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UPDATE: I am happy to report that Tenryu did indeed develop a true full-kerf Gold Medal blade (see my issues with this below) and I’ve been happily using it in my saw for the last year. They are now available as part number GM-25540-2. The easiest way to get one at this point is to head to th...
One common complaint I hear about Festool products (besides the obvious one), is the fact that their blades have an odd arbor size. This means you will need to buy your blades specifically from Festool or have your favorite blades modified to fit their saws. Personally, I find Festool blades to b...
...pposed to the thin-kerf (.111″) version we have become famous for producing. This new special tip design provides: Reduced friction/resistance Feeding that mimics the thin kerf design Higher rate of sawdust/chip extraction A reduction in ?grabbing? of the material edge while cutting (results...
This week’s question comes from Pat who asks: “Marc, sorry for writing a book here. I am shopping for a blade for my used TS-3650 I just bought and will be buying a Dado blade also. I’m on a budget but good blades and safety are a must. Any light you can shed will be appreciate...
...started the cross-cuts and experienced tearout on the top layer of the plywood face. I stopped this by doing all my cuts with a skill saw and plywood blade. But when cutting the dados, I still got quite a bit of tearout. I like using this plywood because its inexpensive. So my question is: how ...
This viewer question comes from Jed who asks: “I am trying to make a cutting board with 2 different species of wood. The problem is, when I cut the strips (with the grain) I get chips and the different strips don’t match up perfectly. Do I need a special table saw blade to do this? I am...
...ng an alignment tool that I borrowed from the Charlotte Woodworkers Association I have been able to measure the alignment of the saw’s 10″ blade to the miter slot. According to the dial indicator, the back of the blade is 0.011″ further away from the miter slot than the front of t...
...that. It was really against the law not to store them laying sideways! So I find this funny to see a professional wood craftsman to store them on the blade. And here was my reply: Hello Andreas. Believe it or not, that is an antiquated misconception about planes. Lets review the facts. A plane b...
This week’s question comes from Gatorbait. He writes: “I value your opinion on tool recommendations. I am very new to bandsaws. I just snagged the 14″ Powermatic (as you know from a previous email) and am looking for a few new blades (only because I heard the ones that come wit...
...ime I was not using the riving knife because the mount had slipped out of adjustment and tended to bind piece of wood between it and the rip fence. My blade was set about 1/4″ above the wood. After pushing this long, flexible piece of wood through the saw, I left the saw running with the 18...
This week’s question comes from Jeff. He writes: Hey Marc. I’m gearing up for an attempt at a maple and walnut (or mahogany) chess board. Question is, my blade on the 10″ table saw has gone thru a lot of MDF recently and its time to buy a new one. I’m looking to get some...
This week’s question comes from Stu. He writes: “Alright Marc, got a new one for you. What is a reliable way to tell if your table saw blade is dull? I know if its cutting slower it might be dirty or dull. I know with a chisel the blade should catch your nail or shave the hair off yo...