Tablesaw Blade Maintenance
#11
Question 
1)  How many of you actually take time to clean your tablesaw blades?  

2)  And how many of you actually opt to resharpen your saw blades vs just throwing them out?  I presume you use a professional service? 

This is a follow-up to the other active TS thread, which got me thinking that I really should retire or maybe resharpen some of my TS blades.  I never used a blade sharpening service though.   Looking to hear of your experiences.  TIA.
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#12
(07-10-2018, 11:32 PM)Cian Wrote: 1)  How many of you actually take time to clean your tablesaw blades?  

2)  And how many of you actually opt to resharpen your saw blades vs just throwing them out?  I presume you use a professional service? 

This is a follow-up to the other active TS thread, which got me thinking that I really should retire or maybe resharpen some of my TS blades.  I never used a blade sharpening service though.   Looking to hear of your experiences.  TIA.

I have two sets of blades. A set consists of a freud fusion blade, freud glue line rip, and forest WWII ( I use three because all really excel at certain things IMHO) The WWII is my best all around do everything blade, but the glue line rips with ease, and its hard to beat the fusion when cross cutting miters over and over)

I rotate for operations, since I do alot of batch work. I clean the blade every time I take it off the saw (60% of my work is cherry, which leaves LOTS of pitch on the blade, not as bad as pine, but a lot) I use Trend blade cleaner, super easy....spray it on, wait a minute, I use a tooth brush to brush the teeth, wipe clean with paper towel, done deal. 

[Image: 41kChGTjSAL.jpg]


I have a local sharpener, that I drop off a set every six months. IIRC its like $35-40 for the three blades if there is no teeth repairs needed. 

As far as cleaning, its really amazing how even a little crap on the side of the tooth effects the quality of cut and enjoyment of using the blade.

Once Favre hangs it up though, it years of cellar dwelling for the Pack. (Geoff 12-18-07)  



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#13
Clean my blades regularly (simple green soak).
Have never sent a blade put to be sharpened (yet).
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#14
I think I tried to clean a blade...once.  Probably didn't use an effective cleaner at that time and haven't tried again.  Usually by the time I get a lot of gunk on them, they're ready for sharpening, anyway.

As for sharpening, I always sharpen blades.  Sharpening service costs $12-15 per blade.  Compare that to $45-60 each to replace the blades I use, and it's a no-brainer.  Add in that often the blade will come back sharper and better performing than new, and it's icing on the cake. 

I've been told I should be able to get 5-6 sharpenings out of a blade, depending on the quality/thickness of the carbide.  However, I don't track it, so I don't really know.  If I accept that 5 is the number of sharpenings I'll get out of a blade, then the "life-cycle cost" of a $50 blade might be around $125 for 6 usage cycles, versus $300 to just buy new for each of those cycles.
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#15
I'm not so good at regular cleaning of the blade, but I do send them out for sharpening.  As was said, they come back better than new.
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#16
Mine get cleaned when they are sent to the saw sharpener.
I rotate a couple dozen blades.
Steve

Missouri






 
The Revos apparently are designed to clamp railroad ties and pull together horrifically prepared joints
WaterlooMark 02/9/2020








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#17
An easy trick to cleaning TS blades is to get some Washing Soda from the grocery store. It is normally used as a washing booster for clothes. Couple of spoons in warm water and let the blade soak for 15-20 minutes. Then simply wipe off the grime.

Other cleaners work, but I happened to have the washing soda and tried it after hearing a tip about it. Works so well, I have not tried anything else.
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#18
With the blade deals of the past (~10 years ago) I'm stocked for 2-3 lifetimes of TS/RAS blades of all types (rip/crosscut/general purpose). I purchased large quantities of blades because the deals for blades were cheaper than sharpening services. I do clean the users occasionally with a solution of simple green or citrus cleaner. When they are dull, I grab a new one off of the shelf and put it on the saw....I throw the dull one in a box just in case one day I want/need to get a bunch sharpened.
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#19
I don't clean mine routinely, though I have done so a few times in the past to remove excess grime. I do have them resharpened when needed, and have a few that have been sharpened multiple times (3 times, at least) and a dado set that has been resharpened twice. I don't use the local hacks (and I mean that sincerely) but instead send them a what I now to be a high quality outfit. I'm using Bull Sharpening (Oak Park IL) the most often, but I have also used Dynamic saw in New York. Both are top notch, full service shops (they do it all, I eve sent my carbide forstners in for sharpening to Bull).
I started with absolutely nothing. Now, thanks to years of hard work, careful planning, and perseverance, I find I still have most of it left.
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#20
(07-11-2018, 12:48 PM)Lumber Yard® Wrote: With the blade deals of the past (~10 years ago) I'm stocked for 2-3 lifetimes of TS/RAS blades of all types (rip/crosscut/general purpose). I purchased large quantities of blades because the deals for blades were cheaper than sharpening services. I do clean the users occasionally with a solution of simple green or citrus cleaner. When they are dull, I grab a new one off of the shelf and put it on the saw....I throw the dull one in a box just in case one day I want/need to get a bunch sharpened.

Deals of the past. Yes, I bought 3 cases.
Laugh  10 per case.
It was some dealer here selling them.
Steve

Missouri






 
The Revos apparently are designed to clamp railroad ties and pull together horrifically prepared joints
WaterlooMark 02/9/2020








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