Thin kerf blades

In my experience, TK blades do not need the extra support. Others may disagree. And yes, you’re right, you would lose some depth of cut.

-- I admit to being an adrenaline junky; fortunately, I'm very easily frightened

A good quality well balanced blade that’s mounted to an arbor that’s spinning true shouldn’t need a stabilizer disk. More often than not, they don’t offer an improvement. Avoiding poorly made cheap thin kerf blades is key. Sometimes in extreme cases of very tough wood with twisting grain like mesquite they can have some benefit. If there’s excessive runout on the arbor or the saw has excessive vibration the disks may help, but note that they’re more of a bandaid at that point….better to find the cause and fix that.

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

runswithscissors and knotscott are right on. I use thin kerf blades on my TS and have never needed a support disk. My blades are Freud so you don’t have to buy really expensive blades, but like knotscott said, you do need to avoid the cheap ones.

-- Kenny, SW VA, Go Hokies!!!

Never needed anything to get perfect cuts on my Freud LU83 10” 50T Thin Kerf blade.

M

-- Madmark - Madmark2150@yahoo.com Wiretreefarm.com

I use a cheap Diablo thin kerf 24 teeth blade that gives me jointer quality cuts. I use my miter saw for cross cuts.

-- "You may have your PHD but I have my GED and my DD 214"

I use a support plate because I have it. Now I will have to try a few cuts with out the plate to see if I notice a difference. I use Freud blades as well. Very nice cuts and long last edge.

-- Chris K

I have been using a thin kerf Forrest WWII blade for well over 10 years without any support discs. Cuts are smooth and no issues, regardless of the type of wood I have cut.

-- Julian

We had thin kerf blades on our resawing operations 30 years ago , they went through 1,000,000 bd ft of maple a year, saving 1/32 of an inch was meaningfull even then.

-- PJ

I use nothing but TK blades on my 8” craftsman TS. I’ve never used support discs. The blades I use are Freud Diablo. I’ve never had any problems. I cut mostly rough cut lumber with these blades.

-- Sawdust703

I think the blade stabilizers for thin kerf bladed are just clever marketing. I use thin kerf and have never felt a need for a stablizer.

-- I measured once, cut twice, and its still too short...

Here is some good article about stabilizers if you can read between marketing pitch.

-- It's nice!

In my experience, TK blades do not need the extra support. Others may disagree. And yes, you re right, you would lose some depth of cut.

- runswithscissors

Just take the stabilizer off on those rare occasions when you need full 3” deep cut. I do not understand why people make problem of it.

-- It's nice!