I recently inherited a band saw from my dad who was a fifi maker, and I now use it to cut blanks for him. They're wax-coated and need about a third of an inch trimmed from each side. I switched to using my table saw to speed things up, cutting each piece in just 1.5 minutes with a Diablo combo blade instead of 5 minutes. I'm curious if switching to a ripping blade would make a noticeable difference on the 41 blanks I have. Also, is it generally worth investing in a ripping blade?
2 Answers
Yes, you’ll definitely notice a big difference with a ripping blade! It makes cutting through that waxy wood a lot smoother and faster. Just keep in mind your table saw specs when picking a blade—having a high-quality one can really help, especially for regular work.
You really should have multiple blades for different tasks: a ripping blade, a crosscut blade, and a combo blade. For your type of work, a ripping blade is a must! And since your saw is underpowered, I’d recommend going for a thin kerf blade to reduce the load—it cuts great while removing less wood. I personally prefer CMT blades for their longevity and sharpness.
Thanks for the tips! I just got a ripping blade since that’s how I mainly use my saw. I’ll look into getting more blades once I have the budget.