I have used a think kerf CMT General in my original contractor saw for
years, then when I got my cabinet saw, it's been with that for about two
years and I'm very happy with it. My brother is just putting together his
shop and he is choosing a Griz 1023SL TS and I was going to get him a
Forrest Woodworker II as a shop warming present. The problem is that I
can't decide between full or thin kerf. Why would I ever want to use more
kerf than necessary - there must be a reason, but it escapes me. Thanks
for any input.

Remove the word spam in the email if you choose to reply by that method.

DJ

The theory I heard is that the thin kerf would be more likely to experience
vibration issues, since it would be marginally more flexible. So if your
saw can drive a full kerf blade, that seemed to be the most advisable.

Having never compared directly, I don't know how much of an issue that
actually is.

Clint

"DJ" wrote in message
...
I have used a think kerf CMT General in my original contractor saw for
years, then when I got my cabinet saw, it's been with that for about two
years and I'm very happy with it. My brother is just putting together his
shop and he is choosing a Griz 1023SL TS and I was going to get him a
Forrest Woodworker II as a shop warming present. The problem is that I
can't decide between full or thin kerf. Why would I ever want to use more
kerf than necessary - there must be a reason, but it escapes me. Thanks
for any input.

Remove the word spam in the email if you choose to reply by that method.

DJ

DJ wrote:
My brother is just putting together his
shop and he is choosing a Griz 1023SL TS and I was going to get him a
Forrest Woodworker II as a shop warming present. The problem is that I
can't decide between full or thin kerf. Why would I ever want to use more
kerf than necessary - there must be a reason, but it escapes me. Thanks
for any input.

Remove the word spam in the email if you choose to reply by that method.

DJ

The full kerf blade is less prone to flex.

It also offers a little more resistance before bending when you tilt the
blade with the zero clearance insert still in the saw.

--
Jack Novak
Buffalo, NY - USA

(Remove -SPAM- to send email)

Jack Novak said
It also offers a little more resistance before bending when you tilt the
blade with the zero clearance insert still in the saw.

--
ROTFLMAO
Been there done that

"DJ" wrote in message
...
I have used a think kerf CMT General in my original contractor saw for
years, then when I got my cabinet saw, it's been with that for about two
years and I'm very happy with it. My brother is just putting together his
shop and he is choosing a Griz 1023SL TS and I was going to get him a
Forrest Woodworker II as a shop warming present. The problem is that I
can't decide between full or thin kerf. Why would I ever want to use more
kerf than necessary - there must be a reason, but it escapes me. Thanks
for any input.


Think kerf helps an under powered saw cut faster.

From there the thin kerf is a disadvantage as it flexes and does not produce
as flat of a cut as a regular kerf blade. You may not realize the flex
until you switch to a premium quality regular kerf blade. In particular you
see the difference when cutting miters and compound miters.

Get him the regular kerf blade. I used thin kerf blades for years until I
discovered Premium regular kerf blades.

"DJ" wrote in message
...
I have used a think kerf CMT General in my original contractor saw for
years, then when I got my cabinet saw, it's been with that for about two
years and I'm very happy with it. My brother is just putting together his
shop and he is choosing a Griz 1023SL TS and I was going to get him a
Forrest Woodworker II as a shop warming present. The problem is that I
can't decide between full or thin kerf. Why would I ever want to use more
kerf than necessary - there must be a reason, but it escapes me. Thanks
for any input.

Remove the word spam in the email if you choose to reply by that method.

DJ


On longer ripping jobs the TK blades are more likely to heat up and wobble.

DJ wrote:

I have used a think kerf CMT General in my original contractor saw for
years, then when I got my cabinet saw, it's been with that for about two
years and I'm very happy with it. My brother is just putting together his
shop and he is choosing a Griz 1023SL TS and I was going to get him a
Forrest Woodworker II as a shop warming present. The problem is that I
can't decide between full or thin kerf. Why would I ever want to use more
kerf than necessary - there must be a reason, but it escapes me. Thanks
for any input.


I'm betting that most folks here work with stock that's considerably
less than an inch and a half thick - David Eisen being the exception
(see his table legs - out of ash as I recall). Just finding stock
thicker
than 3/4" can be an adventure. And no one works with ply thicker
than 3/4". So for a table saw, and the stuff you typically do with
it,
blade flexing isn't an issue - assuming the blade and fence are set
parallel to the miter slot - a BIG assumption in some shops. So a
thin
kerf blade works just fine - for me. In fact, I leave a 7 1/4" blade
on
my Robland - Freud and CMT make some nice carbide tipped blades
for circular saws that work just fine. Why spin a 10" full kerf
blade
when it isn't necessary. And kickback, if it should happen, is a LOT
less dramatic with a think kerf than it is with a full kerf.

No on a miter saw, compound miter saw, sliding miter saw or sliding
compound miter saw - you NEED a thicker blade - and a 12" will give
you more cutting capacity - both in height and width. But with the
thicker blade and larger diameter comes the opportunity for Mach
10 UFOs. There are always trade offs in life - the trick is to
minimize
the likelyhood that one of those trade offs doesn't damage any
body parts you really need.

My vote - unless it's for a miter saw, go with a thin kerf.

And BTW, you can get three or four thin kerf, carbide toothed 7 1/4"
blades for the price of one really good full kerf 10". At the first
hint of dulling I'll replace a blade, putting the "less than perfect
one"
on the carpenter's circular saw. I still haven't sent my original
WWII
back for sharpening and it's replacement WWII wasn't as sharp as
it had been - which is how the 7 1/4" thin kerf discovery was made.

charlie b

I talked to the Forrest demo rep after a demo at a local shop and he
suggested the thin kerf with a 5" stabilizer for my Delta hybrid TS. I am
not sure if I told him I just had a hybrid saw, but he felt that was the way
to go. So far I have been very pleased with how it cuts. Do most people
use stabilizers?

-Steve

"Steve W" wrote in message
. net...
I talked to the Forrest demo rep after a demo at a local shop and he
suggested the thin kerf with a 5" stabilizer for my Delta hybrid TS. I am
not sure if I told him I just had a hybrid saw, but he felt that was the
way to go. So far I have been very pleased with how it cuts. Do most
people use stabilizers?


They should if using thin kerf blades.

"Steve W" wrote in message
. net...
I talked to the Forrest demo rep after a demo at a local shop and he
suggested the thin kerf with a 5" stabilizer for my Delta hybrid TS.

5" stabilizer will reduce your max depth of cut from 3" to 2.5"

I am
not sure if I told him I just had a hybrid saw, but he felt that was the
way to go. So far I have been very pleased with how it cuts. Do most
people use stabilizers?

I have one and really only use it as a spacer.... but then again, I prefer
thick kerf.

-Steve

"charlie b" wrote in message
...
DJ wrote:

I'm betting that most folks here work with stock that's considerably
less than an inch and a half thick - David Eisen being the exception
(see his table legs - out of ash as I recall). Just finding stock
thicker
than 3/4" can be an adventure. And no one works with ply thicker
than 3/4". So for a table saw, and the stuff you typically do with
it,
blade flexing isn't an issue - assuming the blade and fence are set
parallel to the miter slot -

And assuming that the stock you are ripping is perfectly straight. I don't
know about you but I would bet 99% of the wood that I rip is not absolutely
straight.

Leon wrote:

And assuming that the stock you are ripping is perfectly straight. I don't
know about you but I would bet 99% of the wood that I rip is not absolutely
straight.


Ah - stock prep - the elephant in the room nobody wants to talk about.

If you don't have one straight edge, square to the top and bottom of the
stock and the top and bottom parallel - preferably with squared off ends
- you're starting off with one foot in the hole - and digging. The hole
you'll find yourself in eventually - assuming you make it to glue up
without
one or more trips to the emergency room worse case, or to the house
for some ice, or maybe just a band aide, will make it crystal clear why
the
old maxim - "You can't make rectangles out of trapezoidal parts!"
warrants
taking to heart. (Now I know there's someone out there who's heading for
Auto CAD to come up with a way to disprove the maxim and post the
solution here, or to a.b.p.w. or the url to a page or two with the
solution.)
For some reason, which seems to defy the randomness of nature, wood
working errors always seem to accumulate rather than being self
cancelling
/compensating.

Then we come to "perfectly straight" and how close is "close enough"?
If the edge against the fence isn't "close enough" to straight then a
regular kerf or thin kerf is the least of your problems. If it's off by
enough to make the thickness of the blade an issue - or the need for
a stabilizer, why not just hit the high spot(s) with a hand plane for a
pass or two in that /those areas and then make the rip cut?

Inquiring minds want to know.

charlie b

"charlie b" wrote in message
...
Leon wrote:


Then we come to "perfectly straight" and how close is "close enough"?
If the edge against the fence isn't "close enough" to straight then a
regular kerf or thin kerf is the least of your problems. If it's off by
enough to make the thickness of the blade an issue - or the need for
a stabilizer, why not just hit the high spot(s) with a hand plane for a
pass or two in that /those areas and then make the rip cut?

Inquiring minds want to know.

charlie b

Think S2S lumber that is straight on one edge and has a curve on the other
side. Basically, you have just run the piece through the jointer to
straighten the fence side of the board. Now you have a curve on the side
that you are going to correctly straighten on the TS. For maximum yield
your blade will likely have wood on both sides as well as only on the right
side, as the narrow part of the board passes the blade. If the blade is
exiting and or entering or reentering wide and narrow spots on the board it
is going to have a side force applied as the left side of the blade appears
and reappears. Regular kerf is affected less in this situation.

"charlie b" wrote in message

My vote - unless it's for a miter saw, go with a thin kerf.

I remember reading once that one of the main reasons to use a thin kerf
blade was when one was cutting really expensive wood. Don't know how true
that statement was/is, but it sounds logical to me.

"Upscale" wrote in message

I remember reading once that one of the main reasons to use a thin kerf
blade was when one was cutting really expensive wood. Don't know how true
that statement was/is, but it sounds logical to me.



Makes sense if you do the numbers.

Let's say a board is 5 1/4" wide. You need to cut two 2" pieces from it. 2"
+ 2" + 1/8" kerf + 1/8" kerf will leave a scrap of 1/2". If you use a thin
kerf blade you save 1/16" and have a 5/16" scrap piece and the difference
can be put towards your 401k or the kid's college fund.

I guess it can make serious sense in a production shop taking very wide
boards to very narrow ones.

"Edwin Pawlowski" wrote in message

I guess it can make serious sense in a production shop taking very wide
boards to very narrow ones.

Actually, I was thinking more along the lines of use with cabinet grade
plywood. That stuff can get pretty expensive. Last time I bought some was
oak veneered plywood some twelve years ago and it was something like $140 a
sheet (CA) even back then. Getting into some of the exotic stuff could get
really expensive. I'm afraid to look and see what it is now.

"Upscale" wrote in message
...
"Edwin Pawlowski" wrote in message

I guess it can make serious sense in a production shop taking very wide
boards to very narrow ones.

Actually, I was thinking more along the lines of use with cabinet grade
plywood. That stuff can get pretty expensive. Last time I bought some was
oak veneered plywood some twelve years ago and it was something like $140
a
sheet (CA) even back then. Getting into some of the exotic stuff could get
really expensive. I'm afraid to look and see what it is now.



Basically, a majority of the time a thin kerf blade saves enough wood to
insure that the scrap you throw away is a little larger.

I may have missed it, but so far I haven't seen any mention my
favorite reason for a regular kerf blade: 1/8" is SO much easier to
work with than 7/32!

YMMV
--

Larry Wasserman Baltimore, Maryland

"Upscale" wrote in message
...
"charlie b" wrote in message

My vote - unless it's for a miter saw, go with a thin kerf.

I remember reading once that one of the main reasons to use a thin kerf
blade was when one was cutting really expensive wood. Don't know how true
that statement was/is, but it sounds logical to me.



If you're really after saving $$ on wood by using a thin kerf, then you
should really take the next step and use a bandsaw.

"James "Cubby" Culbertson" wrote in message

If you're really after saving $$ on wood by using a thin kerf, then you
should really take the next step and use a bandsaw.

That's for sissies. Really frugal man would split the wood with his pen
knife and have no waste.

"Edwin Pawlowski" wrote in
news:Qguxg.4648$qZ2.1502@trndny01:


"James "Cubby" Culbertson" wrote in message

If you're really after saving $$ on wood by using a thin kerf, then
you should really take the next step and use a bandsaw.

That's for sissies. Really frugal man would split the wood with his
pen knife and have no waste.




You still have the waste from finishing the edge. If you're really
trying to conserve wood, have it laser cut.

Puckdropper
--
Wise is the man who attempts to answer his question before asking it.

To email me directly, send a message to puckdropper (at) fastmail.fm

"Edwin Pawlowski" wrote in message
news:Qguxg.4648$qZ2.1502@trndny01...

"James "Cubby" Culbertson" wrote in message

If you're really after saving $$ on wood by using a thin kerf, then you
should really take the next step and use a bandsaw.

That's for sissies. Really frugal man would split the wood with his pen
knife and have no waste.



And if he were really frugal, he would have turned down that pen knife on
his lathe from scraps.

--

-Mike-

charlie b wrote:

DJ wrote:

I have used a think kerf CMT General in my original contractor saw for
years, then when I got my cabinet saw, it's been with that for about two
years and I'm very happy with it. My brother is just putting together
his shop and he is choosing a Griz 1023SL TS and I was going to get him a
Forrest Woodworker II as a shop warming present. The problem is that I
can't decide between full or thin kerf. Why would I ever want to use
more
kerf than necessary - there must be a reason, but it escapes me. Thanks
for any input.


I'm betting that most folks here work with stock that's considerably
less than an inch and a half thick - David Eisen being the exception
(see his table legs - out of ash as I recall). Just finding stock
thicker
than 3/4" can be an adventure.

????? Where do you live that finding a 2x4 is an "adventure"?

And no one works with ply thicker
than 3/4".

Ply, no, MDF, yes. And some projects use two pieces of ply bonded
together--with those it's easier to rough cut, bond, and finish cut than to
cut two identical pieces.

So for a table saw, and the stuff you typically do with
it,
blade flexing isn't an issue - assuming the blade and fence are set
parallel to the miter slot - a BIG assumption in some shops. So a
thin
kerf blade works just fine - for me. In fact, I leave a 7 1/4" blade
on
my Robland - Freud and CMT make some nice carbide tipped blades
for circular saws that work just fine. Why spin a 10" full kerf
blade
when it isn't necessary. And kickback, if it should happen, is a LOT
less dramatic with a think kerf than it is with a full kerf.

No on a miter saw, compound miter saw, sliding miter saw or sliding
compound miter saw - you NEED a thicker blade - and a 12" will give
you more cutting capacity - both in height and width. But with the
thicker blade and larger diameter comes the opportunity for Mach
10 UFOs. There are always trade offs in life - the trick is to
minimize
the likelyhood that one of those trade offs doesn't damage any
body parts you really need.

My vote - unless it's for a miter saw, go with a thin kerf.

And BTW, you can get three or four thin kerf, carbide toothed 7 1/4"
blades for the price of one really good full kerf 10". At the first
hint of dulling I'll replace a blade, putting the "less than perfect
one"
on the carpenter's circular saw. I still haven't sent my original
WWII
back for sharpening and it's replacement WWII wasn't as sharp as
it had been - which is how the 7 1/4" thin kerf discovery was made.

charlie b

--
--John
to email, dial "usenet" and validate
(was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)

J. Clarke wrote:

charlie b wrote:

I'm betting that most folks here work with stock that's considerably
less than an inch and a half thick - David Eisen being the exception
(see his table legs - out of ash as I recall). Just finding stock
thicker
than 3/4" can be an adventure.


????? Where do you live that finding a 2x4 is an "adventure"?

I'm not talking about doug fir if you're west of the Mississipi
or Lodge Pole Pine or southern yellow pine.

Around here, finding 2x2s - in maple, or mahogany or ash, or even
oak, let alone padouk or teak - IS an adventure. There are places
you can order it - sight unseen - and wait three or four months
for a container to arrive from god knows where to actually have
it in hand. I don't plan that far ahead - though I do pick up stuff
I don't "need" right now - if the opportunity presents itself. 10/4
and 12/4 claro walnut slabs - some of it crotch - for $40 to $50
apiece is something I can't pass up. A Bartlett Pear log - en buole
for $200 now sits under a loose tarp on my driveway - off the ground
on stickers of course.

Now redwood - we got ****loads of the stuff here in NorCal. some
of it is absolutely gorgeous - but soft. Pity - some of it has
figure
which will take your breath away.

Nice to know an arborist who is also a sawyer AND a furniture
maker. Once again - Thank You Blair!

charlie b

charlie b wrote:

J. Clarke wrote:

charlie b wrote:

I'm betting that most folks here work with stock that's considerably
less than an inch and a half thick - David Eisen being the exception
(see his table legs - out of ash as I recall). Just finding stock
thicker
than 3/4" can be an adventure.


????? Where do you live that finding a 2x4 is an "adventure"?

I'm not talking about doug fir if you're west of the Mississipi
or Lodge Pole Pine or southern yellow pine.

How about Sitka spruce?

Around here, finding 2x2s - in maple, or mahogany or ash, or even
oak, let alone padouk or teak - IS an adventure.

Just the fact that you refer to it as a 2x2 tells me that you really need to
find a hardwood lumber yard. 8/4 maple, mahogany, and oak are quite
common.

There are places
you can order it - sight unseen - and wait three or four months
for a container to arrive from god knows where to actually have
it in hand. I don't plan that far ahead - though I do pick up stuff
I don't "need" right now - if the opportunity presents itself. 10/4
and 12/4 claro walnut slabs - some of it crotch - for $40 to $50
apiece is something I can't pass up. A Bartlett Pear log - en buole
for $200 now sits under a loose tarp on my driveway - off the ground
on stickers of course.

Now redwood - we got ****loads of the stuff here in NorCal. some
of it is absolutely gorgeous - but soft. Pity - some of it has
figure
which will take your breath away.

Now that is something that is virtually unobtainable here. Ipe we got out
the ying-yang, but redwood . . .

Nice to know an arborist who is also a sawyer AND a furniture
maker. Once again - Thank You Blair!

charlie b

--
--John
to email, dial "usenet" and validate
(was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)

On Mon, 24 Jul 2006 20:34:20 -0000, DJ
wrote:

shop and he is choosing a Griz 1023SL TS and I was going to get him a
Forrest Woodworker II as a shop warming present.

I prefer a full kerf.
I've never tried a thin kerf Forrest but with Frued or Amana I find
the thin kerf to have too much flex to suit me.
Your mileage may vary.

Mike O.

shop and he is choosing a Griz 1023SL TS and I was going to get him a
Forrest Woodworker II as a shop warming present.

I prefer a full kerf.
I've never tried a thin kerf Forrest but with Frued or Amana I find
the thin kerf to have too much flex to suit me.
Your mileage may vary.

Exactly my experience.

FWIW, I have a 3HP cabinet saw to power is not a limiting factor.

-Steve

"Stephen M" wrote in message
...
shop and he is choosing a Griz 1023SL TS and I was going to get him a
Forrest Woodworker II as a shop warming present.

I prefer a full kerf.
I've never tried a thin kerf Forrest but with Frued or Amana I find
the thin kerf to have too much flex to suit me.
Your mileage may vary.

Exactly my experience.

FWIW, I have a 3HP cabinet saw to power is not a limiting factor.


Actually when I had a 1 hp Craftsman I always used a thin kerf until I
discovered the better quality regular kerf blades. I got better results
with a better quality regular kerf blade than I did with think kerf blades
on that saw.

"DJ" wrote in message
...
I have used a think kerf CMT General in my original contractor saw for
years, then when I got my cabinet saw, it's been with that for about two
years and I'm very happy with it. My brother is just putting together his
shop and he is choosing a Griz 1023SL TS and I was going to get him a
Forrest Woodworker II as a shop warming present. The problem is that I
can't decide between full or thin kerf. Why would I ever want to use more
kerf than necessary - there must be a reason, but it escapes me. Thanks
for any input.

Remove the word spam in the email if you choose to reply by that method.

DJ

It all depends on the type of woodworking your friend wants to do. Cutting
thinner material will be fine with a blade that can flex a bit (although not
ideal, it still works). So if all he's buying is stuff from HD or Lowes,
he's probably ok with the Thin Kerf. If he wants to cut stuff thicker, I'd
recommend the full kerf. The saw he's buying is the same I've got and
it'll drive a full kerf just fine. Other than saving a very small amount
of wood, there's no reason to go with the thin kerf that I can see.
Cheers,
cc