Table Saw--5 Best Table Saw Blades for Woodworkers

While the table saw is a vital machine in the wood and manufacturing industry, a good saw blade is key to bringing out its beauty and effectiveness.

However, selecting a saw blade is not about picking a saw blade at random without pre-informed knowledge of the types of table saw blades and the one best suitable for your workload.

Hence, in this write-up, we’ll discuss the different types of table saw blades, the kind of task each could perfectly carry out, and other related information that will aid you in choosing the best table saw blade suitable for you.

Figure 1: Circular saw blade for woodwork.

Features of a Table Saw Blade

Foremost, let’s take you through some of the noticeable features that distinguish saw blades from other blades in the manufacturing and construction industry.

●Table Saw: High Precision

It is one of the common features of a good table saw blade. Precision is very important in wood cutting. Once you miss the cut, that could mean a waste of time and energy.

However, with a good saw blade, you can be sure of precise cutting and joining that brings your work out uniquely and leaves you with an amazing woodworking experience.

●Table Saw: Helps to Improve the Quality of Cuts

Everybody loves to make their work stand out from competitors, which is what a quality table saw blade can do for you as a woodworker. It helps improve the cut quality, allowing for better, finer, and faster results.

●Ultra-smooth edges

Another distinctive feature of a quality table saw blade is the fact that it helps to provide ultra-smooth edges. It saves you the stress of having to smoothen the edge of your wood after cutting.

Also, this feature allows you to boast of your profession as a matchless company in the wood and manufacturing industry.

●Highly Durable

Great table saw blades have great longevity, assuring users that there won’t be a need to change the blades within a short timeframe. Regardless of the rigorous activities or cutting, table saw blades can withstand all.

●Table Saw: Budget-friendly

Furthermore, buying a new table saw blade to improve your production’s overall performance won’t bore a hole in your pocket. Thanks to the manufacturers who ensure that the blades are budget-friendly.

By budget-friendly, we mean there are saw blades for as low as $20, and there are high-end saw table saw blades depending on your budget. Nevertheless, knowing the best suitable for your table saw is formidable.

These and more are the amazing features of good and quality table saw blades.

5 Best Table Saw Blades for Woodworkers

There are seas of choices when choosing table saw blades for woodworking. Your budget, the kind of work, preference, and so on plays a major role. Selecting the best table saw blades from the available ones can be quite tasking and time-consuming.

To simplify things, we will provide you with the best types of saw blades, how each of them works, the works they are suitable for, and other important information that will aid your decision to get your choicest table saw blades.

1. Table Saw: 40t General Purpose Or 50t Combination Blade

Although a high-end table saw blade, the general-purpose blade is one of the best you can ever lay your hands on as a woodworker, from its ability to cut through hardwoods seamlessly to ripping without any hitch, cross-cutting on double-sided plywood, and more.

●Table Saw: How it Looks

As its names imply, it’s an all-around blade that can effectively and efficiently carry out most of your wood-cutting tasks. The 40t general-purpose saw blades come with 40 to 50 teeth, an alternative bevel grind on the teeth, not-so-deep gullets, and an alternating face angle.

The 50t combination blade, on the other hand, has 50 teeth, a deep gullet, and a cluster (5 teeth per cluster)

Figure 2: A side view of a new general-purpose saw blade

●Table Saw: What to Know

It is your best bet if you are looking for a table saw blade that is all-encompassing, efficient, and durable. Also, the 40t general-purpose or 50t combination blade is best suitable for cutting plywood or veneer-faced sheet goods.

Using this type of blade is not advisable to cut dense ripple woods like maple, cherry, or beech. Doing this would affect the blades and not give you the desired result.

2. Table Saw: Ripping saw blade

It is another type of saw blade mainly for ripping solid wood with the grain. It gives you an ultra-smooth edge, along with a sloppy decorative spline.

●Table Saw: How it Looks

It is 20 to 30 teeth on a “10 blade with a flat face, flat-top grind carbide teeth (best for cutting slots for decorative splined joinery.)

The flat tooth produces a flat-bottom groove ad. As a result, it makes it a perfect fit for splines. It has a deep gullet and an aggressive forward rake. The design makes it wear-resistant and reduces heat when cutting.

Figure 3: A new ripping saw blade.

●Table Saw: What to Know

Ripping is about cutting solid wood with the grain instead of cutting across the grain. It is what a ripping saw blade is best suitable for. It cuts through the hardest wood and gives you an ultra-smooth edge.

If you are looking for blades that give you a sloppy decorative spline, then a ripping saw blade is the perfect tool.

Note a ripping blade is only best for ripping. Using it for cross-cutting can spell doom on the blade and your business.

3. Table Saw: 8″ Stack Dado Kit

If you are into furniture or cabinet building, this is probably the most suitable table saw blade. It is a unique set of blades, each having the purpose it can achieve.

Also, if you want to create wider grooves in wood up to ¾”, you can use the dado kit to achieve this by sandwiching the blades together.

●Table Saw: How it Looks

A stack dado kit has six blades, a shim (for fine-tuning the woodcuts.), 2 8″ diameter round blades, and four wing-like chippers. The two 8-diameter blades are 1/8 kerf and chippers, which come in different width sizes (1/16, 1/8, or ¼.)

Note of warning: If you want to enjoy the 8″ stack dado kits table saw blade for long, it is compulsory to ensure that you use the two-round blades and be able to discern which should go left and right.

Figure 4: Stack of saw blades in a table saw used in woodworking.

●Table Saw: What to Know

The 8″ stack dado kit has a matchless reputation for giving you the perfect touch, especially for tasks requiring several grooves, notches, and rabbets.

Also, a stack dado kit is best for a flat bottom cut, one of the in-demand designs for rock-solid furniture and cabinet joints.

However, when opting for dado kits, you must be very careful. Because there are two types of dado kits, choosing the wrong one for the right task might be quite painful.

The main one stacks and makes a flat-bottom cut, while the other doesn’t stack and will only leave a slight radius on the bottom of your cut.

4. Cross-Cutting Blade

It is the opposite of a ripping blade. It is best for cross-cutting across the grain without fearing wood-burning or splintering. Also, it provides ultra-smooth cuts and has high precision and tight joinery on wood.

●Table Saw: How it Looks

The table saw blade has the highest number of carbide teeth (around 60-80 teeth), a mild forward rake of 10°, and a shallow gullet between the teeth. Furthermore, the carbide teeth have an alternative angle face and top bevel grind.

Figure 5: Crosscut saw electric machine tools close up

●Table Saw: What to Know

The cross-cutting blade is the perfect match for cutting chipboard, melamine, and plywood. Like the dado kits, the cross-cutting blade has a different grind and comes with either 60 or 80 teeth. Hence, you must know which of these suits the task ahead.

5. Table Saw: Flat-Tooth Ripping Blade

Lastly on our list is the flat-tooth ripping blade. If your work involves cutting joineries such as half laps or tenon, then going for this saw blade wouldn’t be a bad decision.

●Table Saw: How it Looks

As expected, the flat-tooth ripping blade is an all-around flat blade that allows for a smooth surface on the edges of the joinery.

Also, these teeth have slight angles that alternate in direction with each tooth, leaving visible grooves on the wood.

●Table Saw: What to Know

The flat-tooth joinery is very effective when it comes to cutting joinery. Thus, this can only be an option if you want to use it mainly for cutting joinery.

Table Saw: Bonus Video

The above video guides how to sharpen your table saw blade effectively.

Table Saw: Final Thought and Recap

Irrespective of your choice, selecting the bestseller that will give you a quality saw blade is very important. One company with a matchless reputation in this aspect is NC Cutting tools. They are your best bet for buying cutting and grinding stones.

You can always reach out to them to enquire about your preferred choice.

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