Replies

1. 
   WillGeorge | Dec 25, 2009 12:43am | #1

   Not sure of any help but...

   I do not have a 'top-of-the-line' table saw but it WORKS for me. I have only had blade deflection problems with thin kerf blades. None with 'standard kerf'. I use Good blades but NOT a top-of-the-line Forrest...

   I think more information is needed about when and how you experience this deflection. Very hard woods, very deep cuts?

   I have only noticed blade deflection when cutting miters in very hard woods like Jatoba and some others. Minor deflection but bad enough to make less than a perfect miter.

   Are you sure, that somehow, you are not pushing the wood into the blade? As in forcing the cut and not letting the blade do the work?

   Wish I had a better answer for you....

2. 
   Knotscott | Dec 25, 2009 09:51am | #2

   It's really important to note
   It's really important to note that not all thin kerf blades are created equal. My experience with high quality thin kerf blades has been excellent....Infinity, Forrest, Freud (Industrial, Diablo, Avanti, Ridgid, Craftsman Pro...all by Freud), CMT, Leitz, DeWalt...I've tried in the neighborhood of 30 to 35 of them. Like anything else, you really can't lump all quality levels together and draw any useful conclusions. Crappy blades are just that regardless of kerf. While it's true that a thinner body is more prone to flexing than full kerf of comparable quality, that doesn't mean that they're actually prone to flexing....they're not in my experience, and there have been several recent articles in magazines that touted their use. If it's a well made blade on a saw that's running true cutting lumber that's been dimensioned flat and straight, you should have very few problems. Even without a stabilizer, I got excellent results and lower resistance to the saw. A good thin kerf blade can be a Godsend on a small underpowered saw. There's less incentive to use one of a full 3hp or 5hp saw, and I wouldn't suggest using one in a commercial or high volume application where heat buildup is a concern.

   It's also worth noting that what's dubbed a "thin kerf" blade may be a different kerf width than another "thin kerf" blade. There's really not a standard. For a 10" blade most TK's are in the 3/32" range. There are ultra "TKs" in the 0.080 range that would be more prone to flexing. It's also worth noting that as the diameter increases, the strength across the span decreases... meaning a 3/32" kerf width on a 12" isn't as stable as on a 10" blade if all else is equal.

3. 
   JohnWW | Dec 26, 2009 09:23am | #3

   How is the blade deflecting, on what type of machine, doing what operation?

4. 
   AZMO | Dec 26, 2009 09:51am | #4

   Is your blade full of buildup? That can build heat and warp the blade. I was trying to set up a saw, and found one of my blades had a noticible warp, it was a thin kerf combo blade that was being used for lots of ripping. You can check that by rotating the blade around and just touch the set up block/micrometer with each tooth. Eliminate the obvious first is my rule.

5. 
   RalphBarker | Dec 26, 2009 11:38am | #5

   FWIW, I've always considered
   FWIW, I've always considered "thin kerf" to be a bit of a misnomer. "Minutely-thinner kerf" might be more accurate, since the kerf is usually only 1/32" thinner than standard blades. Some manufacturers also suggest using "stiffener" plates to reduce deflection of the thinner blades, diminishing the capacity of the blade.