Delta has recently introduced a range of full-kerf (0.125 in.) sawblades designed to be used on tablesaws with at least 3 hp motors. I tested the 10 in. 50 tooth combination blade (read the review from FWW #211), and I also tested their 10-in. 80-tooth blade designed for crosscutting plywood. The Delta 35-1080HN5 has a high, alternate top bevel (ATB) configuration with the bevel angle of 35°. I put it up against Freud’s LU97R010 triple-chip grind blade, and the Forrest Duraline HI-A/T blade. All three 80-tooth blades are designed to cut plywood and/or laminates and melamine with little if any tearout/chipout.
All three blades cut considerably cleaner than the combination/general purpose blades. There was little to choose from in terms of cut quality but the Delta’s street price of $86 versus $95 for the Freud and $136 for the Forrest represents good value.
Fine Woodworking Recommended Products
DeWalt 735X Planer
At high speed, the planer works fast and leaves a smooth surface. But the slower, finish speed produces an almost glass-smooth surface. Knife changes are easy.
Shop Fox W1826
The thick, felted bag on this Shop Fox is a plus and a minus. On one hand, it makes the unit much less expensive than collectors with canister filters, and also lighter and easier to hang on the wall. Without a separate plastic bag to catch chips, however, they stay in the felt bag, and the shortish zipper on the bottom makes it tough to shake them out. Otherwise, the W1826 is an excellent value.
JessEm Mite-R Excel II Miter Gauge
The gauge has a quick and easy method for fitting the guide bar precisely to your tablesaw’s miter slot. This means the gauge can be recalibrated if necessary for continued accuracy. The face of the protractor head can be adjusted square to the table and also square to the guide bar. This ensures accurate cuts, and it, too, can be readjusted if the need arises. The protractor head has stainless-steel knobs and fittings and high-contrast, easy-to-read white numbers and increments.
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