TS blade w/ true square teeth needed. Forrest #1?

[Igor]

I need a blade with square teeth for box joints-like cuts. That is, flat ground top and sides of the blade that are 90 degrees from the top. I thought I had gotten one from Freud, the LM72M -- the picture shows it being square,

When I started making some cuts I noticed that it is not square.

Freud-tools.com, where I bought it, said they thought "it might have been changed in the Spring". A call to the factory confirmed that they no longer make a real square tooth. Nobody would own-up to the picture being wrong.

So now I am looking at maybe the WWII "customized" with the #1 grind --

I have a call into Forrest.

It is a shame about the Freud because otherwise it cuts well -- I am cutting polyethylene at the moment. I don't need a very smooth finish, but if Forrest is the only way to go, so be it. And, I am afraid that the Forrest may have too many teeth -- with polyethylene, it seems that somewhere around 24 teeth is a good balance between cutting smooth and not generating too much heat.

It is my understanding that rip blades traditionally were square ground. If that is so, it seems that science has moved on because I have been unable to find anyone but Forrest making a square tooth.

So, any ideas where I can find a square-toothed blade? Anyone used the Forrest #1? Thanks. -- Igor

[klaatu]

Igor , Look ak Amana RB1020 20 tooth or 610240 24 teeth. Both have FT grind(flat top) with 20 degree hook. The second has .142" kerf, so it's plenty stiff. Didn't Jackie Gleasen used to say "amana,amana,amana" when he got in trouble with Alice?

[Montyhp]

How about having Forrest grind your Freud blade flat?

[Igor]

Thanks. I found the RB1020 but not the other one -- googled. Are you sure they also have flat _sides_? That has been the problem.

[Igor]

Well, if you used the CMT for that, that looks like it will do the trick for me. Found it for $56, incl S&H at

Or, $4 more for the thin kerf. Which one do you have?

The blade profile pic at that link looks right -- just like the one at Freud-tools! Ha! So, seeing what you used it for makes me a lot more comfortable. A big help. Can't figure why Freud stopped making a blade that can make box/spline cuts, but I suppose they know what their sales are.

Great stuff at your site. The pencil box is Japanese.

Again, thanks. -- Igor

[klaatu]

[Bob Gramza]

: I checked with them and all of their blades have tapered sides. That is : the problem -- flat top is good but tapered sides is bad. I am hoping that : CMT's blades that Brian has used are still non-tapered sides

If the top of the tip is flat across the full width of the tooth why do you need full flat sides ? The cut is flat and having a full side will only produce heat and burning. The sides do not do any cutting.

[Igor]

need full flat sides ?

sides do not do any

I see your point. In fact, it seems quite right. All I can tell you is that my cuts are not square. Some of my cuts are only 3/32" deep. And I am cutting in plastic -- maybe it is a melt problem.

[Steve Knight]

I have atleast two rip blades with square teeth. a CMT blade and a other one I can't think of the name of. if you want the one with a missing tooth you just need to pay shipping to get it too you. it's not too bad of a blade. a name brand blade I forgot the name of (G)

[Steve Knight]

that could be.

[Igor]

Thanks. I'm going to try the CMT. I checked with a store that sells them and they measured the teeth with a caliper -- which I did not ask, they offered. The difference is 3/1000 of an inch of taper, which is about as square as it gets (insert joke here about some guy in high school).

[Steve Knight]

Myself I don't like how the CMT cuts. out of the three rip blades it was the worst cutting. the amana (remembered the name) cut the best. it does have a missing tooth bit to get it sharpened and fixed would be less then 20.00 shipping the blade would cost you about 25.00 about 1/2 the price. all I want is shipping covered.

[Igor]

Steve -- Thanks. (I've been on the road so sorry for the delayed reply.) The CMT is due here tomorrow. I went w/ Brian's rec -- and the photos of the results. If that doesn't work out, then maybe the next step is your offer. Again, thanks. -- Igor