Miter saw blade advice needed please

Tool Talk
#1

Hello all:

I feel like I always need saw blade help. Thanks in advance!

I am starting a trim project. I have a new Dewalt 12" miter saw - lucky me. It came with what appears to be a general purpose 60T blade.

From my internet-education it appears that more teeth will let me make more precise and smoother cuts.

I was looking at blades in the 80+ teeth range but quickly became overwhelmed with choices and tooth angle and carbide tip sizes…

I guess since it’s a Dewalt saw I would lean towards a Dewalt blade but I have a Diablo blade - thanks ToolTalk - on a circular saw so I’m open to that as well. I doubt I need the cost of a Forrest blade.

Any advice appreciated! Thanks, Steve.

#2

Money vs performace I’ve always leaned toward Diablo circular saw blades - IE Table and miter and circular saw.

So I would say you can’t go wrong with an 84 or more tooth on that Dewalt mitre. With sliding miter saws some of the companies show there is a point to changing the tooth angles based on how the blade moves though the wood - vs just a straight downward.

ANyway if you can get one a purpose made miter saw blade supposedly works better, but still in general priniple more teeth is better for fine cuts. Trade off is cut speed and motor drag.

SO again I use an 80 tooth on my 10 inch miter if I moved to a 12 incher I would look for more than 80 and I think diablo has a 84 and a 90 or something. would be plenty.

Good luck and enjoy. OH and I would cross show that with the Dewalt blade and I’m not sure which else

1 Like
#3

Napalm, have you ever tried to sharpen a miter saw blade? Must remove to do it or flip the entire unit upsidedown? thanks

#4

I have the dewalt 12" slider, I get nice clean cuts with the Avanti 96 tooth. 2 pack is the same price as single blade at depot?

#5

While I’m partial to Forrest blades - and have use their Mitermaster MM121006 100T blade with good results - I’m pretty sure that the price does not provide much bang for the buck. Their 80T and 90T Chopmaster blades are a bit cheaper - but not in the realm of a Freud Diablo - which should provide a good cost/benefit ratio.

BTW - I’ve done a fair amount of Trex decking - and the Diablo D1284CD blade performed very well

#6

No I’ve never had a miter blade sharpened nor attempted it.

My blades (mitre or table) all have carbide tips. So aside from getting the complex angles right, I don’t have a file or grind disc that will effectively shape hardened carbide. Sending one off to sharpen which Frued does offer as an option. Usually it’s cost effective for me

Probably the best MX thing I ever started doing was cleaning my blades after a project. It’s saved me buying new ones and so far , knock on wood, I’ve not run metal though my saw recently.

#7

Thanks. I do clean with alcohol from time to time and that really helps. Still it’s going to need replacing or sharpening. I’ll look into a service to see the prices.
Thanks again

#8

This guy seems to have the beat

#9

I’ve sent Forrest blades back to them for sharpening - with good results. In our cabinet business - we once had a tool room “artiste-mechanic” who sharpened drill bits and saw blades. When he retired - we decided that it was more cost-effective to send things out and/or buy new. We used Carbide Processors for sourcing and re-sharpening some items - like scoring blades that tended to wear quickly.

At the current street price of almost $260

  • I don’t leave my Mitermaster blade in the saw if I’m cutting anything other than furniture trim - swapping out for a Freud for Aluminum:

https://www.acmetools.com/shop/tools/diablo-12-inch-non-ferrous-miter-saw-blade-d1296n?cm_mmc=Google--PRODUCTFEED--DIABLO-_-D1296N&utm_id=go_cmp-732484532_adg-40556065149_ad-188049860360_pla-293946777986_dev-c_ext-_prd-D1296N&gclid=EAIaIQobChMInqzWzJXt6AIVwuDICh3bTgc2EAYYAyABEgKTDfD_BwE

or this one for decking:

https://www.acmetools.com/shop/tools/diablo-trexblade-12-inch-composite-decking-blade-d1284cd

1 Like
#10

Thanks very much! Will check it out

#11

I run Diablo on my powermatic, DEWALT, and delta table saws and on my Bosch 12” CM12SD. The miter saw is a 60T and I run the 24T ripper on my table saws. The thin kerf of the 10” 24T has not let me down. I’ve run the gammet of the DEWALT blades and they seem to dull quicker and they gum up. I’ve thought about trying Amanda blades, but Diablo has done me well so why mess with it? I throw the blades in a big tub with a little simple green and dilute it with hot water, scrub with a nylon brush, dry with a terry cloth and spray BladeCote on them. Every once in a while I have to get out the little Smith Diamond stone and repair a nick, but unless you’re ripping through nails and screws, the carbide stands up. It’s thought that a lot of guys think their blades have dulled out when in fact they’re dirty and full of gunk. That’s what’s worked for me and I’m sure there’s a number of other ways to go, just gotta find the right thing for you. Best of luck with it.

#12

Choosing a blade for miter saws will be intimidating especially when you care more about finer details. I would say, Forrest blades are often considered the best for and by woodworkers. But, they are pricey.

Generally, looking at tooth count, lower tooth count for faster cuts & more teeth gives finer cuts. So, it’s good to refer to each brand’s blade selection charts to understand which blade is good for a material or cutting direction.

If you’re more conscious about the cost, then go with Freud or Diablo.