[rh111]

I recently purchased a Delta 36-680. Has full cast top with cast wings and the Delta T2 Fence and also pitched in for the mobile base. What a beauty and one h&$l of an upgrade from what I was using. Got it all for about $520.

Now that I have this life long piece of equipment, 2 things that are on my mind.
1.) What should a person be looking for in a blade, and what recommendations do you have and why?
2.) What is the best method to ensure accuracy of the blade to the table, miter, and fence?

In the past I have used $20 to $30 blades on my table top unit and it did ok. It was also direct drive so I can not expect perfection in it.

I have seen a dial caliper and magnetic base block thru lee valley that was not terrible expensive and thought that it might be the best method to use for adjustments. I have some knowledge in making the adjustments, but really after the best method for measuring.

Thank You.

 

[Mike]

Having tried blades from DeWalt, Craftsman, PC, B&D, Marathon and Freud I have had the best results with Freud. I prefer the red blades such as the Diablo or the newer Industrial which has a coating designed to reduce build up. Blade price will vary by the amount of teeth; the 10" 60 tooth combination blade runs close to $50 as an example. Some members have reported being very happy with blades from Forrest Blades. This company uses very different engineering from Freud, and their blades start out at around $100. Since I use a Craftsman 10" contractors saw I have never been able to justify the expense of Forrest Blades for my own use. If I had a better tablesaw I am sure they are worth consideration.
The tool I use for checking blade/fence alignment is a 12" steel rule. First I place the rule at the rear of the blade opening and measure from the tooth edge to the fence, slowly rotating the blade to look for variance. Next I check to be sure the front side of the blade is the same measurement as the rear, again using the edge of a tooth for my reference point. This method is adequate for all contractors saws, in fact it is right out of the Craftsman owners manual. Using a dial indicator is overkill.