Table Saw Blade Combinations

Mitch, I have a Freud and like it. Amazon is selling the Freud LM75R010 30t Thin Kerf Glue Line for $48. shipped.

I have a glue line rip and while it puts acceptable glue joints on edges, it doesn’t crosscut well at all. The FT, TCG of the teeth don’t work well for that application.

I also have a CMT general purpose blade that is just as good with the glue line rips (I’ve done side by side comparisons) and has a very good quality cross cut. You might be able to use a combo blade as well but the general purpose has only 40 teeth compared to 50 usually found on combo blades. That helps with ripping.

-- Childress Woodworks

Given your budget constraints and your desire for glue joints off the saw, I’d suggest you plan on a saw blade stabilizer which will give you better quality cuts from blades not as good as you’ll one day own (and which still benefit from the use of the stabilizer). I was real skeptical about these but they’re an excellent tool and they never wear out or need sharpening!

Kindly,

Lee

-- "...in his brain, which is as dry as the remainder biscuit after a voyage, he hath strange places cramm'd with observation, the which he vents in mangled forms." --Shakespeare, "As You Like It"

A flat filed crosscut blade????? No way. Crosscuts should be made with ATB or High ATB blades, or a good quality 50 tooth general purpose blade. Flat teeth on a crosscut will do a very poor job, and will have lots of tear-out.
I use a Freud reg. kerf 50 tooth combo blade for most of the operations on my saw. When needing a lot of ripping, I change to a dedicated rip blade.
I have blade stabilizers on my RAS only. Most posts on stabliizers state limited benefits. A good quality blade on an accurate and well adjusted saw probably won’t need stabliizers.
Hope this helps.
Bill

-- bill@magraphics.us

When ripping 8/4 stock I use the Freud 24T Rip that is best for >3/4” stock. I started out using a Freud 50T Combination blade and that just would NOT handle ripping 8/4. Since you are using a contractor TS, you probably won’t be ripping much stock >3/4 so the Freud LM75R010 30t Thin Kerf Glue Line mentioned above is probably your best bet for ripping.

-- HorizontalMike -- "Woodpeckers understand..."

I have had good success with one of the $50.00 Ridgid Combo blades.

A thin kerf rip blade and crosscut blade are my first choice in blades. They reduce the wear and tear on the table saw and reduce waste. Next is a combo blade ATB alternate top bevel. This can be used for creating narrow dados and a flat bottom in the dado. Then I would get a good dado blade set. I use the Freud that has the dial-a-shim instead of individual shims. Saves time getting the width set just right.

-- Don, Diamond Lake Custom Woodworks - http://www.dlwoodworks.com - "If you make something idiot proof, all they do is make a better idiot"

Tips for picking saw blades

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

Brand names are a personal choice, but I like to have a wide assortment of blades, so I have 4 blades with tooth counts of 20, 40, 60, and 80. Now that I think about it, I have 5: I also have a plywood blade that came with my saw and has never been used. Gives me a wide choice.

-- Brian, Lebanon PA, If you aren’t having fun doing it, find something else to do.

These are the two standard blades I use.

This one for cross cuts and light ripping $40
http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1v/R-100033809/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053

and this one for ripping $30
http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1v/R-100055325/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053

I just bought a new table saw and wood craft sold me a $138 Forrest Wood Worker II 40 tooth thin kerf for $40. It is nice but it does not cut nicer than those blades listed above.