Replies

1. 
   sharpblade | Dec 30, 2006 08:55pm | #1

   Whatever improvement you might get from a better blade, u need to make sure your arbor is also running true. Check for runout, some articles back in FWW describe how to do it (I hope I am not suggesting what's too obvious). You may also want to check with the folks on Knots to help you loate such articles.

   What type/brand/mod  of tablesaw u use?

2. 
   TomT226 | Dec 30, 2006 11:09pm | #2

   Got a couple of LU84's, and I think the F80 is better.  Depending on what kind of ply you're cross-cutting.

   I usually use Oak and Maple, and find that any veneer core ply that has a MDF substrate, like Pro-core, doesn't splinter like others.  It's not solid MDF, just the last ply is MDF, about 1/16" thick.  Cuts down on voids too.

   You can also tape your cross-cuts with blue tape on both sides.  Raise the blade about 1/8" above the work.  If you do a lot of that kind of work, a scoring blade may be cost-effective.  Used one a few times, and it cut down on re-cuts 50%.  I'll get one when I get a new cab saw.

    

1. 
   Sancho | Dec 31, 2006 01:04am | #3

   yea the F80 is the bomb 

                

   View Image    Official Jeff Buck Memorial Tagline "

3. 
   McDesign | Dec 31, 2006 02:21am | #4

   Well I may be biased, but Forrest is great!

   I use their service to sharpen ALL my blades, not just theirs, and they come back just as sharp, though not as durable.  Forrest blades have big horkin' gems of C-4 carbide brazed to the tips, and any dentistry on my Oldhams or whatever get Forrest's nice new crowns.

   Forrest

4. 
   rasconc | Dec 31, 2006 02:38am | #5

   Probably will get jumped on but you can get tear-out free cuts with a $15 ( or even cheaper) blade on a circ saw using the EZ guide.  I get more uneven edge when trimming the edge banding than ripping the ply.

5. 
   BillHartmann | Dec 31, 2006 02:51am | #6

   What no one mentioned is that a zero clearance insert is needed to get good cuts on plywood.

   And that is one of the features of the EZguide.

   .
   .
   A-holes. Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one. I should make that my tagline.
1. 
   Marc | Dec 31, 2006 05:55am | #7

   So, a zero clearance insert in the table saw should work...

    

1. 
   rasconc | Dec 31, 2006 06:32am | #8

   That would be true.  It does not take a super blade either.  I am sure one of the glueline rip ones would be great though.

1. 
   Adrian | Dec 31, 2006 06:56am | #9

   Not on plywood or MDF.....glueline rips are for solid wood. They take too big a chip on fine materials, and they are made with an aggressive positive rake angle (the tooth angles forward for an aggressive cut). On a 10" saw, you want an 80 tooth Alternate Tooth Bevel (ATB) or a triple chip grind (TCG), with a slight positive rake angle down to a zero degree or negative rake angle.

   The zero clearance insert will help, so will taking two passes if you can spare the time.....first pass with the blade barely above the table to score the face veneer, then a second pass at full height to cut throught the panel. Even with a full size quality sliding table saw with a scoring blade (I have one in my shop), you still get some tearout.

   You'll never get a super cut for edgebanding from plywood, because of the alternating plies, and the joint at the banding usually looks pretty glaring to me....there are lots of traditional workarounds for this, from v-shaped cuts on the edge to router bits that hollow the edge. Probably 90% or more of the cabinetmakers I know in Canada, including me, use veneered particlecore or MDF....I think it is a better material for most applications.

   As far as Forrest goes, I got taken to task on another recent saw blade thread because I don't buy into the 'Forrest is the super blade hype'....I do believe there are other equivalent blades out there. What brand does your sharpener sell? It's probably pretty darn good.Cabinetmaker/college woodworking instructor. Cape Breton, Nova Scotia.

6. 
   woodman54 | Dec 31, 2006 07:38am | #10

   I use Forrest blades and they are great but all my good blades will rip and crosscut in plywood splinter free. The trick to that is all my blades get sharpened by Forrest and I use a high quality 5 or 6 inch stiffener all the time. Less vibration equals a smooth cut.

   I guess it helps that I have Powermatic saw with almost zero arbor runout.

7. 
   observer | Dec 31, 2006 07:41am | #11

   I've gone to an 80T negative rake hi-ATB Dimar blade. Essentially chip free on ply and melamine or any double sided laminate sheet as long as the accumulated pitch is cleaned frequently.

1. 
   nikkiwood | Dec 31, 2006 08:32am | #12

   I use a Forrest Woodworker II for virtually all my cabinet stuff. I also have a 80 tooth triple chip blade that I will use for any ply that is prone to even minor chip out on cross cuts.As others have said, you also need to make sure your TS is well-tuned, and a zero clearance insert is indispensible. However, the best set-up for glass smooth, splinter free cuts is the Festool. And from what I have heard around here, the EZ Smart system does just as well.********************************************************
   "It is what we learn after we think we know it all, that counts."

   John Wooden 1910-

1. 
   DaveRicheson | Dec 31, 2006 06:14pm | #13

   "As others have said, you also need to make sure your TS is well-tuned, and a zero clearance insert is indispensible"

    

   You get a dog biscuit!

   Good blades count, but absolute paralellism in the bade to miter slot/fence alignment is a must.

   I had a cheapo Crapsman TS once that was impossible to keep tuned. A zero clearance insert and a high quality blade could not solve the problem. I ended up  cutting panels face down and with a strip of luan pinned and double sided taped to the back. When we started doing custom picture framing that POS had to go away.

    I check my Unisaw every month or two, but can't remember the last time I had to make any adjustment to tune it back in over the course of the last 19 years.

    

   Dave

1. 
   nikkiwood | Dec 31, 2006 07:12pm | #14

   Yep -- not much you can do with a cheap saw...........BTW, that puppy of mine we discussed sometime ago is doing very nicely, and I think she may have the makings of a therapy dog. I've worked to put her in lots of different situations with lots of different types of people, and that seems to encourage her friendly demeanor while not making her a pest. I tried some of the Cesar Millan techniques, but I quickly backed off. It did help her understand the notion of rules and boundries, but she does better overall with old fashion positive reinforcement techniques. You were the one that got me headed off in this direction, so thanks again.********************************************************
   "It is what we learn after we think we know it all, that counts."

   John Wooden 1910-

1. 
   DaveRicheson | Jan 01, 2007 06:14pm | #16

   Super!

   Let us know how she does on on the Canine Good Citizen test when she is old enough.

    

   Dave

8. 
   gary329 | Dec 31, 2006 10:08pm | #15

   Of course a table saw with some cast iron top and a good fence helps. 

   But, what I have come up with,  is using a 7 1/4" thin kerf carbide skil saw blade mounted with big stabilizer washers ( Craftsman has them).    The more teeth the better.  Cuts like a laser..   There is a 60T Oldham that works great.   40T is OK.   It only cuts about a 1 1/8" depth with this setup,  but is great for ripping or crosscutting 3/4" veneer plywoods.  The thinner kerf really helps with under powered saws.  When you loose rpm you get burning and binding.  Even a sharp wide kerf 10" blade requires alot of hp to cut properly.  The stabilizers are critical with the thin blade, I would not try this without them.  Also, a lot less kerf waste when ripping up expensive  1x  boards too...

   Has anyone else ever used a 7 1/4" blade in a 10" tablesaw?

   Other tip...If you have a 120/240V motor tablesaw...Rewire it up to the 240V config. and put in  a dedicated 240V circuit for it.  It makes a 1 1/2 hp saw feel like a 3 hp.

    

1. 
   nikkiwood | Jan 01, 2007 06:30pm | #17

   Interesting idea, since the smaller the blade, presumably the less wobble. I've used such a blade in my TS, but never for ripping -- only for cutting cove moldings.I never thought to try it, since I think a Forrest thin kerf yields about as good a cut (with the stabilizers) as you are going to get with a TS.********************************************************
   "It is what we learn after we think we know it all, that counts."

   John Wooden 1910-