I just purchased the Forrest Woodworker II 10", 40-Tooth, 1.8" kerf
Blade from Amazon - 15% off - around $82. Almost all the reviews were
fantastic, but now i am wondering if I got the right blade.

Can you really use this for both cross cutting and ripping - and get a
mirror finish while doing so? I am concerned that a 40 tooth blade can't
do all that it is claimed to do.

It hasn't shipped yet, so I can still cancel. I make furniture and
cabinets as a hobby, and am ready for a very good blade for my
Powermatic 60 table saw. Any comments would be welcome.

Thanks,
Harvey

"eclipsme" wrote in message
I just purchased the Forrest Woodworker II 10", 40-Tooth, 1.8" kerf
Blade from Amazon - 15% off - around $82. Almost all the reviews were
fantastic, but now i am wondering if I got the right blade.

Prediction: you will like it so much you will buy another at some point in
the future because you won't want to be without while one is being
re-sharpened from being used so much.

--
www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 6/21/06

eclipsme wrote:


I make furniture and
cabinets as a hobby, and am ready for a very good blade for my
Powermatic 60 table saw. Any comments would be welcome.

I use a 24T for rip, a 50T for combo, & an 80T for ply.

I'm happy.

YMMV

BTW, rip a mostly 8/4 hard maple & white oak. Both are tough.

Lew

"eclipsme" wrote in message
...
I just purchased the Forrest Woodworker II 10", 40-Tooth, 1.8" kerf Blade
from Amazon - 15% off - around $82. Almost all the reviews were fantastic,
but now i am wondering if I got the right blade.

Can you really use this for both cross cutting and ripping - and get a
mirror finish while doing so? I am concerned that a 40 tooth blade can't
do all that it is claimed to do.
Yes, mine does all that. I mostly cut 4/4 oak, 3/4 plywood, etc.
Jim

It hasn't shipped yet, so I can still cancel. I make furniture and
cabinets as a hobby, and am ready for a very good blade for my Powermatic
60 table saw. Any comments would be welcome.

Thanks,
Harvey

"eclipsme" wrote in message
...
I just purchased the Forrest Woodworker II 10", 40-Tooth, 1.8" kerf Blade
from Amazon - 15% off - around $82. Almost all the reviews were fantastic,
but now i am wondering if I got the right blade.

Can you really use this for both cross cutting and ripping - and get a
mirror finish while doing so? I am concerned that a 40 tooth blade can't
do all that it is claimed to do.

It hasn't shipped yet, so I can still cancel. I make furniture and
cabinets as a hobby, and am ready for a very good blade for my Powermatic
60 table saw. Any comments would be welcome.

Thanks,
Harvey

You will love the blade and as Swingman commented you will probably get
another like I did so that you will not be with out one while the other is
being sharpened. I highly suggest using Forrest to resharpen the blade.
No more changing blades for different tasks 99.5% of the time.

No blade will give you a mirror finish on wood.

"eclipsme" wrote in message
...
I just purchased the Forrest Woodworker II 10", 40-Tooth, 1.8" kerf Blade
from Amazon - 15% off - around $82. Almost all the reviews were fantastic,
but now i am wondering if I got the right blade.

Can you really use this for both cross cutting and ripping - and get a
mirror finish while doing so? I am concerned that a 40 tooth blade can't
do all that it is claimed to do.

It hasn't shipped yet, so I can still cancel. I make furniture and
cabinets as a hobby, and am ready for a very good blade for my Powermatic
60 table saw. Any comments would be welcome.

Thanks,
Harvey

On Sun 30 Jul 2006 03:37:39p, "Frank Arthur" wrote in
:

No blade will give you a mirror finish on wood.

When my Forrest was new, "mirror finish" wasn't a bad way to describe what
it left behind. My wife commented on it when I handed her some pieces she'd
asked to be cut. "What'd you do to them?" "Nothing. That's fresh off the
saw." "Oh. THAT'S why you bought that blade."

It's probably wan't really a mirror finish because you couldn't really see
yourself in it. But it sure was glass-smooth.

Since then it hasn't become dull enough to need to send out to Forrest but
now the edges are "only" crisp and smooth.

My friend uses one and his only comment was why didn't he buy one sooner !
He also does hobby woodworking. He used Forrest when he thought it needed
to be resharpened. Said it came back good as new. I'm currently saving my
pennies to make the plunge.
"eclipsme" wrote in message
...
I just purchased the Forrest Woodworker II 10", 40-Tooth, 1.8" kerf Blade
from Amazon - 15% off - around $82. Almost all the reviews were fantastic,
but now i am wondering if I got the right blade.

Can you really use this for both cross cutting and ripping - and get a
mirror finish while doing so? I am concerned that a 40 tooth blade can't
do all that it is claimed to do.

It hasn't shipped yet, so I can still cancel. I make furniture and
cabinets as a hobby, and am ready for a very good blade for my Powermatic
60 table saw. Any comments would be welcome.

Thanks,
Harvey

I just purchased the Forrest Woodworker II 10", 40-Tooth, 1.8" kerf ... but now i am wondering if I got the right blade.

Yes, you did. My getting a WWII was a major breakthrough. First was
getting rid of my Sears and getting a Unisaw, then the blade and, last,
getting a Unifence.

Can you really use this for both cross cutting and ripping - and get a
mirror finish while doing so?

Mirror finish? No, you won't see your reflection, but you can usually
glue without jointing. If I have a lot of ripping to do, I'll switch to
a thin kerf Freud rip blade, but for occasional ripping and
crosscutting, the WWII fills the bill excellently. Get it --- you won't
regret it.

Joel

I have used them for a year now for 99% of all my cuts. I did buy a second one
to use when I had one sharpen. The sharpening service is one reason I like the
blades as I chipped a tooth on one and the repair was great. I even use a
Forrest woodworker 12" on my miter saw now.

eclipsme wrote:

I just purchased the Forrest Woodworker II 10", 40-Tooth, 1.8" kerf
Blade from Amazon - 15% off - around $82. Almost all the reviews were
fantastic, but now i am wondering if I got the right blade.

Can you really use this for both cross cutting and ripping - and get a
mirror finish while doing so? I am concerned that a 40 tooth blade can't
do all that it is claimed to do.

It hasn't shipped yet, so I can still cancel. I make furniture and
cabinets as a hobby, and am ready for a very good blade for my
Powermatic 60 table saw. Any comments would be welcome.

Thanks,
Harvey

I can do that with a $25.00 Craftsman blade. That's not a qualifier.

wrote in message
ups.com...

No, you won't see your reflection, but you can usually
glue without jointing.

In article ,
eclipsme wrote:
I just purchased the Forrest Woodworker II 10", 40-Tooth, 1.8" kerf
Blade from Amazon - 15% off - around $82. Almost all the reviews were
fantastic, but now i am wondering if I got the right blade.

Can you really use this for both cross cutting and ripping - and get a
mirror finish while doing so? I am concerned that a 40 tooth blade can't
do all that it is claimed to do.

It hasn't shipped yet, so I can still cancel. I make furniture and
cabinets as a hobby, and am ready for a very good blade for my
Powermatic 60 table saw. Any comments would be welcome.

Thanks,
Harvey

I am using that same blade. When new, it will do everything Forrest
claims it will. Prior to the Forrest I used a top-of-the-line Oldham
that cut just as well when new, but the Forrest has cut (estimated)
twice as much wood now as the Oldham did before the Oldham needed
resharpening, and I'm not quire ready to have the Forrest resharpened
yet. YMMV of course.

--

Larry Wasserman Baltimore, Maryland

In article ,
Frank Arthur wrote:
No blade will give you a mirror finish on wood.

...snipped...

Have to disagree there. I've got quite a few blades that do. (They
were all made by Stanley)
--

Larry Wasserman Baltimore, Maryland

"Frank Arthur" wrote in message
...
No blade will give you a mirror finish on wood.


Swing on by my house Frank. I'll show you a mirror reflective finish that I
can see the color of my truck in.

wrote in message
ups.com...

Mirror finish? No, you won't see your reflection, but you can usually
glue without jointing. If I have a lot of ripping to do, I'll switch to
a thin kerf Freud rip blade, but for occasional ripping and
crosscutting, the WWII fills the bill excellently. Get it --- you won't
regret it.

Joel


Joel if you ever have to joint after ripping you may have an adjustment
problem. Not getting a mirror shinny reflective finish may also be an
indicator that you say may not be set up as good as it could be.

eclipsme wrote:
I just purchased the Forrest Woodworker II 10", 40-Tooth, 1.8" kerf
Blade from Amazon - 15% off - around $82. Almost all the reviews were
fantastic, but now i am wondering if I got the right blade.

Can you really use this for both cross cutting and ripping - and get a
mirror finish while doing so? I am concerned that a 40 tooth blade can't
do all that it is claimed to do.

It hasn't shipped yet, so I can still cancel. I make furniture and
cabinets as a hobby, and am ready for a very good blade for my
Powermatic 60 table saw. Any comments would be welcome.

Thanks,
Harvey

All I can say is "Wow!". Thanks for all the comments. I certainly feel
*much* better now about my purchase. I have had my powermatic with Bes
fence for some years now, though it was in storage for several of them.
Now that I am actively working it again, I am ready for the upgrade.

Now if I can just wait for the Amazon 'free' shipping...

Harvey

"eclipsme" wrote in message

I just purchased the Forrest Woodworker II 10", 40-Tooth, 1.8" kerf

Holy Crap. I've never seen a blade with that kerf. Even the biggest logging
chainsaw blade cut no more than about 1/4". What size motor do you have on
your saw?

No chit. Never heard of a Powermatic 60 either, at least not a table saw


"Edwin Pawlowski" wrote in message
.com...

"eclipsme" wrote in message

I just purchased the Forrest Woodworker II 10", 40-Tooth, 1.8" kerf

Holy Crap. I've never seen a blade with that kerf. Even the biggest
logging chainsaw blade cut no more than about 1/4". What size motor do
you have on your saw?

Edwin Pawlowski wrote:
"eclipsme" wrote in message

I just purchased the Forrest Woodworker II 10", 40-Tooth, 1.8" kerf

Holy Crap. I've never seen a blade with that kerf. Even the biggest logging
chainsaw blade cut no more than about 1/4". What size motor do you have on
your saw?



I bet I will be filling lots of sawdust garbage cans, won't I? Don't
make fun of the dyslexic man. It isn't nice! :=)

Harvey

Joel if you ever have to joint after ripping you may have an adjustment
problem.

I don't joint, but I notice on Norm's shows that he does. My saw is
adjusted fine --- I use an "A-Line-It" (got it from Woodcraft) to keep
both my blade and fence dead on.

... Not getting a mirror shinny reflective finish may also be an indicator that you say may not be set up as good as it could be.

Maybe we're talking about different shiny. I can't comb my hair by
looking at my reflection in the wood. The wood is smooth --- As the old
timers said when I was a kid: "Smoother than the inside of a maiden's
thigh."

Joel

wrote in message
ups.com...



Maybe we're talking about different shiny. I can't comb my hair by
looking at my reflection in the wood. The wood is smooth --- As the old
timers said when I was a kid: "Smoother than the inside of a maiden's
thigh."


I don't get reflection good enough to comb my hair either but I do get color
reflection off of near by objects and I see 2 white streaks reflected from
the 2 florescent bulbs hanging from the ceiling if I hold the edge just
right.

eclipsme wrote:
I just purchased the Forrest Woodworker II 10", 40-Tooth, 1.8" kerf

The only problem I have now, I love my Forrest WWII, is I DO change my
blade MORE often! This is because I save my Forrest blade by constantly
switching to a cheap carbide blade when cutting everyday chores. If I
am ripping tomatoe stakes out of old 2 X 4's for instance I don't keep
the Forrest in the saw. I guess I could have the nicest, smoothest
tomatoe stakes in the area but I'll stick with sawmarks and keep the
"good" blade from the re-sharpening shop, (Forrest's), for awhile
longer.

Tim Q
www.alisam.com , "A-LEE-SAM"
Home of the Sharpening Sled

"Tim" wrote in message
oups.com...

eclipsme wrote:
I just purchased the Forrest Woodworker II 10", 40-Tooth, 1.8" kerf

The only problem I have now, I love my Forrest WWII, is I DO change my
blade MORE often! This is because I save my Forrest blade by constantly
switching to a cheap carbide blade when cutting everyday chores. If I
am ripping tomatoe stakes out of old 2 X 4's for instance I don't keep
the Forrest in the saw. I guess I could have the nicest, smoothest
tomatoe stakes in the area but I'll stick with sawmarks and keep the
"good" blade from the re-sharpening shop, (Forrest's), for awhile
longer.


Unlike cheaper blades, the Forrest stay sharper longer. I only switch
blades if the wood is dirty.

eclipsme wrote:
I just purchased the Forrest Woodworker II 10", 40-Tooth, 1.8" kerf
Blade from Amazon - 15% off - around $82. Almost all the reviews were
fantastic, but now i am wondering if I got the right blade.


In my opinion, you get much better results using a seperate ripping
blade for ripping, and a seperate blade for plywood/cross cutting. I do
very little crosscutting on the table saw (use miter box). Although I
will point out that I'm using a contractor's saw. On a 3 HP cabinent
saw, maybe a combination blade does a good enough job ripping.

It takes maybe 45 seconds to swap out a blade, don't see what the big
deal is.

I use a Freud ripping blade, and I can glue up right from that, unless
cutting the wood causes some internal stresses that cause it to bend a
little after the cut, but you'll have that problem no matter what blade
you use.

"bf" wrote in message


In my opinion, you get much better results using a seperate ripping
blade for ripping, and a seperate blade for plywood/cross cutting. I do
very little crosscutting on the table saw (use miter box). Although I
will point out that I'm using a contractor's saw. On a 3 HP cabinent
saw, maybe a combination blade does a good enough job ripping.

It takes maybe 45 seconds to swap out a blade, don't see what the big
deal is.

Depends. A good combination blade will out perform a cheap single purpose
blade any day.

"bf" wrote in message
oups.com...

In my opinion, you get much better results using a seperate ripping
blade for ripping, and a seperate blade for plywood/cross cutting. I do
very little crosscutting on the table saw (use miter box). Although I
will point out that I'm using a contractor's saw. On a 3 HP cabinent
saw, maybe a combination blade does a good enough job ripping.

I used to think that way. I had a good combo blade on a contractors saw and
had a 12" miter saw station. When I upgraded to a Jet cabinet saw I went
with the Forrest WWII and completely quit using the miter saw all together.
I only change the Forrest when I send it for resharpening or to cut dados.


It takes maybe 45 seconds to swap out a blade, don't see what the big
deal is.

Not a big deal unless it is not necessary. I would be changing many times a
day.


I use a Freud ripping blade, and I can glue up right from that, unless
cutting the wood causes some internal stresses that cause it to bend a
little after the cut, but you'll have that problem no matter what blade
you use.

Have you tried a standard kerf Forrest WWII?

Leon wrote:
"bf" wrote in message

I use a Freud ripping blade, and I can glue up right from that, unless
cutting the wood causes some internal stresses that cause it to bend a
little after the cut, but you'll have that problem no matter what blade
you use.


Have you tried a standard kerf Forrest WWII?

How exactly would a different blade keep wood from warping after the cut
is made?

Chris

"Chris Friesen" wrote in message
...
Leon wrote:
"bf" wrote in message

I use a Freud ripping blade, and I can glue up right from that, unless
cutting the wood causes some internal stresses that cause it to bend a
little after the cut, but you'll have that problem no matter what blade
you use.


Have you tried a standard kerf Forrest WWII?

How exactly would a different blade keep wood from warping after the cut
is made?

I don't think it would. My reference was more towards him using a Freud
blade for ripping vs. simply leaving a WWII on for all cuts.

On Sun, 30 Jul 2006 22:44:00 -0400, eclipsme
wrote:

eclipsme wrote:
I just purchased the Forrest Woodworker II 10", 40-Tooth, 1.8" kerf
Blade from Amazon - 15% off - around $82. Almost all the reviews were
fantastic, but now i am wondering if I got the right blade.

Can you really use this for both cross cutting and ripping - and get a
mirror finish while doing so? I am concerned that a 40 tooth blade can't
do all that it is claimed to do.

It hasn't shipped yet, so I can still cancel. I make furniture and
cabinets as a hobby, and am ready for a very good blade for my
Powermatic 60 table saw. Any comments would be welcome.

Thanks,
Harvey

All I can say is "Wow!". Thanks for all the comments. I certainly feel
*much* better now about my purchase. I have had my powermatic with Bes
fence for some years now, though it was in storage for several of them.
Now that I am actively working it again, I am ready for the upgrade.

Now if I can just wait for the Amazon 'free' shipping...

Harvey

I have to put my 2 cents in here. I'm probably the only guy on this
newsgroup who doesnt like the Forrest blade. It sits on my shelf.

I bought one several years ago. At first it cut just great, just like
everyone says here. Then after a few months and not too many cuts, I
noticed it getting harder and harder to push a piece of wood through
it. Also, the wood that I ripped tended to burn. I figured it was
either getting dull, or had sap buildup..

So I de-gunked the blade, but it didnt help. Then I sent it back to
Forrest for sharpening. It came back and once again, performed like
it did when new.

Until about a month later when it started to get hard to push wood
through it and rip cuts started to burn. Mind you, I'm a weekend
woodcutter so it only had about 8 days of cutting on it in this
period.

I gave up at that point and put a Freud blade on and havent had a spot
of trouble since and its been over a year.

So my experience may be atypical or I may have gotten a bum blade, or
I dont know how to use a saw, but all I know is I had nothing but
problems with it. One of these days I may put it back on and try
again, but I'm in no hurry.

Oh, this was on a Delta Unisaw.

Dickm

"dicko" wrote in message
...


Snip


So my experience may be atypical or I may have gotten a bum blade, or
I dont know how to use a saw, but all I know is I had nothing but
problems with it. One of these days I may put it back on and try
again, but I'm in no hurry.

Oh, this was on a Delta Unisaw.

Dickm


Sounds like you got a Forrest lemon.

In article , wrote:

I have to put my 2 cents in here. I'm probably the only guy on this
newsgroup who doesnt like the Forrest blade. It sits on my shelf.

I bought one several years ago. At first it cut just great, just like
everyone says here. Then after a few months and not too many cuts, I
noticed it getting harder and harder to push a piece of wood through
it. Also, the wood that I ripped tended to burn. I figured it was
either getting dull, or had sap buildup..

So I de-gunked the blade, but it didnt help. Then I sent it back to
Forrest for sharpening. It came back and once again, performed like
it did when new.

Until about a month later when it started to get hard to push wood
through it and rip cuts started to burn. Mind you, I'm a weekend
woodcutter so it only had about 8 days of cutting on it in this
period.

Wanna sell it? If it's the full-kerf (1/8") version, let's talk. Send
mail to
woodworks at milmac dot com

--
Regards,
Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)

It's time to throw all their damned tea in the harbor again.

....and I thought I was the only one. I got a used WWII with a saw I
bought. I already owned a Frued TK906. Given all that I had heard
about the Forrest, I sent this one in for a resharpening. I can't say
it is a bad blade, but it is no better than the Frued TK906 (not even
a top-o-the line Frued). I have had both now for a couple years and I
use the Frued more often than the Forrest. To me the WWII is a good
blade that is over priced.

Dave Hall

On Mon, 31 Jul 2006 18:34:13 -0500, dicko
wrote:

On Sun, 30 Jul 2006 22:44:00 -0400, eclipsme
wrote:

eclipsme wrote:
I just purchased the Forrest Woodworker II 10", 40-Tooth, 1.8" kerf
Blade from Amazon - 15% off - around $82. Almost all the reviews were
fantastic, but now i am wondering if I got the right blade.

Can you really use this for both cross cutting and ripping - and get a
mirror finish while doing so? I am concerned that a 40 tooth blade can't
do all that it is claimed to do.

It hasn't shipped yet, so I can still cancel. I make furniture and
cabinets as a hobby, and am ready for a very good blade for my
Powermatic 60 table saw. Any comments would be welcome.

Thanks,
Harvey

All I can say is "Wow!". Thanks for all the comments. I certainly feel
*much* better now about my purchase. I have had my powermatic with Bes
fence for some years now, though it was in storage for several of them.
Now that I am actively working it again, I am ready for the upgrade.

Now if I can just wait for the Amazon 'free' shipping...

Harvey

I have to put my 2 cents in here. I'm probably the only guy on this
newsgroup who doesnt like the Forrest blade. It sits on my shelf.

I bought one several years ago. At first it cut just great, just like
everyone says here. Then after a few months and not too many cuts, I
noticed it getting harder and harder to push a piece of wood through
it. Also, the wood that I ripped tended to burn. I figured it was
either getting dull, or had sap buildup..

So I de-gunked the blade, but it didnt help. Then I sent it back to
Forrest for sharpening. It came back and once again, performed like
it did when new.

Until about a month later when it started to get hard to push wood
through it and rip cuts started to burn. Mind you, I'm a weekend
woodcutter so it only had about 8 days of cutting on it in this
period.

I gave up at that point and put a Freud blade on and havent had a spot
of trouble since and its been over a year.

So my experience may be atypical or I may have gotten a bum blade, or
I dont know how to use a saw, but all I know is I had nothing but
problems with it. One of these days I may put it back on and try
again, but I'm in no hurry.

Oh, this was on a Delta Unisaw.

Dickm