Replies

1. 
   dgreen | Jan 06, 2009 05:53am | #1

   I'm a big fan of CMT but I certainly would not be afraid of another Freud.

    

    

   ................................................

   Men will never be free until the last king is strangled with the entrails of the last priest.
   ~ Denis Diderot

2. 
   flairwoodworks | Jan 06, 2009 09:19am | #2

   The only thing I don't like about my Freud glue-line rip blade is that when not doing through cuts, it leaves bevels at the corners as opposed to square corners.

   Chris @ www.flairwoodwork.spaces.live.com
   (soon to be www.flairwoodworks.com)

    - Success is not the key to happines.  Happiness is the key to success.  If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. - Albert Schweitzer

3. 
   gofigure57 | Jan 06, 2009 01:26pm | #3

          Kreuzie, I like my 30 tooth  Forrest for ripping  hardwoods as well as ply.

                      Tom.

                  

4. 
   KiddervilleAcres | Jan 06, 2009 03:00pm | #4

   kreuzie,

   I have a Freud TK-206 and like it a lot.  I've used it for crosscutting as well and it works really good.  I've a yearning for a Forrest but this blade just keeps on tickin.

   Regards,

   Bob @ Kidderville Acres

   A Woodworkers mind should be the sharpest tool in the shop!

5. 
   bones | Jan 06, 2009 05:35pm | #5

   I can't speak to other brands, as someone reccomended them here when I got back into woodworking and I've never went anywhere else. Glue line ready.  I have the WW I for the RAS, and a WWII 7 1/4" in my PC CS for cutting ply panels and the WWII 40 for the TS(never had an issue ripping).  I also use their DADO set.  I bought the thin kerf but looking back now, I don't think that really mattered.  That's my 2 cents worth. 

   Government's view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases:
   If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it.
   And if it stops moving, subsidize it.
   

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   Edited 1/6/2009 9:38 am by bones

   
   

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   Edited 1/6/2009 9:38 am by bones

6. 
   SARGEgrinder47 | Jan 06, 2009 07:00pm | #6

   I have 2 CMT 24 T with that alternate grind of flat and one ATB thrown in per 2 I believe which is similar to a glue line type that Freud makes with 30 T but... it has fewer teeth which gives a bit more gullet space for waste removal and that speeds up the rip a tad. I use it for 1" thick stock and an occasional 1 1/2" depending on the species being ripped.

   But... I rip often and occasionally surface air dried stock for others for payola. I have done around 8000 linear feet this year. For 1 1/2" - 3" stock my two trusty Amana 20 T Euro rippers get the call. Flat tooth design and plenty of gullet on a 20 blade. Around $60 when I bought the last one as I tend to buy 2 at a time as I have a local sharpener within 10 minutes who charges me $8.00 for a 24 T with turn around of 2 days.

   If ripping is going to be your main forte... a 20 or 24 T flat is your best bet. If you are going to occasionally rip and do a lot of cross-cutting a 40 T with ATB would be a better choice if you are limited to one blade. I haven't used the Forrest as I feel there are just as good of blades at a lower price but... I am sure the 20 T is a good rip blade if it has a flat tooth grind.

   If you have 3 HP or more I would go full kerf. Under 3 HP thin kerf. I have used the Freud 24 T full kerf with flat grind. It is a good blade also but I get better deals from my sharpener with CMT and Amana. With that said any 20 T or 24 T full kerf rip blade with flat grind should work fine. I think it has become a trend to over-analyze brand XX over brand XXX which in actuality all work if they are sharp. I find the biggest difference to be the price you pay in many cases.

   Sarge..

7. 
   Knotscott | Jan 06, 2009 07:34pm | #7

   Kreuzie - I've had good results from several top name rippers....which to get depends a lot on your saw, the going prices, and what type stuff you'll be ripping.

   Because you're asking about a 20T ripper, I'm assuming you'll be ripping thick stuff. I've never used the Forrest 20T, but have had a Forrest WWII 30T ATB TK, an Amana Industrial 20T FTG full kerf, an Infinity 24T FTG TK, Freud LM72 24T FTG full kerf, Freud LU87 FTG TK, DeWalt DW7124TK 24T FTG, Leitz 24T FTG TK, and CMT 30T TCG full kerf "Glue Line Ripper".... all give good ripping results that are suitable for glue ups as is, though most don't leave a "glass smooth" cut. My smaller saws had an easier time with thick materials using the TK's, but my new 3hp cabinet saw doesn't flinch with full kerfs. Of those blades, the 30T blades, especiallly the 30T WWII, predictably gave the cleanest cuts but don't hog through the 3" stuff quite as easily...the 30T WWII is also the only one from this group that'll do justice with a crosscut. It's darn near as clean cutting as the 40T WWII, but rips noticeably more efficiently.

   If you have a saw smaller than a 3hp cab saw, that runs well with low vibration and runout, I'd go with a good TK. If you've got a big cab saw, go with a standard 1/8" (0.125") full kerf.

   Good luck!

1. 
   gofigure57 | Jan 07, 2009 06:17am | #9

         Knots, I am with you on the 30 tooth forrest, I have a couple of 40 tooth forrests in 10" and 12"  as well as thier ten inch dado king. I rarely use the 40s. That 30 tooth is one fine blade. 

         Tom

8. 
   RonInOttawa | Jan 06, 2009 08:30pm | #8

   I have not used a Freud ripping blade. However, I have been using the same Systematic 24-tooth, .125" ripping blade for almost 20 years. It's been resharpened twice and still has plenty of carbide left. It will outlast me, I'm certain.

   Up until a year or so back, it was used on a 1-HP Craftsman. It cut relatively quickly with minimal burning considering how under-powered the saw was. It is now mounted on a 5-HP Unisaw and goes through 2" and 3" oak and maple like butter!

   Don't get hung up on Forrest. They make a good blade. So does Ridge Carbide, Infinity, Systematic, CMT, Dimar and several others, I'm sure. You should expect to pay between $60-100. Look for 20-24 teeth, square cut rather than anything with a bevel. The square cut will prove useful if you're cutting tenons or grooves.

   Ron

1. 
   KiddervilleAcres | Jan 07, 2009 01:50pm | #10

   Hey Ron,

   I have to say I've never used a Forrest!  It would be nice to be able to do an A-B compare with the Freud blades though and yes I have a hankerin fer a Forrest - don't know why. :-)

   Just did a Google on the Freud TK206 and Amazon has the TK206 ATB Rip, TK306 ATB Finish and the LU87R010 FTG Rip blades for $91.45.  I'd have a really tough time getting past that one for price/performance.

   Yo Freud & Amazon, kin I get ye to put me on comishun,Bob @ Kidderville Acres

   A Woodworkers mind should be the sharpest tool in the shop!