Best Overall Saw Blade for 12 Miter Saw Review

For years woodworkers relied on the best tabular array saws or radial-arm saws for their virtually accurate car-made miters and crosscuts. When miter saws kickoff came along, they were rough affairs and not readily adopted by those who valued accuracy over portability. For chore site carpentry, these tools were bang-up time savers. However, it took quite a few years for woodworkers to open their store doors to these portable saws. To go the most out of these tools, you need the best thin-kerf miter saw blades available.

Today, a quality modern miter saw is the go-to tool for fine crosscutting, miter cuts, and compound angle (simultaneous miter and bevel) cuts. And co-ordinate to industry figures, 12-inch miter saws take overtaken ten-inch saws as the tool of choice for professionals. This holds truthful both on the job site and in the shop.

Editor's Note: Cheque out our all-time miter saw article for our top recommendations.

Why Employ a Fine Finish Blade?

To attain the smoothest miter saw cuts for article of furniture building, cabinetmaking, and trim piece of work, you need a blade with a lot of teeth. A stock 12-inch blade typically has 32 teeth. A skilful trim bract commonly has fourscore. Nosotros opted for the finest-cutting 90 to 100 tooth blades available to seek out the ultimate in miter saw results.

Blades with densely packed teeth make the smoothest cuts. Typically, these blades are limited to cutting hardwoods i-1/2 inches thick or less. With so many teeth engaged in a cut, there is a lot of friction. In addition, the small gullets of such closely-spaced teeth eject sawdust slowly. The deeper the cutting, the slower the progress and the greater the heat build-up. You tin can simply cut as fast equally the blade allows. In deep cuts that may non exist fast enough to outrun burning.

Why Thin Kerf Blades?

While it'due south generally true that the thickest and most massive blades provide the about stability in a cut, heavy full-kerf blades are not best suited for the short on-and-off cut action of a miter saw. Bringing a lighter bract upwardly to speed and quickly stopping it with the motor brake is much easier on your saw. This lets users move a little faster while cut. Thin blades too utilise less power while cutting. This is great news for underpowered saws or guys on the task sharing a 20 amp excursion with three other trades.

Because of these benefits (and a somewhat lower price), thin kerf miter saw blades are growing in popularity. The downside to these thinner blades is that they tin can deflect and wander in a cutting more easily. This particularly affects bevel cuts negatively. According to my blade sharpening consultant, this outcome is exacerbated as these blades begin to tedious. That's the reason many industrial users don't use them.

ATB, ATB+R, ATAF, WTF?

To achieve the smoothest miter saw cuts for furniture building, cabinetmaking, and trim work, you need a blade with lots of teeth.

The anatomy of a miter saw blade is fairly simple. Information technology's the alphabet soup of abbreviations that makes it seem so technical. For extra-fine crosscutting blades intended for solid wood (like those in the test), alternating elevation bevel (ATB) designs are the best.

Different ATB designs may accept raker teeth, pointier loftier-bevel angle teeth, or angled face teeth. All remain variants of the basic ATB which cuts the outside edges of the kerf first before scooping out the heart. This activeness scores the wood before any chips are scraped out. It leaves the cleanest surfaces forth the top edges of the cutting. Hi-ATB teeth with sharper angled tops score deeper to preclude chip-out in fragile materials such as veneered plywood and MDF.

What is a Raker Tooth?

Rakers are symmetrical, flat-topped teeth that clean out the forest betwixt the grooves made by the right and left angled teeth. They are ever fix lower than the angled teeth. Rakers may be placed between every set or every other set of ATB teeth. Blades, therefore, designate them as (two+1) or (iv+i) respectively.

The last twist on ATB tooth design is the alternate face pattern. Also known as a shear face, the tooth is skewed with the tallest side forrad. This engages the wood at a sharper angle for a shearing cutting along the side of the kerf.

Blade Beefcake Defined

• ATB: Alternate Top Bevel
• Hi-ATB: Alternate Height Bevel with High bevel angle teeth
• ATB+R: Alternate Acme Bevel with Raker
• ATAF: Alternating Superlative bevel and Alternate Face angles

All the (Blade) Angles

The most relevant tooth angles to know are the rake (or claw) angle, the top bevel angle, and the face bending. The rake angle is the orientation of the face of the molar in relation to a radial line drawn through the center of the blade (like the spoke of a wheel). A tooth parallel to this radial line has a 0-caste rake bending. Positive rake angle teeth have a more aggressive bite and cutting faster with less feed force per unit area.

Negative bending teeth brand more of a scraping cut that is slower and requires more feed pressure. They reduce the likelihood of tear-out in the cut surfaces. Most extra-fine ATB crosscutting blades accept very low or negative rake angles for smooth cut.

The top bevel bending is the angle across the meridian of a molar when viewed straight on from the front. Bevel angles of xxx degrees and college usually constitute high ATB teeth. The steeper the teeth, the better the scoring action on either side of the cut. This as well results in the tip of the tooth dulling sooner. Also, the amount of unsupported carbide on a steep tip may require a manufacturer to arrive out of softer, more than impact resistant carbide that will dull fifty-fifty faster.

The face bending is the angle of the tooth when viewed from above. Standard teeth are perpendicular to the blade plate while shear face teeth are skewed alternately to the left and right.

Other Thin Kerf Blade Features

The story of a blade is pretty simple: it's more often than not almost the teeth. But there are a few other features to consider. Blade coatings such as Teflon (PTFE), powder blanket, or even chrome serve two functions. Besides warding off corrosion, the slick surfaces don't let pitch to attach as easily and are quick to wipe clean.

vibration slot

Noise suppression slots are the laser-cut zigzags apparent in the plates of many blades. They are designed to capture vibration and absorb the sound of a blade screaming through wood. Slots filled with polymer dampen blades more finer than those left open. We could at least sample this when rung manually—I wasn't great on listening for differences in use!

As far as I'm concerned, all of the blades are capable of contributing to progressive hearing loss. To combat this, I wore ear protection while cutting. A downside of slotted blades is that perforated cloth that gets bent out can't exist bent back in without cracking (and thus ruining) the blade. One other complaint is that slotted blades tin can never over again be flattened or tensioned during their serviceable life as solid plate blades can.

Testing the All-time Sparse Kerf Miter Saw Blades

I used a 12-inch Hitachi C12FDH miter saw equally my testing rig. This saw earned high marks in a past tool test I was involved in. I deliberately chose a non-sliding miter saw to eliminate any extra play in the saw's machinery. That would make it harder for me to clarify the cutting results of the blades independent of the tool. Since I was testing on boilerplate trim-sized materials, the chop-action-merely saw was the right tool for the task anyhow.

To evaluate cut quality, I ran each blade through a circuit of crosscuts and miter cuts. Nosotros used a multifariousness of materials of different dimensions and thicknesses. With cuts made in the aforementioned order and carefully labeled, I ended upwards with over 20 private sample pieces for each bract. I afterward scrutinized those nether a raking light.

Testing Hardwoods

Hard maple and cherry-red provided me the finest view of scratch patterns and the best bank check of a blade'due south propensity for burning. The ring-porous construction of white oak immune the all-time evaluation of a blade'southward sharpness along the end of a cut. Veneer-covered plywood and MDF strips accentuated clean cuts along a kerf's summit edge. Lacquered beech, maple, and Baltic birch plywood fabricated it easy to look for chipping along a brittle finished edge.

I besides ran the saws through materials without regard to the resulting cutoffs simply to rate the feed pressure and smoothness of cut. It likewise helped me better characterize the overall experience of cutting with each bract. After the sawdust settled, I had the owner of a respected professional sharpening business come over to lend his expertise. I also brought in a friend of mine who is a furniture builder and cabinetmaker of some acclaim. Adding these guys' opinions to mine made for a well-rounded take on these blades. I could write a book…

Microscopic Inspection

Earlier and after testing I took microscopic photos of the sides, faces, and tiptop edges of a few chosen teeth on each blade using a high-resolution USB microscope. I was trying to detect any early on article of clothing to utilize equally a predictor of edge longevity. Unfortunately, I didn't make enough cuts to come across any difference. My blade sharpening consultant estimated that each bract could likely crosscut 2,000 anxiety of hardwood trim earlier needing sharpening. That's a considerable corporeality of mileage—far more than than I managed to put on each.

However, the microscope gave me a slap-up close-up expect at individual carbide teeth and their brazes while teaching me a lot near cutting tooth geometry.

Best Thin Kerf Miter Saw Blades Results

In general, it is condom to say that y'all can accomplish an passably fine cut with any of these blades. This peculiarly holds truthful with new blades. The quality of their structure and components will become more evident every bit each blade ages. Nigh every blade comes with a dozen sharpenings worth of carbide. Some may non be worth the $250 investment that represents over their lifetime.

The credible quality, avant-garde features, and exceptional cut performance of the Forrest, Freud, and Tenryu blades impressed us the most. They seemed to represent the best investments of lasting value a serious craftsman could make. If you desire the best thin kerf miter saw bract, start there.

Thanks to Tim Lancaster of Precision Knife and Tool in Fort Collins, CO. for sharing his expertise on the finer points of saw blades.

And cheers to my friend and furniture artisan Peter Glass for sharing his perspective on evaluating cut quality in a variety of wood. www.peterglasswoodworks.com

Sawing Tips

Sure the saw and the blade exercise most of the piece of work, but beingness a conscientious saw operator is of import if you lot want to achieve the smoothest and safest cuts. Hither are a few essential tips.

Set your saw for success.

It all starts with the argue. With a reliable straightedge, cheque that the left and right fence sections are coplanar—a lack of back up on either side of your workpiece volition lead to vibration and dangerous cuts. Adjacent, check every few inches along the contend with a precise square to make certain the debate surfaces are perpendicular to the saw's table. With the argue tightened in position, square the blade to the fence and calibrate the 0-degree marker on your miter scale to this position. Then practice the same with the bevel setting while squaring the blade with the saw's table. If the plastic insert at the center of the tabular array is non flush with the surrounding metallic surface, you lot must shim upwardly the insert. If left uneven, short or flexible stock volition tilt downward during a cut, bounden the blade and called-for the cut.

Make a nada clearance cutting surface.

I take made zero clearance table inserts out of hardboard in the past, just information technology is fussy piece of work to cut them to shape, and fifty-fifty harder to shim them flush. Plus information technology even so left the side of the piece of work toward the fence unsupported and prone to splintery blowout. At present if I need the smoothest possible cuts, I attach strips of hardboard to the fence and to the table with double-sided record, roofing just enough surface area to fully support the stock I am cutting. The downside is that y'all need to supercede the strips when you change the miter bending, but I detect that I am usually making either straight or mitered cuts for a projection, rarely switching betwixt both.

Never allow the teeth touch on the piece of work twice.

Careless cutting technique is the crusade of the 2 biggest problems associated with miter saws: ragged edges at the acme of a cutting and small cutoff pieces sent airborne past the blade. Follow this uncomplicated advice to avoid both. When y'all complete a cutting, concord the saw caput down until the blade comes to a full stop. Since the teeth are wider than the blade plate, no part of the saw blade should touch the work as the saw winds down.

It is simply when the spinning teeth are brought support into contact with the wood that the top edge is raked upward and small-scale cutoffs leaning against the blade are caught by the teeth and violently catapulted. If you have a substantial cutoff piece remaining you tin raise the saw head with the blade in motion. Only slide the finished cut piece away from the blade first.

Best Thin Kerf Blades Results

CMT Industrial Thin Kerf

Model: 255.096.12
The I.T.K. (Industrial Thin Kerf) Fine Finish blade is part of the mid-class line from this Italian bract company.

• Dissonance/vibration suppression: 3 open slots, Off-white dampening effect
• Flatness: Very Good
• Cut quality: Notable scratch lines and some irregular marks on terminate grain. The irregular marks seem attributable to vibration.
• Price: $75.32

Summary: A decent, true Hi-ATB blade that can be found for a very expert price online – perhaps the least expensive blade tested.

Diablo (past Freud)

Model: D12100X
The Ultimate Flawless End blade from Diablo-Freud'south value-oriented construction production line.

• Blanket: aluminum-based PTFE
• Dissonance/vibration suppression: 4 half-filled slots, Skilful dampening event
• Flatness: Proficient (maximum .003" dip nigh perimeter)
• Cut quality: Light scratch lines and some irregular marks on end grain, more than on miters. The irregular marks seem attributable to vibration.
• Price: $54

Summary: With the about ambitious rake angle in the test, this blade tended to grab at workpieces more readily than other blades. The shear face design is a nice feature for a blade in this low toll range.

DeWalt Woodworking

Model: DW7650
From DeWalt'southward top end Woodworking blade line.

• Noise/vibration suppression: three open up slots, Very Practiced dampening effect
• Flatness: Good (maximum .002″ dip virtually heart)
• Cutting quality: Low-cal scratch lines on end grain, more than on miters
• Toll: $76

Summary: This classic styled uncoated bract has the largest carbide teeth by far – both thicker and taller than any others in the test. For the average overall results it posted, yet, information technology is on the expensive side.

Forrest Signature Line Chopmaster

Model: CM12905115
A premium product from the brand to exist sure, just not their about expensive thin kerf miter saw blade.

• Racket/vibration suppression: None
• Flatness: Very Practiced
• Cutting quality: Very smooth. Slight burning on some ruddy.
• Price: $207

Summary: A quality heavy-duty blade with former-school sensibilities. Built to be serviced like a classic car, the non-perforated bract plate tin be re-flattened if it always goes out of true. And though the plate thickness is listed every bit .095", skin grinding done to flatten the plate sides hateful that individual blades may vary. Ours measured .088″. The blade is notably loud in use, but the cutting results are among the very all-time. The highest-priced bract in the test.

Freud Industrial

Model: LU74R012
Named the Thin Kerf Ultimate Cutoff blade.

• Coating: aluminum-based PTFE
• Noise/vibration suppression: 8 half-filled slots, Very Expert dampening effect
• Flatness: Expert (maximum .003" dip near eye)
• Cut quality: Notable scratch lines on terminate grain
• Price: $92

Summary: Practiced features and construction, just didn't wow us like its Hi-ATB brandmate. This blade features a special side grind with a tiny "bumper" along the edge of the molar designed to rub confronting the edge of the cut and brighten the woods smooth.

Freud Industrial

Model: LU79R012
Named the Thin Kerf Ultimate Plywood & Melamine bract due to its How-do-you-do-ATB tooth grind.

• Blanket: aluminum-based PTFE
• Dissonance/vibration suppression: eight half-filled slots, Excellent dampening issue with very slight vibration
• Flatness: Very Good
• Cut quality: Very light scratch lines on end grain, more than on miters
• Price: $91

Summary: A real standout bract in the test and the favorite pick of my furniture builder friend. This Hi-ATB shear confront blueprint combines high-performance, quality features, and a pocket-size price – information technology's everything you need.

Irwin Marples

Model: 1807385
The Marples branding was recently dusted off by Irwin and put on their premium blade line.

• Coating: PTFE with aluminum
• Noise/vibration suppression: four open slots, Poor dampening effect
• Flatness: Fair (maximum .004" dip near middle)
• Cut quality: Very calorie-free scratch lines on finish grain, but the blade left burns on the right side of all the miter cuts. The bract besides left burns at the top of thick pieces to the left side which I believe is due to rubbing on the incredibly thick printed-on labels.
• Cost: $81.71

Summary: Kind of a striking or miss proposition, this bract does some things well, just not enough to be as competitive as it could be.

Tenryu Miter-Pro

Model: MP-305100AB
The Miter-Pro line is the brand's more substantial sparse kerf offering, designed for improve bevel cuts in trim work.
Coating: dull chromed

• Dissonance/vibration suppression: v fully-filled slots, Excellent dampening effect with nigh no vibration
• Flatness: Fair (maximum .005" dip near center)
• Cutting quality: Very smooth – just the faintest scratch lines on end grain
• Cost: $155

Summary: High tech and loftier performance sums upwardly this premium shear face up blade. The vibration suppression slots are filled all the style through with a polymer to make the blade almost vibration-free. Borer the blade with a scrap of wood sounds like tapping on a countertop—the dampening effect is really amazing. On the pricy side though.

Tenryu Silencer

Model: SL-305100
One of the brand new coated blades in the brand's less-expensive Silencer line.
Coating: PTFE

• Noise/vibration suppression: 10 fully-filled slots, Excellent dampening effect with virtually no vibration
• Flatness: Fair (maximum .004" dip near middle)
• Cut quality: Very smoothen – just the faintest scratch lines on end grain, and the smoothest miter cuts of all
• Cost: $92.40

Summary: Like the pricier Miter-Pro, this blade shares the smashing cutting results and highly-effective vibration dampening engineering. One downside – the tiny carbide teeth are only 2/3 the size of the average tooth in the test. That volition force this blade into early retirement afterward a lot fewer sharpenings. Nevertheless, this bract boasts astonishing cutting quality for the price.

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Source: https://www.protoolreviews.com/best-thin-kerf-miter-saw-blades/

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