# 12" miter saw blade



## routafinger (Dec 30, 2009)

After searching on here, I haven't found exactly the info I'm looking for. I have upgraded from my DeWalt 12" miter saw to a DeWalt 12" sliding miter saw. I want to buy another finer blade than the supplied 32 tooth. After considering both price and application, I'm kind of leaning to the Freud Diablo D12100X @ $55 on Amazon. The DeWalt blades are pricey, and their cheaper ones are made in China. Please, I need some guidance from the pros. Thanks. F


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## Nickp (Dec 4, 2012)

Have you considered Freud's LUM82 or LUM84 (combination)...? Both are good for RAS's and SCMS's...

100 teeth seems a bit high for cross cutting...


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

so much for the search function...

type of blade, it's purpose matter a great deal...
the blade(s) need to fit the application....
these PDF's cover this pretty well...

FWIW...
*I'm very partial to Freud...*

.


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## routafinger (Dec 30, 2009)

Stick486 said:


> so much for the search function...
> 
> type of blade, it's purpose matter a great deal...
> the blade(s) need to fit the application....
> ...


I do quite a bit of projects that would benefit from super smooth cuts. Mostly on smaller pieces like picture frames etc. For larger less particular cuts, the 32 tooth has been adequate. Thanks for the reading Stick. F


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

yur welcome..


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

I had a chance to talk to a Freud factory rep a year or so ago. I asked him what the difference is between the Diablo line (basically the DIY grade of blade) and their commercial blades in the same configurations (hook, grind, # of teeth) and his reply was nothing really except that all quality blades have thicker carbide so that they can be sharpened more times (6 as opposed to 3 I think). So before you shell out the extra money for a commercial quality blade check into local sharpening services to see how reliable they are and whether they will be cost effective. They usually charge by the tooth so a 100 tooth count may make sharpening cost prohibitive in which case it will make no sense to spend more initially. 

Most SCMS blades are thin kerf because they require less torque to start which is easier on the motors. But the thin kerf affects cut quality, particularly on miter cuts where the blade literally bounces off the grain divisions where it passes from softer spring wood to harder fall wood and back. Sometimes cut quality can be greatly improved by adding a blade stiffener.


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## Gene Howe (Jul 10, 2007)

Stick and I have debated saw blades endlessly. So, I'll not give my opinion of Freud. 
On my Bosch Slider I've found the full thickness Tenryu Miter Pro 60 and 80 tooth to give the smoothest finish cuts. With any brand, a thin kerf blade, especially a 12", will deflect on an angle cut.


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## JFPNCM (Dec 13, 2009)

Just to muddy the waters a bit, would one and all recommend the same blade for a “chop” style and a “slider”? That assumes of course that the intended use is the same, i.e., a finished crosscut in hard woods.


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## DesertRatTom (Jul 3, 2012)

Fought deflection, dumped my 12 inch DeWalt miter saw over it. Just using full kerf blades on my 10 inch Bosch sliding, compound miter saw and table saw these days. Freud blades work great for me, up to 80 teeth for crosscuts, but what sits on the saw all the time is Freud's glue line blade. Wonderful blade.


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## JFPNCM (Dec 13, 2009)

Tom

I use the glue line in my TS and love it. I only use my Dewalt chop saw for proximal cuts, all finals are done on the TS. No room for a slider.


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

Gene Howe said:


> Stick and I have debated saw blades endlessly. So, I'll not give my opinion of Freud.
> On my Bosch Slider I've found the full thickness Tenryu Miter Pro 60 and 80 tooth to give the smoothest finish cuts. With any brand, a thin kerf blade, especially a 12", will deflect on an angle cut.


agreed, a TK blade can leave a lot to be desired... especially in 12''...


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

JFPNCM said:


> Just to muddy the waters a bit, would one and all recommend the same blade for a “chop” style and a “slider”? That assumes of course that the intended use is the same, i.e., a finished crosscut in hard woods.


you could but I wouldn't..


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## Nickp (Dec 4, 2012)

JFPNCM said:


> Just to muddy the waters a bit, would one and all recommend the same blade for a “chop” style and a “slider”? That assumes of course that the intended use is the same, i.e., a finished crosscut in hard woods.



Jon, I would think a slider (or RAS) would want something closer to a negative hook angle to minimize climbing...not so much a requirement for a chopper...


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

Nickp said:


> Jon, I would think a slider (or RAS) would want something closer to a negative hook angle to minimize climbing...not so much a requirement for a chopper...


agreed...


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## Ed3443 (Jul 7, 2013)

I love Forrest Blades and I do think they are worth the money. They are super expensive. This place has great prices and service.
https://www.sliversmill.com/product_474_MITER_MASTER_Saw_Blade__6_Grind.html


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

JFPNCM said:


> Just to muddy the waters a bit, would one and all recommend the same blade for a “chop” style and a “slider”? That assumes of course that the intended use is the same, i.e., a finished crosscut in hard woods.


I see Stick said no but I would say yes. You'd still want a low angle or negative hook. Much positive hook and you risk the blade grabbing your wood and lifting it and getting jammed against the frame. Plus positive hook is bad for splintering. If you look at the geometry of melamine blades for example they are usually negative hook for that reason. The negative hook tends to push the board down is use on a chop or slider but tends to want to lift a little on a TS but I haven't found it enough to be a problem.


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## DesertRatTom (Jul 3, 2012)

Nice discussion of hook angle here: Hook Angle ? Circular Saw Blades

And a picture for clarity...


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## JFPNCM (Dec 13, 2009)

Thank you one and all for your considered opinions. Very helpful as I need o replace the blade in my Dewalt chopper.


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## Danman1957 (Mar 14, 2009)

I have the non slider 12'' DeWalt and I upgraded to a Diablo with last year's Christmas present from my wife, a gift card for the Big Orange. I bought the 12'' 100 teeth thin curf Ultimate Finish. I only use it for my fine woodworking projects. This summer I built a fence and removed this blade and used the DeWalt that came with the saw. The thin curf gives such a smooth edge that NO SANDING is required ! I enjoy using it and I have always been a big fan of Freud products. You get what you pay for.


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

I think the tooth geometry is fairly critical for cut quality. Almost any cutoff blade will do a good job on a 90* cut but it's the 45s that can be a problem. I bought a Delta branded one years ago for a straight 10" chop to do a picture frame in oak and it was doing a horrible job despite being labeled as specifically for a chop saw. Whe I looked carefully at the cut I could that the blade was wobbling back and forth as it cut. A heavy blade stabilizer fixed the problem. But I think a good chop or slider blade should have a grind where the sides of the teeth are ground to plane the sides of the cut. I think that type grind would be less prone to wander.


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## Nickp (Dec 4, 2012)

I have a 12" slider with a thin kerf blade (Freud LU91R012) no stiffener, 72 ATB, -5 hook...I don't get deflection on bevel or compound cuts...I better get a different blade...:smile:

I do need to be more careful with thicker hardwood...engaging the blade in the same axis as the angle to be cut makes the biggest difference...works every time...and let's not forget feed rate...it's not a race to get to the bottom of the cut...


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## Danman1957 (Mar 14, 2009)

Funny thing just happened,
I was at the local Rona (Lowes) hardware store and I spotted a DeWalt 12'' blade with 80 teeth on sale for $29.95, so of course at that price I bought it. I will use the Diablo only when doing fine woodworking and now I have 2 other choices.


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## routafinger (Dec 30, 2009)

Nickp said:


> I have a 12" slider with a thin kerf blade (Freud LU91R012) no stiffener, 72 ATB, -5 hook...I don't get deflection on bevel or compound cuts...I better get a different blade...:smile:
> 
> I do need to be more careful with thicker hardwood...engaging the blade in the same axis as the angle to be cut makes the biggest difference...works every time...and let's not forget feed rate...it's not a race to get to the bottom of the cut...


My thanks to all who have joined in this discussion. I now have a better insight into why blade choice for my new slider is so important. Can you please explain "engaging the blade in the same axis as the angle to be cut"? 
There has been some positive opinions on Freud, so that's where I have concentrated my search. Stick486 says "I'm partial to Freud", and now NickP volunteers a Freud blade model # for the same type saw. So this morning I ordered another Christmas present from Rockler (hope I can say that). Again, my thanks to everybody for all of the help given here. :wink:


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## Nickp (Dec 4, 2012)

routafinger said:


> My thanks to all who have joined in this discussion. I now have a better insight into why blade choice for my new slider is so important. Can you please explain "engaging the blade in the same axis as the angle to be cut"?
> There has been some positive opinions on Freud, so that's where I have concentrated my search. Stick486 says "I'm partial to Freud", and now NickP volunteers a Freud blade model # for the same type saw. So this morning I ordered another Christmas present from Rockler (hope I can say that). Again, my thanks to everybody for all of the help given here. :wink:



And a Merry Christmas then...

What I mean is that the saw arm should be pulled down in the same direction that the blade will cut and at the same angle. For example, if you're cutting a 45deg bevel you should pull down on the arm at the same 45deg (diagonally) rather than trying to pull straight down. By doing this you will feel the pressure and feed rate better. Likewise, when making a compound cut...pull the arm down in the axis that the arm wants to follow...

Makes sense...?


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## routafinger (Dec 30, 2009)

Still not 100% sure I understand what you're telling me. If the saw is set for no bevel, that is, the blade is perpendicular to the table, then pull the saw straight down. But if it's set for some angle other than that, then try to follow that way instead of just pulling it down? If that's what you're telling me, then it makes sense. OK. That's for compound cuts. Simply cutting at an angle, one should simply face the saw from the side the saw is set to instead of directly in front of it. Be in the same line as the cut sort of? For lack of a better way for me to describe it. Thanks for the clarification. F


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## Nickp (Dec 4, 2012)

routafinger said:


> Still not 100% sure I understand what you're telling me. If the saw is set for no bevel, that is, the blade is perpendicular to the table, then pull the saw straight down. But if it's set for some angle other than that, then try to follow that way instead of just pulling it down? If that's what you're telling me, then it makes sense. OK. That's for compound cuts. Simply cutting at an angle, one should simply face the saw from the side the saw is set to instead of directly in front of it. Be in the same line as the cut sort of? For lack of a better way for me to describe it. Thanks for the clarification. F



Yes, exactly...you said it better than I...


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## routafinger (Dec 30, 2009)

I usually catch on pretty quickly..........usually. Thanks for the tips. F


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## routafinger (Dec 30, 2009)

I felt the need to reply again. There are no words to accurately describe how I felt after my first cut with my new saw and my new blade. To say I was impressed would be an understatement; it was that good. I didn't realize how much difference the right blade could make! Thanks again Nickp and Stick486. Now I can say that "I like Freud" too.


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

yur welcome...


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## Nickp (Dec 4, 2012)

Anytime...


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