# Table saw blade stiffener.



## hawkeye10 (Jul 28, 2015)

About three weeks ago I bought a blade stiffener for my thin kerf table saw blade. I want to say it made a big difference in my blade performance. I have been running a blade I bought from Infinity so I think it is a good blade but I could be wrong. I was really surprised how much the stiffener helped.

Here is the blade I am using.

10" T.K. Combination Saw Blade 50T, 5/8" Arbor .097" Kerf-Carbide Router Bits | Router Bit Sets | Shaper Cutters | Saw Blades | Planer Knives | Jointer Knives | Infinity Cutting Tools


----------



## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

Where I really noticed a difference was trying to cut 45* miters on a chop saw on red oak.


----------



## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

Forrest recommends that you use a stiffener with all saw blades. I tried it with one of their thin kerf Woodworker II blades, then with an 1/8" kerf Guhdo-GMAXX blade similar to the Infinity blade you mentioned and there is a noticeable improvement in the cuts. For many years I have only used Freud red blades on all my saws; it is hard to beat the value with them. The only saw blade I have been disappointed in was the Porter Cable Laser with progressive teeth.


----------



## hawkeye10 (Jul 28, 2015)

Mike said:


> Forrest recommends that you use a stiffener with all saw blades. I tried it with one of their thin kerf Woodworker II blades, then with an 1/8" kerf Guhdo-GMAXX blade similar to the Infinity blade you mentioned and there is a noticeable improvement in the cuts. For many years I have only used Freud red blades on all my saws; it is hard to beat the value with them. The only saw blade I have been disappointed in was the Porter Cable Laser with progressive teeth.


Mike I like the Freud blades to.


----------



## Web Shepherd (Feb 8, 2012)

Don ~ Where did you get your saw blade stiffener?

Bob


----------



## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

Blade stiffener . Do you need a prescription?


----------



## schnewj (Nov 18, 2013)

Web Shepherd said:


> Don ~ Where did you get your saw blade stiffener?
> 
> Bob


Bob, I don't think that it is a question of where, but from whom. There are several makers/vendors that market them but all stiffeners may not be equal. 

Since I have no first hand experience with a specific brand, perhaps some of the other members can suggest what has worked for them.

A simple internet search will turn up several sources. Some are more reasonably priced then others.


----------



## hawkeye10 (Jul 28, 2015)

Web Shepherd said:


> Don ~ Where did you get your saw blade stiffener?
> 
> Bob


Bob I bought it from Lee Valley. Here is the link. They have free shipping until 6/6/16.

Forrest Saw Blade Stiffeners - Lee Valley Tools

PS- There is a problem with that website, they have way to many things you want. :surprise: :laugh2:


----------



## hawkeye10 (Jul 28, 2015)

RainMan 2.0 said:


> Blade stiffener . Do you need a prescription?


It depends; I better stop typing. >


----------



## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

I have a Forrest stiffener. It only requires one on the nut side of the blade. Other companies offer them; I bought from Forrest because they are top quality and made in the USA.


----------



## DesertRatTom (Jul 3, 2012)

Thanks for the feedback, I meant to get one, but forgot. 4 or 5 inch? Which do you think would be best? One will give you 3 inch maximum depth of cut, the other 2 1/2 inch.


----------



## hawkeye10 (Jul 28, 2015)

DesertRatTom said:


> Thanks for the feedback, I meant to get one, but forgot. 4 or 5 inch? Which do you think would be best? One will give you 3 inch maximum depth of cut, the other 2 1/2 inch.


Tom in the description it tells which one to buy. This is my first one so I don't know much. :surprise:

Forrest Saw Blade Stiffeners - Lee Valley Tools


----------



## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

I bought the ones that allow a 3" cut on a 10" blade. That's marginally less than the max cut available anyway but the stiffeners will hit the bottom of the insert when all the way up. They seem to have more impact on the depth of cut when used on a miter saw but the difference in cut quality when doing something like frames is worth it. The first time I tried them on the cutoff saw the cut went from unacceptable to PDG on the oak frame I was trying to make.


----------



## Garyk (Dec 29, 2011)

Have a Forrest stiffener and use it on a Forrest blade. Makes a big difference but really limits depth of cut. My blade is the thinner version of the Woodworker and I bought the thinner blade for use on a Jet contractors saw. With the Delta I have now I would buy the thicker blade because there is no problem with the saw bogging down. The thin version is good on exotic wood to save some wood that would ordinary be lost in the cuts. On a lower power saw the thin blade with stiffener is a good combination.


----------



## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

"Blade stiffener . Do you need a prescription?"....

You do in Australia.......So I heard.....


----------



## 163481 (Jul 8, 2015)

Hmm. A timely thread for me. I've got a 60T thin kerf Freud Diablo blade on my chop saw and I'm discovering that wasn't a good idea. I was trying to make a very precise, very square cut on a piece of 1X2 oak... I'll be acquiring a stiffener soon. Or maybe a standard kerf blade.


----------



## greenacres2 (Dec 23, 2011)

I just bought a pair of Forrest stiffeners (a 4" and a 5"), used, from another site. They arrived while i was gone last weekend, and i still haven't made it out to the shop to work--but those things are solid, heavy, and the same quality of a Forrest blade. Based on what i have to work with--sure seem to be dead flat. 

If i said i got them for $30 shipped, it might seem boastful or gloating--so i'll not mention that part. 0

earl


----------



## furboo (Oct 12, 2015)

Cherryville Chuck said:


> Where I really noticed a difference was trying to cut 45* miters on a chop saw on red oak.


Chuck, I was considering one for my chop saw, but noticed that Forrest doesn't recommend them:

Dampeners & Stiffeners for Most Table, Panel and Radial Arm Saw Blades -

Are you using something else?


----------



## thomas1389 (Jan 4, 2012)

RainMan 2.0 said:


> Blade stiffener . Do you need a prescription?


Ahhh! Some guys need more than a prescription. Wood splints may help, don'tcha think?


----------



## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

thomas1389 said:


> Ahhh! Some guys need more than a prescription. Wood splints may help, don'tcha think?


the splinters can get very annoying...


----------



## Al Robins (Jul 13, 2009)

Yes James...I wondered what this was all about too !!


----------



## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

furboo said:


> Chuck, I was considering one for my chop saw, but noticed that Forrest doesn't recommend them:
> 
> Dampeners & Stiffeners for Most Table, Panel and Radial Arm Saw Blades -
> 
> Are you using something else?


Rob the ones I bought are from Lee Valley so I'm not sure who makes them but they do make a huge difference with some blades. I had spent $60 on what was supposed to be a purpose made chop saw blade and it did horribly on hardwood miters until I added the stiffeners to it.


----------



## furboo (Oct 12, 2015)

Cherryville Chuck said:


> Rob the ones I bought are from Lee Valley so I'm not sure who makes them but they do make a huge difference with some blades. I had spent $60 on what was supposed to be a purpose made chop saw blade and it did horribly on hardwood miters until I added the stiffeners to it.


Thanks Chuck. Lee Valley sells the Forrest, along with this one:

Blade Stiffeners - Lee Valley Tools

I doubt my arbor is long enough to handle this one.

The only reason I can think of that the Forrest doesn't recommend theirs for chop saws is that it creates too inertia for the blade brake.


----------



## Garyk (Dec 29, 2011)

greenacres2 said:


> I just bought a pair of Forrest stiffeners (a 4" and a 5"), used, from another site. They arrived while i was gone last weekend, and i still haven't made it out to the shop to work--but those things are solid, heavy, and the same quality of a Forrest blade. Based on what i have to work with--sure seem to be dead flat.
> 
> If i said i got them for $30 shipped, it might seem boastful or gloating--so i'll not mention that part. 0
> 
> earl


You got a great deal Earl.


----------

