I’m just beginning and have a simple question:
Do you place the finished side of the wood “up” or “down” when cutting on a table saw? I am trying to create the best finish possible for the “visible” side and wonder which side creates more tear out.
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Replies
Put the good side up. Other way around using a circular saw.
To help you remember in the future, you want the teeth to enter the wood on the good side, exit on the less-good side. That's why a table saw is handled opposite a circular ("Skil") saw. Teeth enter the wood from the top on a table saw, from the bottom with a circular saw.
forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
Another proud member of the "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>)
If you are really concerned about tearout, you can put another board on top and cut them both. The top board will experience the tear out the bottom one wont. This also works for router tear out as well, back a piece of wood up to the piece you are sliding through the router bit.
There are also scoring devices that can be attached to table saws...but that gets complicated.
mark
but that gets complicated.. I understand I have kids!
Me too. Triplets age 12, 12, and 12 :-) (2 boys, 1 girl)
Measure it with a micrometer, mark it with chalk, cut it with an ax.
To expand on Mark's post above, if you use the proper blade and a good zero-clearance throat plate, you really shouldn't get any tear-out on either side. If you need any help with selecting the blade, let us know what type of material and thickness you're cutting. ZC inserts -- you can make yourself. It's patterned after your factory insert, and then the blade is raised through it to create a tight fit.
forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
Another proud member of the "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>)
Thanks for the advice. I would like a recommendation on a blade. I am definitely on a limited budget and while I would love to get the 10 in Freud with 80 teeth I am afraid I can't pop that much money on a blade - at least not right now. I am cutting everything from cheat 1/4 in pine to 2 x 4 to 1/2 in oak. Have you heard anything about the Black and Decker Pirahna blade (60 carbide teeth).
The zero clearance throat plate sounds easy enough to make. Does that make that much of a difference? Should I make something like that for the dado blade I got?
Thanks again
Zero clearance will make a huge difference. If you dont wont to spend the time on an insert, a quik and cheap way is to use a piece of 1/4" sheet material with a stop along the bottom edge (perpendicular to the blade). Set your fence, drop the panel on, raise the blade through the panel and you've got zero clearance. Be very carefull that the panel does not shift (can screw to off feed). It can really hurt if it lets loose. The greatest disadvantage is that you might need to move the panel for every dimension cut. In the long run, an insert (one for each blade) is the correct way to go.
To help visualize what a zero clearance insert does. Think about a pair of scissors. the cutting happens as the two edges slide past each other. As the teeth on you saw slice through and down out of the wood in the front of the blade the zero insert will support the wood that is right next to the tooth as it passes through.
I can take a pretty sharp blade and hit the flat side of a piece of paper with it all day and not cut it. But with a pair of scissors the paper is supported as the opposing blade cuts it.
Hi Tom. Don't fret about that 80-tooth blade. It's overkill for most purposes. I own it, and absolutely love it for cross-cuts that need to be baby-bottom smooth. I also use it for thin plywood cuts. But you can "get by" for a lot less money. You could get started with the Diablo blades. Your big box store should carry the 50-tooth combination version at a very reasonable price. Consider throwing in the 24-tooth ripping blade if you have the money. It will save wear and tear on your combo blade and take the load off your saw if you're ripping 2x stock.
As you read in the earlier posts, don't underestimate the value of a ZC insert to get clean cuts in plywood. Also, an auxilliary fence for your miter gauge when you crosscut.
PS: 80 teeth is alot of teeth, too many for some applications.
forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)Another proud member of the "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>)
Edited 3/8/2005 10:04 pm ET by forestgirl
The advice is great. Just so I understand - I higher tooth blade is good for cross cutting. How about ripping? Will any blade do for that or should I be looking for a specific number/type of teeth?
This forum is wonderful help for the beginners.
Thanks - Tom
A ripping blade has less teeth because the cut is in the direction of the grain and the material removed is made up of larger particles(fibers) than crosscutting. Therefore, the waste needs to be cleared out more efficiently. If the wood is very hard and dry, you can use a 40 tooth for some ripping but it tends to heat up more and heat is one of the worst things for a blade. If you stick with a 24-28 tooth rip blade, you should get good results. A good 40 tooth will work for crosscuts. The money spent on quality blades is worth it. Cheap blades are dangerous. I have an Oldham 40 tooth for general cutting and for junk wood. I use my Forrest 40 tooth WoodWorker II when I need a really smooth, accurate cut. I had a Piranha on my last saw (8" Delta) and I didn't like it at all. You want a blade with a good, stiff blank. That way, it won't bend as it goes through the wood.
"I cut this piece four times and it's still too short."
I've got a Systimatic Budke combination blade (IIRC, 50 tooth, ATB&R) that does a fairly good job of ripping. If I want a smoother finish I use a 60 tooth triple chip blade that came with the old Rockwell contractors saw I bought, but it's not any good for much over 5/4. Works pretty well on plywood.If you're doing a lot of ripping, I'd suggest you purchase a rip blade -- there are several on the market. I don't worry about an ultimately fine rip cut as virtually all the stuff I rip is then planed smooth either on a jointer or with a hand plane.Charles, the rep from Freud, is a regular reader here and is happy to answer questions on Freud's products.Regards,Leon Jester
Hi Tom. Looks like highfigh made up for my absence in explaining the rip blade. There's alot that goes into the configuration of various blades: number of teeth, grind (flat-top, Alternate Top Bevel, ATB with a raker, triple chip), hook angle, side grind, all sorts o' stuff. But yeah, you're generally going to have fewer teeth in a rip blade. My eyes still glaze if I look at the entire offering, LOL.
The trick when you're starting out, especially on a limited budget, is to get a couple of quality blades that'll get the bulk of your work done yielding good results and not stressing your saw or the blade. For my money, the 24-tooth ripping blade and 50-tooth combination blade are a great package. forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)Another proud member of the "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>)
Thanks for all the advice.
Tom
always have the teeth of the blade coming INTO the face of the wood you want visible....face up on a table saw, face down with a circular saw, face up on a miter saw......anybody out there correct me if I'm wrong, this is always the way I've done it...I put tape on a counter top, etc., if the piece is in place and I can't move it in the proper face up/down mode if I'm using a circular saw....
For a general purpose blade, use a 40 or 50 tooth combination. I get a better rip cut on 3/4 inch stock with a 40 tooth blade than with my 80 tooth.
For ripping thicker material, I'd suggest getting a rip blade, especially if you do it fairly often. A rip blade has fewer teeth (24 or so), flat top grind and an agressive hook angle. It cuts (rips) faster with less strain on the saw.
The 80 tooth blade is good for cross cuts that require a very smooth finish or for some hardwood plywoods that tend to be chippy.
As stated, make a zero clearance throat plate. It will make your cuts look like you used a blade that was at least double the price. Just be careful and don't try to bevel your blade.
A secondary benefit from the zero clearance throat plate is that it prevents thin off cuts from being either jammed by or thrown from the bottom of the saw.
When raising your blade through a zero clearance throat plate, be careful. On my saw, I had to install an 8 inch blade to clear the bottom of the plate. (I made my throat plate out of 1/2 inch plywood). After cutting a kerf with the smaller blade, I installed the 10 inch blade to finish it. Also, clamp a pice of wood across the insert to prevent it from kicking back at you when making the initial cut.
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