I'm looking to purchase new blades for my 12-inch miter saw and 10-inch table saw, specifically for cutting hardwood as I'm mainly working on furniture. I'm curious if Diablo blades are a good choice and how many teeth I should aim for in these blades.
4 Answers
Ridge Carbide blades have been my favorite by far! I've got three different tooth counts for my table saw and an 8-inch dado too. They can be pricey, but they've performed really well. Plus, you can send them back for free sharpening if you keep the package!
The Diablo 50T combo blade on my 10” table saw works wonders on hardwood. For the miter saw, I'd suggest going for at least an 80T blade. Quick tip: to minimize tear-out with cross cuts, try attaching a board to the fence on your miter saw.
While I haven't tried CMT blades myself, I've been using Diablo and they've been solid. However, a lot of people say CMT blades offer better quality for a similar price. If you're considering a switch, it might be worth looking into them.
A combo blade with about 60 teeth can work for both ripping and cross-cutting. But honestly, if you're serious about your cuts, I'd recommend grabbing a dedicated ripping blade with around 24 teeth and a cross-cut blade with about 80 teeth. I use a cross-cut blade for plywood because it reduces tear-out. And hey, CMT is worth checking out too—they're typically priced the same and can be resharpened.