Just got my new Freud 10" x 40 tooth general purpose blade

[Cooler]

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000JN...UTF8&psc=1

This blade scored very well on a recent magazine test (I think it was Fine Woodworking). $97.00 from Amazon.com

I mounted it yesterday and made some test cuts.

1. 3/4" plywood, oak veneer, with the grain:  Excellent cut, very clean, no chipping.
   
2. 3/4" plywood, oak veneer, cross grain:  Excellent cut, very clean, no chipping.
   
3. 3/4" MDF, very clean cut
   
4. 3/4" particle board, very clean cut
   
5. 3/4" melamine particle board, very good, but not as good as my negative hook angle cross cut blade
   
6. 3/4" poplar cross cut, excellent cut, very smooth edges
   
7. 3/4" poplar, rip.  Clean cut, but cuts a bit slower than I am used to.
   
8. 1/2" think polypropylene cutting board, very smooth cut.
   

The cutting board was for a new zero-clearance insert, which I have not put in yet.  The melamine board cut might improve, but I doubt it.  I tried one cut with a scoring cut first and I still had a couple of noticeable chips.  But a dangerously sharp edge on the melamine board nonetheless.

I think I will be very happy with this blade, especially once I have the zero-clearance insert in place.

[FS7]

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000JN...UTF8&psc=1

This blade scored very well on a recent magazine test (I think it was Fine Woodworking). $97.00 from Amazon.com

I mounted it yesterday and made some test cuts.

1. 3/4" plywood, oak veneer, with the grain:  Excellent cut, very clean, no chipping.
   
2. 3/4" plywood, oak veneer, cross grain:  Excellent cut, very clean, no chipping.
   
3. 3/4" MDF, very clean cut
   
4. 3/4" particle board, very clean cut
   
5. 3/4" melamine particle board, very good, but not as good as my negative hook angle cross cut blade
   
6. 3/4" poplar cross cut, excellent cut, very smooth edges
   
7. 3/4" poplar, rip.  Clean cut, but cuts a bit slower than I am used to.
   
8. 1/2" think polypropylene cutting board, very smooth cut.
   

The cutting board was for a new zero-clearance insert, which I have not put in yet.  The melamine board cut might improve, but I doubt it.  I tried one cut with a scoring cut first and I still had a couple of noticeable chips.  But a dangerously sharp edge on the melamine board nonetheless.

I think I will be very happy with this blade, especially once I have the zero-clearance insert in place.

I have always associated a higher tooth count with cleaner cuts. Is this a different technology or something that would make this preferable to something like an 80 tooth blade for crosscutting plywood?

[Cooler]

I have always associated a higher tooth count with cleaner cuts. Is this a different technology or something that would make this preferable to something like an 80 tooth blade for crosscutting plywood?

Yeah, me too.  I have two high-count carbide blades for plywood, MDF and particle board.  This seems to cut better than either of them.  

I use a narrow kerf rip blade most of the time for ripping and it cuts faster than this new blade which is substantially wider (I have a Delta Contractor's 2 saw and it is not very powerful).

I imagine it has something to do with the angles on the carbide.  But for a combination blade this is showing me some remarkable cuts.

I have a negative hook angle fine tooth blade (for my radial arm saw) and it seems to be better for the melamine coated particle board, but I am reserving judgement until I have the zero clearance insert in place.

Fine Woodworking's article is locked on line and I cannot access it.  

Canadian Woodworking Magazine rated the Freud #1 with "excellent" across the board:

https://www.canadianwoodworking.com/tool...saw-blades

[FS7]

Yeah, me too.  I have two high-count carbide blades for plywood, MDF and particle board.  This seems to cut better than either of them.  

I use a narrow kerf rip blade most of the time for ripping and it cuts faster than this new blade which is substantially wider (I have a Delta Contractor's 2 saw and it is not very powerful).

I imagine it has something to do with the angles on the carbide.  But for a combination blade this is showing me some remarkable cuts.

I have a negative hook angle fine tooth blade (for my radial arm saw) and it seems to be better for the melamine coated particle board, but I am reserving judgement until I have the zero clearance insert in place.

Fine Woodworking's article is locked on line and I cannot access it.  

Canadian Woodworking Magazine rated the Freud #1 with "excellent" across the board:

https://www.canadianwoodworking.com/tool...saw-blades

Interesting. This may be worth a look. It's also one of the only blades I can see listed as a combination blade that doesn't have spaced larger gullets for material removal on it.

But hey, if it cuts like a dream, it cuts like a dream. I like my Freud blades. It sounds like it may be worth its cost.

[Phil Thien]

What is the difference between cutting with an 40-tooth ATB at a feed rate half that used for an 80-tooth ATB?

Wouldn't it be the same # of teeth per distance cut?

I read a book on industrial woodworking machinery (think automated machinery) and it seemed to be the case that the differences in tooth quantity only matters when you had a fixed feed rate or didn't want to slow your feed rate while maintaining cut quality.

But the machines being employed were pushing stock far faster than we ever would.

[AHill]

The Premier Fusion blade has been around for several years.  What's different about the "Next Generation" fusion blade (which was introduced nearly 4 years ago)?  The original Premier Fusion is a decent blade, comparable to a Forrest WWII.  Only problem with them is many sharpening services can't sharpen them because of the grind having a double side grind on the blade.  At least that was an issue several years ago.  Maybe there are more services that can accommodate the blade these days.

[Stwood_]

1. 3/4" poplar, rip.  Clean cut, but cuts a bit slower than I am used to.
   

The more teeth, the more effort to push it thru the cut.

[Cooler]

The more teeth, the more effort to push it thru the cut.

I have two rip blades.  One 1/8" thick Dewalt premium blade and it does a nice job of ripping, and a narrow kerf Freud that cuts quickly but leaves more of a tool mark.  I  rarely use the thicker blade anymore.  I sand the pieces anyway and it takes care of the tool marks.  But The think kerf allows me to cut faster.  I think it has more to do with the thinner blade than the number of teeth.

[Stwood_]

I have two rip blades.  One 1/8" thick Dewalt premium blade and it does a nice job of ripping, and a narrow kerf Freud that cuts quickly but leaves more of a tool mark.  I  rarely use the thicker blade anymore.  I sand the pieces anyway and it takes care of the tool marks.  But The think kerf allows me to cut faster.  I think it has more to do with the thinner blade than the number of teeth.

I run thin kerf 95% of the time. 40T blade takes more effort to push than a 24T blade.
24T less burning, rougher cut
40T smoother cut, prone to burning in say, cherry

[packerguy®]

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000JN...UTF8&psc=1

This blade scored very well on a recent magazine test (I think it was Fine Woodworking). $97.00 from Amazon.com

I mounted it yesterday and made some test cuts.

1. 3/4" plywood, oak veneer, with the grain:  Excellent cut, very clean, no chipping.
   
2. 3/4" plywood, oak veneer, cross grain:  Excellent cut, very clean, no chipping.
   
3. 3/4" MDF, very clean cut
   
4. 3/4" particle board, very clean cut
   
5. 3/4" melamine particle board, very good, but not as good as my negative hook angle cross cut blade
   
6. 3/4" poplar cross cut, excellent cut, very smooth edges
   
7. 3/4" poplar, rip.  Clean cut, but cuts a bit slower than I am used to.
   
8. 1/2" think polypropylene cutting board, very smooth cut.
   

The cutting board was for a new zero-clearance insert, which I have not put in yet.  The melamine board cut might improve, but I doubt it.  I tried one cut with a scoring cut first and I still had a couple of noticeable chips.  But a dangerously sharp edge on the melamine board nonetheless.

I think I will be very happy with this blade, especially once I have the zero-clearance insert in place.

Fantastic cross cut blade, IMHO. I have two. My only complaint is it becomes dull faster than a WWII, when cross cutting. I guess with the Hi angle, its to be expected. 

Ive never used it for ripping, I have two rip blades, and two WWII that I use when I dont want to swap.