What are The recommended table saw blades for clean cutting cabinet plywood?
Thanks
Thanks
owenpga3
I use a Freud 80T thin kerf blade for veneered plywood. I also knife scribe the cut to help reduce the possible tear out. Some folks tape the cut with masking tape, but I've not had good luck with that method.
How many cabinets you build and quality will make a difference,
Just a few cabinets, a lot. Blades are good, better, best. What are your expectancie?
Just a few cabinets, a lot. Blades are good, better, best. What are your expectancie?
A fine tooth blade with 60 or 80 teeth is what I've used.
Just keep in mind that around 1/2 the cuts? will be with the grain and the rest will be across the grain where tearout is an issue.
Plywood is all over the place with their veneer quality and thickness these days.
A plywood wholesaler or supplier will have better quality than the home centers.
It will also cost more. They will have edge banding and finishing materials.
I use Drayton Plywood in Waterford, MI. Great service and family owned.
Just keep in mind that around 1/2 the cuts? will be with the grain and the rest will be across the grain where tearout is an issue.
Plywood is all over the place with their veneer quality and thickness these days.
A plywood wholesaler or supplier will have better quality than the home centers.
It will also cost more. They will have edge banding and finishing materials.
I use Drayton Plywood in Waterford, MI. Great service and family owned.
Regardless of how many you build, buy a quality blade. 80 - 96 tooth for ply, my fav brand is CMT. If you want super clean cuts, use a double sided melamine blade.
The #1 factor, even more important than the blade, is sharpness. Fresh from the sharpener my 30T glue line rip will make pristine crosscuts in plywood. But not for long.........
Other things to think about: Rule of thumb on blade height is bottom of gullets just above material. Raising the blade a little higher increases the "angle of attack" and gives a cleaner cut. Maybe that's wrong but that's what I do.
A fresh zero clearance insert specific to the blade you're using also helps a lot. Don't drive yourself nuts with tear out. There's always gonna be a little sooner or later. Make cuts with show faces up.
Double check fence to blade alignment. A lot of issues can be traced to a fence out of parallel.
The #1 factor, even more important than the blade, is sharpness. Fresh from the sharpener my 30T glue line rip will make pristine crosscuts in plywood. But not for long.........
Other things to think about: Rule of thumb on blade height is bottom of gullets just above material. Raising the blade a little higher increases the "angle of attack" and gives a cleaner cut. Maybe that's wrong but that's what I do.
A fresh zero clearance insert specific to the blade you're using also helps a lot. Don't drive yourself nuts with tear out. There's always gonna be a little sooner or later. Make cuts with show faces up.
Double check fence to blade alignment. A lot of issues can be traced to a fence out of parallel.
very helpful thank you. as DIYer i may be obsessing over which blade to use with these cabinets. i'm only making 1 x 36" and 1 x 24" with a countertop for sitting.
i'm going to be doing all my rough cuts for the panels with circular saw with straight edge and then cutting them to final dimensions on table saw.
i'm going to be doing all my rough cuts for the panels with circular saw with straight edge and then cutting them to final dimensions on table saw.
I like the Freud blades. There are some better ones, but they'll run you some real money. Freud, in my experience, gives extremely good value for the money, enough so that you can afford to replace them if necessary. Whatever you use, if you don't already have a zero-clearance insert made to fit it, get one.
I don't think anyone has said this yet, BUT if your do any amount of woodworking you'll need at least 3 "decent" table saw blades:
1. a 24 or 30 tooth rip blade, flat top, thin kerf for a saw with less than 3 HP.
2. a 40 or 50 tooth general purpose or combination blade, also thin kerf for 80 to 90% of your cuts.
I started with a 40 tooth and switched to a 50 tooth with no perceptible difference.
3. a 60 tooth or 80 tooth for tear out free crosscuts
1. a 24 or 30 tooth rip blade, flat top, thin kerf for a saw with less than 3 HP.
2. a 40 or 50 tooth general purpose or combination blade, also thin kerf for 80 to 90% of your cuts.
I started with a 40 tooth and switched to a 50 tooth with no perceptible difference.
3. a 60 tooth or 80 tooth for tear out free crosscuts
I have moved away from typical 10" blades in my table saw for much of my thin stock and/or sheet stock. I like 7-1/4" circular saw blades for stock up to 5/4 thick and 8-1/4" blades for 6/4. They cut cleaner and the thinner kerf is welcome as well. It takes fewer teeth on a smaller blade to achieve the same TPI as a larger blade so cost becomes a consideration as well. I don't bother to have blades sharpened, it is cheaper to just buy a new blade when they get dull.
I've heard a few people, including the late Wally Kunkel, "Mr. Sawdust" himself, say that a Forrest Woodworker II will do everything they need. Someday, when I'm feeling rich enough to lay out that much cash on a single blade, I may try it. Meanwhile, I generally get buy with a good glue-line rip blade, a good crosscut blade, and another medium priced crosscut blade, usually found on sale, for cutting particle board and things like ipe that will quickly dull even a carbide blade.
Amana AGE 60 tooth AT blade. Melamine blades have to much of a negative hook angle and not enough clearance for the kerf.
I’m gonna disagree on recommending expensive blades, fine for a high use or production shop, but unnecessary for a hobbyist or occasional user. The payoff just isn’t there. Better to buy 3 decent blades for what a WWII costs and then you have an arsenal of blades suitable for the common tasks.
What‘s most important in recommending a blade is stay away from the real cheap ones, and matching it to the saw and the task, e.g. thin kerf. One of the better blades I used on my miter saw was actually a DeWalt. I wonder who makes them.
What‘s most important in recommending a blade is stay away from the real cheap ones, and matching it to the saw and the task, e.g. thin kerf. One of the better blades I used on my miter saw was actually a DeWalt. I wonder who makes them.
Most good/expensive blades run $100-$180. If this is holding you back on kitchen cabinets, you need to refigure if you can afford to make them..
Table saw blade cost has nothing to do with production or hobby..
Table saw blade cost has nothing to do with production or hobby..
I totally disagree!
Most hobbiests buy cheaper blades because they can NOT afford a $150 blade with C4 Carbide, designed to have 7 to 10 sharpenings.
Production blades have flatter plates, thick and harder carbide which costs more to make.
Freud Diablo blades are so popular because they are inexpensive, actually work fine, and can be sharpened a time or two.
I know because I use them and have them sharpened.
A production or commercial shop can "write off" or amortize their expenses like I did for a while when I had a business.
Stumpy Nubs recommends Ridge Carbide as the best blade for the buck.
They do run around $150 or so however.
He has a discount code on his You Tube channel however.
CMT blade are cheaper and have a very good reputation.
www.menards.com
I started out with Freud Diablo's because they on the shelf at Home Depot and decided to try them some 20 years ago.
I probably have 10 of them in every tooth variation from 24 to 80 for my radial arm and table saws.
Here's why Diablos are cheaper, they are thinner and have lower quality carbide and they are designed for home shops with table saw having 1.5 HP or less. Most home shops fall into that category regarding Horse Power and 240 V is often not available.
Cabinet saws have 3 HP and run on 240 volts, not often found in a home shop.
It is often all about the costs for a home shop, but those with plenty of cash can afford what ever they want.
They do run around $150 or so however.
He has a discount code on his You Tube channel however.
CMT blade are cheaper and have a very good reputation.
CMT® ITK XTREME 10" x 60-Tooth Fine Finish Circular Saw Blade
This blade features a thin kerf, which makes it ideal for saws that are a bit underpowered, but at the same time this tool delivers great performance. You will be satisfied with the excellent price/quality ratio. The laser-cut heavy-duty blade plate is hardened to allow for great resistance...
www.menards.com
I probably have 10 of them in every tooth variation from 24 to 80 for my radial arm and table saws.
Here's why Diablos are cheaper, they are thinner and have lower quality carbide and they are designed for home shops with table saw having 1.5 HP or less. Most home shops fall into that category regarding Horse Power and 240 V is often not available.
Cabinet saws have 3 HP and run on 240 volts, not often found in a home shop.
It is often all about the costs for a home shop, but those with plenty of cash can afford what ever they want.
Yeah each stair railing transition cost me $100 10 years ago. I was debating whether to hire a pro or tackle it myself and finally bit the bullet. I was holding my breath during the cuts.
Also I just bought a 4x8 "shop grade" maple ply for $100.
IMO this is where many amateurs go wrong. They buy the cheap tools and then wonder why they get bad results. A pro with 30 years of experience can probably make a cheap tool work but a beginner needs every advantage to make up for the lack of experience. I started out with a few craftsman power tools and all I can say is luckily I only bought a few.
Not saying you need a Forrest for everyday usage, I have a Freud Diablo thin kerf rip as the default on my table saw but if I'm cutting sheet goods or hardwood trim I'll go to a premium blade.
I was in the cabinet and millwork business, semi retired so I do not make as many as I used to, maybe 2-3 kitchens a year. Others will likely disagree but for the past 30+ years all I have run on my cabinet saws are Forrest Woodworker II or Ridge Carbide Super Combo. As important as the blade is making sure your saw is set up properly. I would also suggest against using pocket screws. They are fine for things such as dust aprons or filler pieces but I would never use them for cabinet construction. I would suggest either some sort of M&T for your face frames, either conventional or loose tenon. There is a better than good chance the finish will crack along the seams of a pocket screw assembly. If you are going to have finished end panels make the same face frame for the sides and join it to the face frame with a rabbet and groove, lock miter, miter, or loose tenons. Make a door panel to sit in the side face frame. If this is going to be paint grade I would suggest either soft maple or HDF for the frames, stiles, and rails and HDF or door grade MDF for the fields.
Some will do what they want to do and others will do what they need to do..
Many spend $2-4k on a table saw trying to budget the saw blades. Are you kidding me?
Short term , who cares. Long term you want a blade that lasts in between sharpening as sharpening cost money. Buying a cheaper blade may or may not hold up during the duration of a cabinet job. Why take the chance.
Many spend $2-4k on a table saw trying to budget the saw blades. Are you kidding me?
Short term , who cares. Long term you want a blade that lasts in between sharpening as sharpening cost money. Buying a cheaper blade may or may not hold up during the duration of a cabinet job. Why take the chance.
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