All Replies on Using a blade with a missing tooth???

I would also worry about being off balance and the fact that if they had a bad batch, other teeth may let loose during use. Best to return it unused. If they don’t want it back then have a saw shop fix it.

Nooooooooooo…

If shock or physical impact caused the tooth to come off, others may be damaged.

You could send the blade to a qualified sharpening shop that replaces teeth, and have them check the other welds, but personally, I’d just use the new one and move on.

-- It's all good, if it's wood...

Yes, a saw shop can braze a new tooth on.
The question of safety is a good one. If I knew a tooth was missing on a blade I wouldn’t use it, but there have been occasions when I’ve used a blade with missing teeth without knowing, and nothing happened. Done this with a cutting blade and on the mitre saw. Only noticed the teeth were missing when changing blades.

-- Do or do not, there is no try

Ok, thanks!

I’ll wait and see if Rockler wants this one back, and if not see if I can’t find a shop to re-attached the tooth. I was hoping that might be possible – it’s just too nice a blade (at least from what I’ve read) to throw away :)

Thanks again!

-- Bill - Western NY

that little peice of carbide isnt going to bother. as far as the out of balance is concerned you put much more stress on the bearings cutting a peice of wood than the out of balance would cause. I would visibly check the remeining teeth for damage or faulty brazing. depends on the grind. alternating or triple chip. in very hard woods it may want to crowd toward the side of the cut where the lead of the tooth is missing. For the most part it should cut just fine.

Would you date a girl with a missing tooth?? Nope.

-- "Of all the things I have lost in life, I miss my mind the most."

The thing I would worry about is if other teeth are going to come flying off the blade. Could be defective from the manufacturer. The last thing I would want is little pieces of carbide to come flying onto my face at 3450 rpm. If is was mine I’d chuck it.

-- Bondo Gaposis

It depends…..

-- Happiness is like wetting your pants...everyone can see it, but only you can feel the warmth....

not me

-- Joel -- http://diversitywoodworks.wordpress.com

I’d use it but not stand in the line of fire. And wear a face mask. And chain mail or other body armor if you have it.

You can call Forrest Blades in New Jersey (http://www.forrestblades.com/). They can repair blades, in fact, that’s what their business is, manufacturing and repairing blades. The question is the cost of repair and the shipping.

Planeman

-- Always remember: It is a mathematical certainty that half the people in this country are below average in intelligence!

Basically you are asking if the saw blade can still be used. Yes, you can still use it. Sharpener should be able to deal with the missing tooth.

-- "someone has to be wounded for others to be saved, someone has to sacrifice for others to feel happiness, someone has to die so others could live"

Hard to say without knowing how it happened. Good sharpeners replace teeth all the time. The effect on balance of a missing tooth will be minuscule, ie not an issue, as with quality of cut too (assuming no other problems, including no other missing teeth).

-- Dwight - "Free legal advice available - contact Dewey, Cheetam & Howe""

What’s the deal with people being afraid of flying saw teeth? :-) Under the best (worst?) of circumstances it will be going at 45 m/sec, which is low powered children’s bibi gun. Considering its weight I wouldn’t worry unless it hits you straight in the eye… A-r-r-r! Where is my eye patch? I’ll go cut me some timber.

Why take a chance don’t use it just in case more teeth are not braised properly.I know I’ve unknowingly used a saw blade with a missing tooth before but would advise against it.

-- W James Brokenbourgh Custom furniture maker http://artisticwoodstudio.com/

I knocked a few teeth off my Festool Panther rip blade when I hit some metal. It shook the saw, and the remaining cut wasn’t very smooth, but I was able to fight through it.

So I’m in the “go ahead, but you won’t like the results” camp.

I’d also note that it was ridiculously cheap for my saw sharpening place to weld/braze/whatever new teeth on, like two bucks a tooth. So if it’s a good blade, don’t give up on it.

(Luckily, the rip blade doesn’t have that many teeth to begin with…)

-- Dan Lyke, Petaluma California, http://www.flutterby.net/User:DanLyke

I will not risk it.

If the tooth came off through no fault of you, then the blade must be considered faulty due to manufacturing. That being the case, one has to assume it could happen again. Therefore I would not try to use that blade again. Don’t try to have it repaired; get rid of it.

Sharpener will most likely take care of it. But anyway, your new blade is coming. So, just use the new one. :)

-- "someone has to be wounded for others to be saved, someone has to sacrifice for others to feel happiness, someone has to die so others could live"