I have a new Bosch 1677MD 7 1/4″ worm drive circular saw. I do various types of projects from framing to cabinets which includes breaking down veneer faced sheet goods. The Bosch blade that came with the machine was a general purpose 24T that works well enough for framing, but I have concerns about tearout when breaking down sheet goods with melamine on one face and veneer on the other.
It turns out that NONE of the retailers in my area carry Bosch 7 1/4″ blades for WOOD, but they have metal, diamond, fiberboard, etc Bosch blades. The Bosh worm drive has only a diamond arbor so blades without a diamond knock out won’t work. One of the other forum areas had most all of the framers agreeing on the (Irwin) Marathon as the one to get for framing but no others floated to the surface.
Has anyone out there used higher quality blades like: Freud Diablo & Avanti, CMT, Forrest, or Ridge in this size unit? AND is it worth it spending the extra money for them? Please note that I’ll be cutting metal free wood & plywood and any demo work will be done by my old Milwaukee sidewinder. With so many choices on the market today, I’d hate to have to try a blindman’s game of hide & seek to find a high quality blade, especially for sheet breakdown.
If anyone has used the Bosh wood blades (24T,40T) I’d like to hear your opinion on their quality.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Ken
Replies
I'm slow a lot...
but if it was me i would use the milwaukee side winder for finish applications, 40 T 7 1/4" finish blades abound in the round hole configuration.
Also I think the marathon blade recommended to you with a diamond knockout comes in a 40 T model. i never used that one myself but the 24 T models are o.k.
Probably this isn't a lot of help but maybe will keep the thread up until help arrives.
Disclaimer: I am a hopeless sidewinder fan and admit to no objectivity otherwise.
Ken,
For a finish cut I use the Freud Diablo 40 tooth. Nice smooth cuts.
http://www.amazon.com/Freud-D0740X-Finishing-Knockout-PermaShield/dp/B00008WQ2H/ref=sr_1_1?s=power-hand-tools&ie=UTF8&qid=1289872440&sr=1-1
KK
AGREED
I use a 40 tooth Diablo for onsite cabinet build outs. I have a Mag 77 and use a shooting board so the cuts are precise and pretty much ready for glue up right after the cut. Laminate cutting is not big deal either and there's literally no tear out or feathering with the Diablo blade. It's not so expensive that you can't replace it if you hit the oddball nail and lose a tooth. Nice blade...
Blades
Some thoughts just my two cents,
If your breaking down sheetgoods you could use a more general blade and then cut to final size with a better blade on a tablesaw.
You could get in touch with some of the blademakers you mentioned and ask them your questions. They should be able to send you a catalog or literature on their blades if you cant find them on the internet. I am not at my desk but I have catalogs from frued that would tell the blade/arbor/size combinations that would work for application.
Just some thoughts.
How about the Freud DO760X 60 tooth, 7 1/4 inch, diamond arbor. 20.00 dollars on amazon. I buy alot from amazon and I rely on the user reveiws.
Worm drive circular saw blades
My experience is that Bosch blades are run-of-the-mill poor quality chinese blades that don't perform well at all.
Ridge Carbide blades perform beautifully and in my opinion, especially considering the high cost of materials, worth every penny if you can afford one. You won't be diappointed. I've also had reasonable results with Freud Diablo and CMT blades but nothing has come close to the flatness and durability you'll get with Ridge Carbide blades. And they're made in America!
Kevin