I noticed what I thought might be a wobble in my new Sawstop blade, so I measure the runout with the stock blade and a couple of my older blades, and found runout of about 0.010 inches. So I wrote Sawstop and asked what I should do.
The reply was that a brand-new blade is in the mail! No questioning, doubting, haggling, accusations, or referrals to the dealer. No questions asked, just a new blade. As far as I am concerned, Sawstop is a real standup operation, and I'm glad I bought their saw.
Was the blade the problem or did the blade assembly get knock out of line.
That was going to be my question too. His report is somewhat confusing but I'll take a chance and guess that he meant to say he recorded runout with the new SawStop blade but not with his older blades.
Guess we'll find out.
So tell me more!
Which SawStop do you have, It sounds like it is relatively new, do you have an out feed or mobile base with it?
Blade assembly misalignment would not cause the blade to wobble.
Get some sawdust stuck on one side only of your arbor flange (part of the "blade assembly") and let us know if what you happens is not "wobble".
Yes, but only if they were defective, not misaligned.
Yes that will happen but given the fact that he said that he measured for run out on the SawStop blade and and a couple of older blades and all conditions being equal and no problems with the other blades, may be not.
I was thinking the blade assembly alignment referral to be more of a blade to miter slot adjustment more so than the blade installation being compromised by debris.
I also assumed that since the perceived problem was not evident with other blades that debris might not be the problem. Yes the debris could have cleared itself when switching from he SS blade to an older one if the SS was measured first and followed by the others. Debris could also have only been on the SS blade vs the arbor flange.
A lot of unknowns as to the method of testing for run out and exactly what area of blade assembly was being suggested.
I would assume SS probably may have ruled out the obvious, but maybe not, it was a cheap first try to correct the problem. IIRC the blade that comes standard on the SS depending on the particular saw is a $29 or $39 blade.
So I stand corrected, I assumed specifics which were not mentioned on the blade assembly alignment and how the testing was conducted.
Sawstop is
No disagreement, they are a good org, however that blade probably cost them $10, it is not really much to look at. I kept it around for cutting scrap stock.
I never understood that from a marketing standpoint. I don't know the margins on their saws and I know every penny counts in manufacturing. But here's a company who makes no bones about the fact that their saw costs more, but is worth the extra cost. So, why a cheap-ass blade?
When it comes down to it, the blade does the cutting, the blade is the proof of any wood cutting pudding. So why risk bad performance with a crappy blade? When someone buys your saw and the blade is $h!te and it produces a bad cut, most people will think "saw." And when someone is spending 5-7 grand on your saw, strike a deal with Freud and give them a great blade even though it might cost you $40 more.
Why a cheap ass blade?
I suspect for many the SawStop may be their first better quality saw and that alone can make a cheap blade perform better than what may be afforded on a lessor quality saw. Read that as many will be thrilled with the cut of the cheap blade.
OTOH
Typically on higher end table saws the buyer seldom continues to buy the Manufacturers branded blade, not saying that some blades that come in the saws are not good but we all like our particular brand of blades. And when it all boils down rest assured that SS is not throwing in the blade at no cost to the buyer, it is built into the price of the saw. It would be better if they supplied no blade at all.
OTOH if the SS actually cost $5-$7k I would think the blade might be even better than a Forrest if supplied. The pro version starts under $3k, the industrial just under $4k but that aside if there is going to be a blade supplied I certainly want better than a Freud. ;~) See where I am going here, no particular brand blade is going to please every one and for any thing less than a $100+ blade is not going to be good enough. I would rather be paying for a $30 blade that I will not be using than a $60 blade that I will not be using.
I've learned that a $100 blade on a $300 saw can make a cut that rivals a $1500 saw. I've also learned that a $30 blade on a $1500 saw can make cuts that rivals the $300 saw. :-)
5-7K or 3-5K... same difference to me as it pertains to the topic. I still contend that if I'm sending a product out, I want it making pristine cuts "out of the box." And I'd put up my Freud Glue-Line Rip blade against any Forrest blade. :-)
OK bring your Freud Glue-Line rib blade over and we will compare the results of it to my Forrest WWII cutting oak veneer plywood cross grain. ;~)
See, again, which blade should SS ship, a Freud rip, cross cut, or combo blade? Actually IIRC they are shipping a combo blade with the saw. I want to buy the saw for what the saw has to offer not for the blade. I'll buy my own blade. Again IMHO ship the saw w/o a blade.
No doubt you are happy with the results that you are getting from your equipment. NO DOUBT. But not every one see's it your way. Basically as with any manufacturer, they go with you can please some people all of the time, all of the people some of the time but all people all of the time. I'm quite sure that some of the people are going to think that the blase that comes with the SS will be comparable to the Forrest also.
Now having said that, SS does offer a premium priced blade, you can buy that blade when you buy the saw and I feel quite certain that you are going to get superior cuts compared to the blade that comes with the saw, maybe not. But that is going to cost another $90 and more than likely you can buy a better blade for the same $90 depending on what you like.
Now having said all of that I do see your point, vividly. My Festool track saw came with a premium Festool blade. I am happy with the results of the blade but maybe a Forrest which is likely to be less expensive will cut just as well for a lot longer period of time between sharpenings.
em $10, it is not really much to look at. I kept it around for cutting scra p stock.
Just to clarify, maybe not a "crappy" blade but just a generic non-descript blade. And, yes if I recall it is a combo blade which would be the main re ason I would never use it for real work. Right tool for the job is my motto . Never had a combo piece of wood.
$10, it is not really much to look at. I kept it around for cutting scrap stock.
blade. And, yes if I recall it is a combo blade which would be the main reason I would never use it for real work. Right tool for the job is my motto. Never had a combo piece of wood.
I don't agree. My Forrest WWII will cut better than my rip blade, just not as fast, but not too slow either.
My FWWII will cut better than the Freud 80tooth that I used in my CMS, but before I did I tried it on the TS. But the difference is small.. real small.
That 80tooth should have cross cut bettter than my 40tooth fwwii, but the forrest was better. So if I had a forrest rip and a forrest Crosscut, maybe the combo would lose, but the fwwii combo is pretty damn good.
Obviously I am biased and this is subjective. So take it for what its worth.
I'll agree too with the WWII. I am not going to doubt that some prefer a rip blade over a general or combo blade.. No doubt they have their reasons with proof to back up their reasons. For me the WWII is the blade for all cuts, and I have proof to back up my reasons. I totally believe it boils down to what you prefer to use. No doubt there are better blades for each specific type of cut vs using the WWII but with the results I am getting you will need a magnifying glass to see a difference.
IIRC, the Forrest WoodworkerII is a combo blade and it's supposed to the THE $h!t.
It is a "general" blade. ;~)
Sorry for the confusion. I measured about 0.010" runout on the new stock blade, and only about 0.002" runout using my old blades, so it most likely wasn't the arbor assembly. Sawstop sent me a new blade right away, and it runs nice and true.
I asked Sawstop if they wanted the old one back, and they told me to not bother. Being cheap, I wonder if an old blade can be flattened, or if it's worth the trouble and expense. Any experience with flattening old blades?
Of course, if it isn't worth flattening, I'll keep it for dirty wood.
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