Table Saw blade help required

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Markymark

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Hi

I have a Axminster Table saw that advertises a 250x30x40T 3mm Blade. They only list a Perform blade but I want to get a better performer and have heard good revies on Freud. I cannot find a Freud blade with exactly the same spec.Body thickness seems to be specified as B=3.3mm b=2.8mm. Do I have to worry about the body thickness or will my table saw just tighten to most thicknesses?

This is a link to the saw details:-
http://www.axminster.co.uk/product-Axmi ... -21657.htm

Thanks in advance.

Mark
 
The main thing you have to worry about is the 30 number, this is your bore diameter where the blade sits on the spindle, obviously can't fit one with a smaller number than this and a higher number would need a shim, the 30 is 30mm.

The 250 is the diameter of the saw blade and is probably the max your machine can take, you can fit smaller diameters but obviously your depth of cut will reduce.

The T number is the number of teeth, in general the higher the number of teeth the finer the cut. Don't worry too much about the last number, this is the saw kerf, ie the width of the blade and how much material it will remove, most are about 3mm. You should be able to get a good Freud blade for your machine and you will notice the difference
 
Buy freud you won't be disappointed, just bought my second freud blade. I can't believe the difference a good blade makes.

Heres a few models that will fit your saw exactly from freud:

LP40M 025 Size:250 Bore:30 Kerf:2.8 Teeth:60 £36.50
LP30M 025 Size:250 Bore:30 Kerf:2.8 Teeth:40 £29.40
LP20M 025 Size:250 Bore:30 Kerf:2.8 Teeth:24 £23.60
LP60M 001 Size:250 Bore:30 Kerf:2.8 Teeth:80 £46.50

For the lowest price just put in the first set of numbers eg LP40M 025 into google and see what you get. Those prices are direct from Freud.

I got my last one from PowerToolsSpare.co.uk cost £5 delivery and took about 9 days to arrive, I wasn't best pleased but what can you do!
 
Don't worry too much about the last number, this is the saw kerf, ie the width of the blade and how much material it will remove, most are about 3mm. You should be able to get a good Freud blade for your machine and you will notice the difference
Click to expand...

Have to disagree with this.

You must ensure that the kerf left by the blade is approx 0.2-0.3mm larger than the riving knife. Otherwise the wood may bind on the knife.

For example if you were to fancy the look of a bright orange CMT ultra thin kerf blade this would only leave a cut 1.7mm wide and there is no way that will slide over your riving knife which is likely to be 2.5 - 2.8mm thick.

Also if you plan on doing a lot of ripping cuts a blade with a high number of teeth will be hard going and you will get scorching. The 40T supplied is a general purpose blade what will do all things but none especially well. Consider getting two blades at least say 24T rip profile and a 60T for panel work and cross cutting.

Jason
 
Mark I was going to suggest the above blades last night, but couldn't find them on the toolstation site. (See the other thread.)

If you have one local you can save on postage.
 
yes I'd agree, they have put it into both categories. Meaning it can be used for both, which indeed it can. Technically bad site design/admin but good for sales in a sense.
 
I will check the riving knife, good point. I measured the thickness of the blade with a micrometer. and the metal blade seems to be 3mm thick. So I would assume the blade tips would be more, that's assuming I am reading the micrometer properly.

I really feel that the amount of work to take the saw off the legs and remove the saw blade cover remove all the offcuts, which is a real bind if anyone knows how to stop the thin slithers of timber getting trapped in the blade housing I would be grateful, removing the blade etc...Basically changing the blade on this saw is a major task which I wouldn't want to repeat twice a day.

I feel a good General purpose blade will have to do unless I upgrade my Table Saw. Saying That I have seen a SIP table saw with a Cast Iron Table for only £495+VAT. Not sure how easy the blade change would be on this either?

Mark
 
Mark

If you fancy a decent second hand saw then there is this one on ebay

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Startrite-Tilt-Ar ... dZViewItem

(don't know if link will work automatically)

You will need a 3 to single phase convertor though, but they're cheap and plentiful - think someone has one for sale on here.

A solution for the slivers on your current saw will be to make your own cover for the blade spindle, this should be a removable component and you can make your own from mdf. By ensuring you have a much closer fit to the blade you should capture all the offcuts and as it's made from mdf, if the blade does nick it it will do no harm
 
Thanks Ironballs

Seems a good heavy duty saw!!! Would be a bit worried buying second hand off ebay as I would not know what to look for to bag a bargin.

Thanks anyway I will just have to battle on a bit longer with my purchase. I am going to Alpha Power tools in Wakefield tommorow to pick up a Freud Blade.

I will report back.

Out of interest who actually changes the blade when swapping between Crosscutting and ripping on the same job?

Is it easy?

Mark
 
I don't always do it, depends on what I'm doing and what blade I have in. If I have the 80T Freud then I will swap that out before ripping. Usually takes me 5 mins to change a blade
 
I have 2 saws one setup as a ripsaw and the other for cross cutting and panel work so i am usually changing from a crosscut blade to a triple chip.

jon
 
jasonB":3reylspv said:
Have to disagree with this.

You must ensure that the kerf left by the blade is approx 0.2-0.3mm larger than the riving knife. Otherwise the wood may bind on the knife.

For example if you were to fancy the look of a bright orange CMT ultra thin kerf blade this would only leave a cut 1.7mm wide and there is no way that will slide over your riving knife which is likely to be 2.5 - 2.8mm thick.

Also if you plan on doing a lot of ripping cuts a blade with a high number of teeth will be hard going and you will get scorching. The 40T supplied is a general purpose blade what will do all things but none especially well. Consider getting two blades at least say 24T rip profile and a 60T for panel work and cross cutting.

Jason
Click to expand...


Jason

It seems That my measuring is pretty accurate. The worn Blade that is on is approx 3mm thick with a blade end thickness of approx 3.8mm. The puzzling fact is that the riving knife seems to be 4.15mm which is wider than the blade but the blade is worn or so I think as the wood struggles and needs a lot of pushing to get it through. I would asume that the blades cut has narrowed and the wood is binding on the riving knife.

Any comments welcome.

Thanks

Mark
 
Assuming its a TCT blade you are unlikely to have significant wear on the side of the blade.

What is more likely is that the way the alternate teeth are ground makes then slightly offset from the center line of the blade plate, just like the set on a hand saw. Either that or there is a lot of play in the bearings :wink:

Push a bit of wood into the blade about and make a cut 2-3" long. stop saw and withdraw the wood, now see if it will slip over the riving knife.

Whatever the result you are going to have a very limited choice of blades if you need a kerf of 4.4mm. The other disadvantages of a wide kerf are waste wood and it puts a lot more load onto the saw.

Jason
 
Problem over.

I went to My local Freud Supplier this morning and picked up a freud Blade with the following. 250mmx30mmx40Tx 2.8 Kerf. Fitted it and it seems to work a treat. The Freud Supplier agreed that the Riving knife has to be bigger than the blade or it wont rive the timber apart and stop it from nipping the cat timber on the back of the blade and causing kickback.


Thanks for all the advice. I think I may save up and treat myself to a Cast Iron Table saw with castors so I can move it around and an easier way of replacing the blade for Rips and Cross cuts.

Mark
 
Markymark":1azjugyo said:
The Freud Supplier agreed that the Riving knife has to be bigger than the blade
Click to expand...

No it should be abouy 0.2-0.3mm thinner, I'll find the HSE page on table saws later for you.

Jason
 
Agreed, that goes against everything I have ever read.
 

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