a local saw sharpening service to sharpen my thin kerf blade, the
> owner inquires about the reason that I used a thin kerf blade. I gave him
> all the above stated reasons for having one. Basically it cut faster.
> He explained to me that a regular kerf Good Quality blade would work
> better. Of coarse he had one on sale. I bought a Systematic 50 tooth
> combination blade. I went home and mounted the blade on my Craftsman "1"
hp
> table saw, turned the saw on and stood there wondering if I has just blown
> $60. I grabbed a piece of oak and cross cut it. It did not cut super
fast
> like the thin kerf blade but it did cut very smoothly and evenly and the
saw
> motor did not strain. I got the best cut that I had ever gotten on that
> saw. I used that blade exclusively for the next 11 years. Later I sold
the
> saw and the blade went with the saw.
> Today I use and own 2 regular kerf 40 tooth WWII's on a cabinet saw. I
keep
> a Systematic regular kerf rip blade for construction grade lumber cutting.
Leon,
Appreciate your detailed reply. This past year I've re-built our kitchen so
I haven't had any call to tilt the blade. Part of the re-build was a 2"
thick end grain butcher block which came out of 8/4 rough sawn hard maple,
put together it looks like a homogenous piece apart from the change in grain
patterns. I also used the Diablo to cut up to 2" thick aluminum for the
conversion of my metal mill to CNC, the cuts are better than a milled
surface.
I'll watch for the phenomenon you mention if I have to tilt the blade. On
the question of power I don't understand the need for 5HP motors on 10"
saws, as seems to be common in the U.S., the Wadkin comes with 3HP for a 12"
which is more than adequate for my needs.
Thanks,
BR
>
"Bernard Randall" <[email protected]> >
> Leon,
>
> Appreciate your detailed reply. This past year I've re-built our kitchen
so
> I haven't had any call to tilt the blade. Part of the re-build was a 2"
> thick end grain butcher block which came out of 8/4 rough sawn hard maple,
> put together it looks like a homogenous piece apart from the change in
grain
> patterns. I also used the Diablo to cut up to 2" thick aluminum for the
> conversion of my metal mill to CNC, the cuts are better than a milled
> surface.
>
> I'll watch for the phenomenon you mention if I have to tilt the blade. On
> the question of power I don't understand the need for 5HP motors on 10"
> saws, as seems to be common in the U.S., the Wadkin comes with 3HP for a
12"
> which is more than adequate for my needs.
>
> Thanks,
IMHO in a shop that is not running the TS 8-10 hours a day 3hp is plenty. I
would only recommend 5 hp if you use a power feeder and run the saw for
extended periods of time.
"Bernard Randall" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Leon,
>
> Any particular reason you don't recommend thin kerf blades? I've been
using
> a Freud Diablo thin kerf on my 12" sliding table Wadkin for the past year
> with excellent results, mainly on maple but also some red oak and teak.
The
> reason I switched was because of poor results I had from a DML.
>
> Thanks
>
> Bernard
Blade flex. While for many people and what they do with their saws may or
may not require "dead flat" cuts, when cutting 45's and other angles in
thicker and wider hard woods the gap can be pretty serious when it comes
time to assemble. I like joints where the joint line literally disappears.
Many years ago and when woodworking was still in my hobby stage I used thin
kerf blades. Wow.. they cut like a hot knife through butter. After the
gee whiz factor wore off I noticed that some cuts were not coming out
"flat". No problem, I'll sand it. ;~) I put up with this unknowingly for
several years as I never really had a better cut. Prior to going to thin
kerf I used the regular kerf blades. Boy were they slow, so slow that I had
to stop often to let the saw catch up and come back up to speed.
Unfortunately this can often cause a wavy and or "non-flat" cut also. It
also goes without saying that I was using a saw that had lack of power
issues.
1989 comes around and my wife and I decided to redo the kitchen in stages
and replace all the cabinets and change the shape of the kitchen. While
visiting a local saw sharpening service to sharpen my thin kerf blade, the
owner inquires about the reason that I used a thin kerf blade. I gave him
all the above stated reasons for having one. Basically it cut faster.
He explained to me that a regular kerf Good Quality blade would work
better. Of coarse he had one on sale. I bought a Systematic 50 tooth
combination blade. I went home and mounted the blade on my Craftsman "1" hp
table saw, turned the saw on and stood there wondering if I has just blown
$60. I grabbed a piece of oak and cross cut it. It did not cut super fast
like the thin kerf blade but it did cut very smoothly and evenly and the saw
motor did not strain. I got the best cut that I had ever gotten on that
saw. I used that blade exclusively for the next 11 years. Later I sold the
saw and the blade went with the saw.
Today I use and own 2 regular kerf 40 tooth WWII's on a cabinet saw. I keep
a Systematic regular kerf rip blade for construction grade lumber cutting.