Replies

1. 
   highfigh | Feb 21, 2005 06:40am | #1

   You don't need to spend a fortune on blades, but the better they are, the better the cut will be. Freud, Amana, CMT, Forrest and others make good-better-best blades and if the saw is adjusted correctly, you will have good results. What kind of saw is it and describe how it's splintering-at the top, bottom or the back edge. If you crosscut, does the wood hit the back of the blade as it passes? Is there a gap at the rear of the blade as the wood passes?

   The blade needs to be parallel to the miter slots. If it isn't, the saw needs adjustment. Once this is done, the fence needs to be adjusted so it's parallel to the blade when locked. You can have a 1/32" gap at the rear of the blade to minimize binding, but no gap is better.

   If/once the saw is adjusted and you still have splintering, make sure the blade is at the correct height. The height of the top tooth should be fine for most cuts. If it still has a problem, use a backer board behind the piece you're cutting. There are some good books about these machines and I have heard that the Tablesaw Book by Kelly Mehler is one to buy(or borrow from the library).

   Wood usually will splinter at the worst possible time- just like Murphy's Law. If you crosscut before ripping, it's less likely to be a problem.

   "I cut this piece four times and it's still too short."
2. 
   nikkiwood | Feb 21, 2005 10:02am | #2

   Selecting blades for a TS can be one of the more perplexing problems for a beginner.

   Freud, for instance, makes a decent blade, but they have chosen to produce a bewildering variety -- one for every conceivable kind of cut.

   I usually recommend that one can bypass a lot of this confusion by buying a Forrest Woodworker II. It is expensive (about $100), but it is premium quality, and a good all purpose blade -- which should save you the expense of buying 2-3 other (less expensive) blades.

   BTW, if your saw came equipped with a blade, it is probably a combination blade, and a pretty cheap blade to boot.

   And, following highfigh's excellent advice about saw adjustment is something you should do too. But a decent blade would most likely solve your problem.

   Good luck.

1. 
   akg1776 | Feb 21, 2005 04:42pm | #3

   Thanks for the replys.  A friend passed on a magazine that discusses all the adjustments/maintenance for table saws.  I think it has most of the information that I need in it.  I'll be checking it out over the weekend. 

   However, the problem I was having was actually more with my circular saw.  Miter cuts and rip cuts are fine.  Cross cuts are usually leaving a splintered/frayed edge on the top and back of the cut.  It's not a big deal for what I'm working on now but am trying to fine tune my cutting for use on future projects where these issues may pose more of a problem.

1. 
   nikkiwood | Feb 21, 2005 04:56pm | #4

   You mean a hand held circular saw? Not a mitre saw?Well, Forrest also makes a 7 1/4" blade for the circ saw. I use it to break down sheets of plywood.