8" blade recommendation

One that's sharp that you already own? Why do you want to use thin-kerf blade to rip 2-by stock (just asking)?

Freud LU83R008 works very well on a RAS. Seems to have gone up in price lately, but still available for about $40 at Tool Barn:

see if they have around 20 teeth in rip config... not (atb).. Something like

It's not thin kerf, but I really like the Freud Glue Line rip blade. I got mine at Woodcraft in Alpharetta but I think all four WW stores in the area carry them. I don't trust thin kerf but I'm not using it on a stump maker, either. ;-)

Well, I'm no expert, so may reasons may seem a little dumb...

Cheers, Jeff

With an under-powered saw, faster, sure. Cleaner?

Not usually real concern. You're not resawing, are you? ;-)

I guess you are! ;-)

You need a bandsaw. Woodcraft has a nice Laguna bandsaw, too. ;-)

----------------------------------------------------- My guess is the difference in price between an 8" and a 10" blade gets lost in the wash so might want to take another look at

Talk to the professor (Leon) about thin kerf blades.

I want nothing to do with them but that's me.

My choice for your application would be a 10", 24T, carbide tooth, Freud rip blade.

I got a lot of use from mine.

BTW, a little tip. If you want to increase your yield, start with the widest stock available.

I'd start with 2x12 and rip it into two equal pieces, then do the final rips.

As part of building boat mold, ripped 2" x 12" x 24 ft timbers into 1-1/2" x 5/8" x 24 ft strips to form battens.

Estimate that at least a mile of rip cuts a dumpster full of saw dust were formed that Saturday.

Started with a B&D, 10" Diablo but quickly switched to the Freud.

Have fun.

Lew

Well. I've learned a lot about saw blades.

For one thing, everyone recommended some variety of Freud Iindustrial.

And I've got some limited understanding of hook, which I never knew existed. Apparently too much hook is not good on a Radial arm, although I don't quite understand why. Roughly I think it is because it pulls the wood up on a radial arm. I've found myself always using a finger board when I rip so this may be the "counter" for the blade I use.

I see that recommended cutting thickness varies, and it is different for this combination blade for crosscut and for rip. I don't understand this, but I think it has to do with the number of teeth, that certainly affects the minimum thickness, and I suppose the maximum also.

I'm leaning toward the LU83R00 partly because I do cross cut also, and perhaps because it looks like a bad boy!

Thanks to all.

Cheers, Jeff

It doesn't pull the wood up, but tends to make the motor want to climb toward the operator more than a negative hook. This all assumes you are using the correct RAS procedure and pulling the motor through the cut and not pushing the motor back to cut as with a SCMS.

Well, you did say that you were on a budget. Otherwise the recommendation would probably be Forrest or Ridge. ;-)

Not really. If the board gets "pulled up", it will also tend to get launched out the other end. This can suck your front hand back into the blade.

Not everyone agrees but I use different blades.

On 12/3/2013 10:47 PM, snipped-for-privacy@attt.bizz wrote:> On Tue, 03 Dec 2013

Yes, I figured I was getting the best of the "bottom end". It's good enough for me.

I'd rather spend the blade money toward a change of equipment. I'm thinking of a mid range table saw and a compound sliding miter saw. Theoretically the radial arm can do compound angled cuts, but the set up is difficult and takes a lot of tweaking, at least it does on my stump maker.

I built my euro style (not face frame) kitchen cabinets with a battery operated 5" skilsaw and a straightedge.

Cheers, Jeff

I think the 2x10 and 2x12 are cleaner than the 2x6 Most of what I see in those sizes are very clean.

Ditto. Had to rip 24lf of 3" oak squares last week and a Freud Glue Line Rip cut it like buttah. As always, choosing the right tool for the job is not only easier, faster and more efficient, but generally much safer.

I took yours and Lew's advice and ordered this:

Too cheap not to. Going for the 10 seemed the right thing to do as the prices were almost identical.

Thanks, Jeff