Larry Blanchard | 2010-01-02 | 12:20:05 PM wrote:

On Fri, 01 Jan 2010 20:21:16 -0500, SBH wrote:

Thanks for the education on ATBR as well.

As for the thin kerf, is it also safe to assume they are used for
TS bench top/portable models?

On any saw, a thin kerf blade will require less power for a same
speed cut or, conversly, make the same cut faster with the same
power. And, as I mentioned, they do save wood. Priced any ebony
lately?

They have two drawbacks. In sustained use, they heat up faster than
a thicker blade which increases the odds of warping. For most hobby
woodworkers that's not a problem.

The second problem, at least in my mind, is that sometimes it's nice
to have a consistent 1/8" kerf instead of something out to 3 decimal
places. But unless you have almost zero runout you won't get that
anyway, so it may be a moot point.

I've used thin kerf blades on a contractor saw for years. I had a
rip, a crosscut, and a combination - all Freud. I finally got old
and lazy and now I run the Fusion blade for everything. I've never
owned a benchtop saw.

Third problem:
My contractor table saw has measurement guides on both sides of the
blade. If I put use a thin-kerf blade, measurements will be off by
about 1/32 inch--or not, depending on which side of the blade I put my
fence.

--
Steve Bell
New Life Home Improvement
Arlington, TX USA