Ping for Edwin P (and any other Ridge Carbide blade owners)

[wood_newbie]

Ed,

In googling this group, your name shows up consistently as a TS2000 owner, and wanted to ask you about the tooth configuration on that one.

I do my tenons on the table saw using the Nibble method on a cross-cut sled, but my blade is a Forrest WWII, which has an ATB tooth configuration. As a result, my tenons come off the saw with a corrugated effect and need an inordinate amount of clean-up with hand planes and files. (Yeah, my planing technique isn't *quite* there yet, but it's getting better everyday...)

As I understand it, the TS2000 has a flat-topped configuration...just what I'm looking for in a tenoning blade. But how does it perform as a combination blade--particularly in cross-cutting?

I called Forrest to inquire about having my teeth reground to flat-topped, and their tech advised me that the blade should then be used only for ripping...that it would leave a splintery cross-cut.

TIA for any thoughts.

[Edwin Pawlowski]

Performs very well. I get smooth, clean cross cuts in hardwood, I get clean cuts on plywood. For crosscuts, it is equal to or better than my Freud crosscut (80T I think) and damned near as good on plywood. Since I got the Ridge, I only change blades for dado, or if I'm going to be cutting a lot of thin plywood as the Freud is marginally better.

For tenons, I usually use the dado, but the combo blade will be good too.

I've used a Forrest blade a few times and it was good, but the Ridge is about equal, IMO.

[Teamcasa]

Nibbling a tenon is laborious method. Get a tenoning jig or make one. It seems every wood magazine has one homemade version. When making tenons, I make the cheek cuts with the work piece vertical and just short of the finished line. I then use the sled to make the final cross cut. Perfect tenons, every time. BTY my TS-2000 is standard equipment in my saw now. The Forrest has been relegated to back-up duty.

Dave

[wood_newbie]

I'm torn on whether or not to spend the $$ on a dado, but that's another story...

Does the TS2000 give a perfectly flat bottomed cut, or are there still some "lines" that the raker teeth don't clear out?

[Edwin Pawlowski]

I'd say "near" perfect. I've not done much like that because I use the dado if there is more than one cut or so to make. Any woodworking shows near you? I bought the combo blade and the dado blade as a package at a show and got a very good price. IIRC, it was little more than just the dado alone.