Choosing the right blade for your saw is important if you are to avoid causing unnecessary damage to your saw and work pieces. Using the correct blade will also help you to get better cuts and to make them faster. Here are some factors that you should consider if you are to choose the right saw blade for your woodworking projects.
The Size of The Blade
Occasionally I come across someone who tries to use a different size blade on their saw to ‘save money’. This is NOT a good idea. If a saw uses a 8” blade – get an 8” blade for it. Even if you can physically get a 10” blade to fit on the saw chances are that it won’t be able to clear the throat plate of your table saw or the blade guard on you radial / miter saw. If you try to use a blade that is smaller than the size your saw is made to use then you will not be able to make deep cuts. Sure there are a few cases where you can use different size blades interchangeably but generally speaking you should stick the the size of blade that your saw is made to work with for the best results.
The Type of Saw
One of the first things that you want to consider when shopping for a saw blade is the type of saw that you will be using it for. You may think that the same 10” circular saw blade that you use for your table saw can also be used for your miter saw because it also uses a 10” circular blade, but for the best results you should only use a blade that is specifically made. It is true that you may be able to successfully uses blades with different saws, but you never know if there will be any damaging effects if you do so until it is too late. To be on the safe side, use the correct saw blade for the type of saw that you have.
The Materials You Will Cut
Another thing that is important to consider in order to choose the correct saw blade is the type of materials that you will be using it to cut. Using a crosscut blade to try to cut through metal, for example, can likely end with you causing irreparable damage to both the saw blade and the material that you are trying to cut. It may be tempting to buy a rip blade with a budget-friendly price tag to tackle those crosscuts that you want to make instead of paying extra to get a proper crosscutting blade, but won’t get the smooth cuts that you need for crosscuts from a rip blade and this can cost you extra money in the end. Blade manufacturers make specialized blades to cut through every material so save yourself the trouble and get the correct blade for the type of material you want to cut in the first place.
Closing Thoughts
Using the correct saw blade can save you both time and money. Trying to take shortcuts and use a blade that is not the correct size or that is not made to work with your saw can end up being very costly. You will be get much better results when you choose the right blade for your woodworking projects and hopefully these tips will help you to do just that.