Buying Forrest WW10407125 Woodworker II 10-Inch 40 Tooth ATB .125 Kerf Saw Blade with 5/8-Inch Arbor

THE LOWDOWN: Considered the best combo blade on the market. Worth the price.

THINGS TO CONSIDER:

-- This blade has an alternating top bevel (ATB) tooth pattern. That means that the teeth stick up higher on the sides then in the middle -- which means it's NOT good for cutting spline slots or kerfs that you'll want to fit another piece of wood into (as in boxmaking). (Most rip blades have flat teeth, so buy a cheap ripper from the borg if you are looking to make those sort of kerf cuts.)

-- This blade is thick. If you've got a larger cabinet saw, you're in the clear to use it. (With my 3hp Grizzly 1023, it's like butter.) With a smaller saw (contractors or benchtop) you may not have enough power to push this thing through thick hardwood, so it's worthwhile to ask around and plan ahead.

-- Plan for the kerf size when purchasing wood. I know I more than once found that I'd forgotten to account for such a wide kerf in my material planning. If you rip a board into four sections with this blade, you're going to lose 3/8ths to the kerf! So, if you're conservation minded when it comes to pricey wood, you might want to opt for a thinner kerf blade.

-- Heed Forrest's instructions for using this blade. In thick hardwoods, it's possible to "blue" the blade if you build up too much friction (which could happen with any blade for a zillion reasons if you're not careful.) It's not likely, but possible, and it will really make you angry to ruin such an expensive blade.

-- Keep it clean. It, like most blades, cuts much better when it's clean. I recommend waxing the sides of it too.


REPUTATION OF THE MAKER:

-- The Forrest Woodworker II is the "gold standard" combination blade (combo=for both ripping and crosscutting) on the market for tablesaws.

-- Most professionals doing fine woodworking will recommend this blade both for the quality it provides AND the convenience of not having to switch blades. The time it saves is money in your pocket in a production environment.

-- The company stands behind their products. I had a warped blade which they replaced promptly ... WAY after the warranty had expired. I've heard only good things about their sharpening service as well. The best part? You can actually talk to a human, in America, on the phone.




Get more detail about Forrest WW10407125 Woodworker II 10-Inch 40 Tooth ATB .125 Kerf Saw Blade with 5/8-Inch Arbor.