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Table saw blade stiffener.

6K views 23 replies 15 participants last post by  Garyk 
#1 ·
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
 
#3 ·
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.
 
#7 ·
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.
 
#10 ·
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.
 
#13 ·
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.
 
#14 ·
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.
 
#17 ·
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
 
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