Table saw blade size.

[garywayne]

I have noticed that most members have 10" table saws. Is there a specific reason for a 10" rather than a 12" blade?

 

[Jake]

It's so you can cut smaller pieces of timber.


Kidding, obviously - erm, price?

 

[ike]

An extra 2 inches makes all the difference....so I'm told. :wink:

 

[Roger]

Nah - that extra 2" just doesn't cut it ........... :shock:

 

[Adam]

I have noticed that most members have 10" table saws. Is there a specific reason for a 10" rather than a 12" blade?

For me...price. 250mm table saws seem to be at an optimum price vs usability in most projects. Bigger saws need bigger motors, and stronger brackets etc, and so cost more.

Adam

 

[Anonymous]

I seem to remember Norm once saying that he prefered a 10" saw blade to a 12" because he felt it was more accurate.

I wouldn't know. I've always had a 12 incher.

Cheers
Brad

 

[Scrit]

I seem to remember Norm once saying that he preferred a 10" saw blade to a 12" because he felt it was more accurate.

Which is why most industrial table saws are 12in, 14in and even 16in? And the most accurate type of saw, the dimension saw (like the Wadkin PP or Robinson ET/E), is generally a 16in blade machine. Surely the size of a saw (or depth of cut) and amount of power available relative to the type of work are what matter?

Scrit

 

[Anonymous]

I dunno, mate!

You'd have to ask Norm about his reasoning!

Brad

Edit - Just found this on the New Yankee website - FAQ

Couldn't link so copied & pasted

Norm,
I would like your opinion on the Grizzly 10" through the 14" table
saws using the 3 and 5 hp motors are they worth the price? Is this a saw
that would be good for fine cabinetry or just a work horse? Or would you
recomend another saw ? I have a large shop it is 20 x 40 with 10 ceilings
Thank for your help Steve


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Answer:
We recently spent some time on a a good 12 inch saw and found the blade would not cut true. Thats a lot of metal travelling at very high speeds.
We think a 10" is plenty of diameter for most of the work we do.

 

[Scrit]

So the old manufacturers like Wadkin, Robinson, Sagar, White, et al didn't know what they were doing when they came up with 16in dimension saws, then?

Answer: We recently spent some time on a a good 12 inch saw and found the blade would not cut true. Thats a lot of metal travelling at very high speeds.
We think a 10" is plenty of diameter for most of the work we do.

That might say as much about the quality of American 12in table saws as anything else

Scrit

 

[Anonymous]

Jeez Scrit,

Don't shoot the messenger! :lol:

Brad

 

[Scrit]

Not shooting the messenger at all, Brad. But it was you who invoked the name of the :norm: In the USA there's actually a bunch of guys called the OWWM Forum (Old Woodworking Machinery) who'd probably argue the same way I do. On that forum there are people who own real late 1930s Unisaws and the like and who wouldn't give you tuppence (sorry 2 cents) for the modern incarnation on the grounds that it's been "engineered to death". It's certainly a lot lighter and sloppier than the original. Same goes for Delta's 12in and 14in saw benches as well these days, and Powermatic are no better, either from what I'm told. Oh, and I'm not saying older is better - Wadkin certainly built a few lemons in their day as well.

Now I know you have access to a 12in saw (SCM is it?). Do you think it's as accurate as a Unisaw, or do you think it's more accurate or less accurate than a consumer model 10in saw? Would you throw away your 12 in blades and fit 10 in ones (notwithstanding the fact that you'll lose an inch off your depth of cut, but then you did say size is not important, didn't you)? The fact that 12in blades normally have thicker bodies than 10in ones (2.8mm as opposed to 2.5mm) will surely mean that the bigger sawblades are slightly stiffer to overcome any tendency of the blade to flex. And in any case, most of the timber I put across the saw ends up going through the planer so does it really matter that much?

Scrit

 

[Shivers]

This is where being pc comes into programing,norm's programs are mostly about promoting equipment,the show is endorsed by a plethora of manufacturers--so norm is hardly likely to completely diss a company,otoh it's a hobbiest program so yet again norm isn't going to tell customers to purchase top notch industrial blades --- b&d pirana(which are very bad)are more likely to be suggested,i gave up watching norm yrs ago because of this reason.
12" blades are very expensive compared to a 10".
The 10" & makes the most sense in a home workshop situation. If you were a manufacture otoh why on earth would you even consider a grizzly 12" table saw--when it's obviously a budget item & highly inaccurate at the spindle level(no amount of good blade can make up for this),like someone already mentioned a decent old tablesaw rebuilt or an altendorf type is the way to go for accuracy with large blades.


shivers

 

[engineer one]

i think the other thing to consider is the rim speed of the blade.

for a direct drive saw, the peripheral speed of the blade is the important thing because you do not change the motor speed safely with electronic devices. many do not like belted drives, although they do allow you to reduce the speed.

i am sure that the older machines used motors designed for the job, not least cause the often designed and made their own motors, whilst these days i think manufacturers buy standard motors, and then design the saw round it.

paul :wink:

 

[Waka]

Intersting thread this one, it goews to prove that if you follow everything Norm says thyen you could be led down the wrong path.

Myself being the user of a 12" table saw, that I might add gives a perfectly square cut would disregard what Norm is saying.

It may be right that Norm is paid to say what the manufactures want him to say, but that information should not be misleading.

 

[Anonymous]

Not shooting the messenger at all, Brad. But it was you who invoked the name of the :norm:

Can't disagree with anything you said about blade sizes, Scrit.
I wasn't trying to promote Norm's views; simply trying to add to the discussion.

I was just chucking a bit of wood on the fire, so to speak.

I didn't realise that it was a gallon of petrol! :lol: :lol: :lol:

See you later
Brad

 

[PowerTool]

Brad - you need at least two viewpoints to get a discussion going anyway,so keep throwing fuel on :wink:

Andrew (who also has a 12" one 8) )

 

[Anonymous]

Oh I will, PT, I will!

Brad

 

[garywayne]

OK people. Good discussion. I like it when people say what they think.

Back to my predicament.
I am in the process of planning and building a 10'x16' workshop. I have a little cash to play with, and bearing in mind that I have a gammy leg I would prefer a T-saw with a sliding carriage and a 12" blade if they are worth the money. Is it worth getting a 12"?
In your opinion, would it be viable to put a T-saw with sliding carriage in a 10'x 16' workshop, or should I get a T-saw with a sliding carriage but not fit it until I have a larger W-shop?
Your opinions are well received.

Thank you all for your time.

 

[Waka]

Gary

Depending on what make of saw you are talking about, apart from the Xcalibar and Wadkins I'm not sure what other 12' inch saws are out there. hence I don't know thw sizes; certainly I think your WS will be too small for the two that I have mentioned.

I'm sure other saw owners will be along mwho are more knowledgable than I on the other makes.

 

[garywayne]

Thanks Waka.

I was afraid the W-shop will be to small, but I don't really want to build a bigger one knowing that I'm going to move house.