Ts55 cheap blades

[Woodmonkey]

Anyone used any of the cheap alternatives to the festool blades eg. trend or Saxton on ebay, or Rutlands have some Tornado blades for £15…? Or are they ask a waste of money?

 

[porker]

Haven't used them myself so also wondering what they are like but the main reason I haven't tried is that the kerf is often different and would mean the edge strip would also need replacing and I couldn't easily swap between blades.

Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk

 

[Woodmonkey]

Well the kerf is slightly wider on the cheaper blades, meaning my knackered edges would get a new lease of life!

 

[woodenstx]

I picked up the 3 pack of various nT blades in October time for about £30 iirc. Think they were saxon.
I measured the kerf on all 3 and the variation was enough to put me off (as I'm oddly obsessive about the TS55 :lol: ) so sent them back. I'd imagine they are fine and the difference between the three was under 0.5mm in total width and I didnt think to measure any offset, but worst case thats only 0.25mm variation from the track edge...... Are you that accurate?

Would be interested to know as I'd like a more ripping oriented blade as using the supplued 48T seems a crime in some sheets

 

[chippy1970]

I've always bought the Festool blades but recently bought a couple of the axminster blades. I bought a standard 28 th I think it was and a fine 48th. They were about £15 and £23.. I just bought a trend one which was about £10 , it was OK but I did notice a tiny bit of chipping on the edge of 18mm MR/MDF.

Sent from my MotoE2(4G-LTE) using Tapatalk

 

[Woodmonkey]

How did you get on with the axi blades?

 

[RobinBHM]

Have you tried the freud blades?

40t in 160mm dia is about £20....I think -prob cheaper than festool

 

[chippy1970]

How did you get on with the axi blades?

Very good, as good as the Festool ones I'd say

Sent from my MotoE2(4G-LTE) using Tapatalk

 

[Eric The Viking]

I tried an Axi rip-cut blade in my Makita SP6000 before Christmas. I was ripping skirtings and floorboards and I thought it might be better behaved than something with more teeth.

They're a thinner kerf than the proper Makita blades, but the saw plate is a _lot_ thinner than the proper ones. The net of that is that you re-cut the rubber strip very slightly as, despite the overall thinner kerf, the teeth hang out over the plate more (if you see what I mean). It cut quite nicely, especially as it was really resinous timber (the floorboards were fifths).

There's not much in it - possibly 0.2mm tops. It's a shame that they aren't the same as either Makita or Festool blades - for the sake of a slightly thicker saw plate, if the teeth did match the proper blades, I'd be very tempted to use them instead of the Makita ones for rough stuff.

I haven't tried the general purpose blades (more teeth shallower/negative rake, etc.) It would be interesting to find out.

It's annoying, too, that Makita and Festool aren't quite compatible, either. IIRC, there's a small difference in kerf width, meaning you can't use both brands of blade on the same saw.

 

[jordec66]

I have the Saxton blades in my ts 55 and have found them to be excellent. I bought the pack of 3 via Ebay, would definitely buy again.

 

[chippy1970]

I tried an Axi rip-cut blade in my Makita SP6000 before Christmas. I was ripping skirtings and floorboards and I thought it might be better behaved than something with more teeth.

They're a thinner kerf than the proper Makita blades, but the saw plate is a _lot_ thinner than the proper ones. The net of that is that you re-cut the rubber strip very slightly as, despite the overall thinner kerf, the teeth hang out over the plate more (if you see what I mean). It cut quite nicely, especially as it was really resinous timber (the floorboards were fifths).

There's not much in it - possibly 0.2mm tops. It's a shame that they aren't the same as either Makita or Festool blades - for the sake of a slightly thicker saw plate, if the teeth did match the proper blades, I'd be very tempted to use them instead of the Makita ones for rough stuff.

I haven't tried the general purpose blades (more teeth shallower/negative rake, etc.) It would be interesting to find out.

It's annoying, too, that Makita and Festool aren't quite compatible, either. IIRC, there's a small difference in kerf width, meaning you can't use both brands of blade on the same saw.

The ones I got from axminster were exactly the same kerf as the Festool blades. I didn't buy the rip one though so maybe that's different

Sent from my MotoE2(4G-LTE) using Tapatalk

 

[chippy1970]

Nope just checked and the axi blades are all 2.2mm kerf exactly the same as Festool blades for the ts55

Sent from my MotoE2(4G-LTE) using Tapatalk

 

[Eric The Viking]

Nope just checked and the axi blades are all 2.2mm kerf exactly the same as Festool blades for the ts55

I'm not using the same blades -- sorry, I didn't realise this until now:

My Makita officially takes 165mm diameter, but I think Festool are 160mm.

I used this one, and it's 1.5mm kerf (with a really thin saw plate, so it actually cuts into the rubber), but these are the correct ones for my saw (2.2mm kerf).

as tyou say, the Axminster "contract" ones in 160mm size have a 2.2mm kerf, apparently.

So the correct blades are 2.2mm kerf in both cases.

I'm tempted to put up with the 'missing' 2.5mm of cut depth, so as to be able to use the 160mm blades instead, if they're as good as people say. The Makita ones (and the Festool ones, presumably) seem to be a bit of a rip-off.

E.

PS: I have one 160mm Makita blade, bought by mistake. The labelling is exactly the same as the normal ones for the SP6000K and in a hurry I grabbed it off the shelf without realising. I've been wondering every time I pick it up why Makita made both 165 and 160mm blades otherwise identical. I assume they were after the TS55 aftermarket.

 

[Woodmonkey]

Thanks all, think I'll give the axi ones ago as they are the same kerf.

 

[chippy1970]

Thanks all, think I'll give the axi ones ago as they are the same kerf.

If you do buy one I noticed axminster sending out £5 off a minimum £20 spend ,codes. You just have to register your email for deals

Sent from my MotoE2(4G-LTE) using Tapatalk

 

[Woodmonkey]

Register where? Can't find any mention of it on the axi site...

 

[PUtcvNqa]

link is on the homepage but it's
https://www.axminster.co.uk/email-club/