Stu's Shed

Intended purpose: Ripping
Tooth count: 24
Price: $47
Source: Carbatec

Tooth Grind: ATB (alternating top bevel)
Kerf: 2.63mm
Carbide thickness (measured front face to braze): 2.59mm
Carbide length: 7.50mm
Front face length: 3.95mm

Blade axial runout: 0.015″ (0.4mm)

Expansion slots: 3, curvy hook design with crack limiter

Anti-vibration slots: None

Blade body thickness: 1.77mm

General Description:

Overall, this blade performed below what I would have expected for a CMT blade. I think, based on the measurements that the blade has been compromised by an unusually large amount of runout.

The cuts:

Melamine (Particle Board Backing)

Top Edge

Bottom Edge

An unsurprising result in melamine for a ripping blade. Clean top surface, and some breakout in the bottom surface.

KD Hardwood Rip

An average result for a ripping blade- plenty of scarring marks, and not unusually easier or harder effort required for any of the rips. One face of the rip was notably worse than the other, possibly due to the amount of runout exhibited by the blade. One could surmise that with a localised amount of runout, that side of the blade only has 20% of the teeth doing the majority of the work, and thus the scoring and tearout. The other face has 80% of the teeth working, so gets a better result, but still has marks occurring because of the 20% section not working. Just a theory I have.

Treated Pine Rip

A better result in treated pine – a light surface scoring, but not unacceptable.

Softwood (Pine) Rip

A lot of scoring and tearout in pine – not a great finish given how easy this timber is to cut.

KD Hardwood Crosscut

An ok crosscut for a rip blade. The scoring caused by the runout is very apparent. Not much breakout to speak of.

Treated Pine Crosscut

A moderate amount of torn fibres from this cut – ok for a rough crosscut, but not for fine work (not surprising given it is a rip blade).

Softwood (Pine) Crosscut

Obviously not a crosscutting blade.