Forrest Woodworker II - can it really do it all?

[Todd Solomon]

Good stuff, Folks. I guess it was about time for me to add some thoughts.

I've always been one to change between rip and crosscut blades and it really isn't *that* big of a deal but I was just wondering what people really thought about Forrest.

I have mostly CMT blades and lately, I've not been too happy with them but you know what, I think the suckers need SHARPENED!! LOL...shocking, I know.

I also picked up some Freud blades (Glue Line Rip, 12" crosscut for the miter box) and they've done all right. I noticed some chipping on my Freud Glue Line rip so I'm not too happy about that. I know I didn't bang the blade against anything so I'm wondering about the quality of the carbide on it.

The 12" Freud blade on the miter box has done well for me (96-tooth) and I've even been using it on my TS for the extra height.

I finally found a local sharpening service that is open on Saturdays and I'm going to send them a few of my blades and PRAY they do a good job. I wasn't liking having to send my blades out to some sharpening service (like Forrest) so I really hope this local outfit is as good as they claim on their website! Cross your fingers!

Chris,

Let me know how they do on the sharpening, some of my blades are due as well. I'm in San Jose, what's their name and city?

Todd

[Chris Padilla]

Chris,

Let me know how they do on the sharpening, some of my blades are due as well. I'm in San Jose, what's their name and city?

Todd

http://www.sharpeningmechanics.com/ They're in SJ. I'm heading there at 9 am this Saturday to drop some blades off. Hopefully I can pick them up the following Saturday...at 9 am....

[scott spencer]

Chris - You're close enough to Scott Whiting in AZ that shipping shouldn't be cost prohibitive....especially if you have more than one blade to send. I've read nothing but positive comments about his ability and service.

I took my Forrest to a local sharpening service once.....it cut well afterwards, but they took an awful lot of carbide off for one sharpening. It won't happen again.

[Chris Padilla]

Thanks, Scott. The local guy gets ONE chance.

[Paul Johnstone]

This question sure does rile some people up. There are folks that seem to just refuse to spend over $100 on a blade, and it must be crap, although I suspect most of them have never even tried one.
...

I don't think anyone is saying that.

You actually end up spending more on dedicated blades. My crosscut blade was around 90 and my ripping blade 40-50.

It's all a personal preference. I like seperate blades, because to me, there is a difference. I don't mind spending about 40 seconds to change blades when I need to.

Some people think the convienence of a combo blade is well worth the compromises made in blade design. Others don't think there is a compromise in performance. That's fine. This is all a matter of personal preference, nothing to get upset about. I don't think anyone said that the Forest blade was crap, they just liked dedicated blades better.

[Brian D Anderson]

So this has me wondering. Would there be a market for a saw that has some type of quick change blade mechanism? Or can you have a saw with two arbors and two blades that you can raise independently? Hmmmmmm?

Or like was mentioned above, should you just buy two saws? We should start a new trend . . . every woodworker should have two cabinet saws back to back to be "cool". (regardless of how much room you have in your one car garage/shop )

-Brian

[Steve Rozmiarek]

So this has me wondering. Would there be a market for a saw that has some type of quick change blade mechanism? Or can you have a saw with two arbors and two blades that you can raise independently? Hmmmmmm?

Or like was mentioned above, should you just buy two saws? We should start a new trend . . . every woodworker should have two cabinet saws back to back to be "cool". (regardless of how much room you have in your one car garage/shop )

-Brian

Brian, its been done. Google Oliver dual arbor. Dual 5hp motors, quick change, massive amouonts of cast iron, and in this market, cheap.

Can't find a good photo easy or I'd post one, trying to avoid getting busted for not working on this stupid spreadsheet. The boss is a PAIN!

[Brian D Anderson]

Brian, its been done. Google Oliver dual arbor. Dual 5hp motors, quick change, massive amouonts of cast iron, and in this market, cheap.

Can't find a good photo easy or I'd post one, trying to avoid getting busted for not working on this stupid spreadsheet. The boss is a PITA!

Right after I posted that, I kind of figured that like most ideas I've had . . . it's probably been done already.

[JayStPeter]

I'm pretty lazy about changing blades. The WWII is on my saw most of the time. I have a dedicated ripping blade that goes on for two reasons, either I'm ripping > 5/4 or I want a flat bottom groove cut. I have a dedicated crosscut blade that does a great job, but there is really no reason to put it on. Sure, there might be blades that give a "better" cut, but there is rarely a reason I want/need a better cut. If the cut shows, it'll get planed or sanded anyway. If not, it's almost always good enough for a glue joint.
About 5 years ago, I tried some less expensive blades for a second blade. Wound up getting a 2nd WWII eventually.

[Dewey Torres]

Sharpening service if local does not work:

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=103846

[Tom Walz]

My pleasure, Sir.

I was going to write much more but the day sort of got away from me.

Strob saws can be used as gang saws and that is currently the application where they are most used. Edger saws have largely become guided and you can’t use strobs with guides.

We have more saw blade info at
http://www.carbideprocessors.com/tech_saw_blade_index.htm

I was going to write another book but decided to put the info up article by article here. It is easier for me and more accessible for anyone interested. Besides research is much more fun than writing.

[Ed Brady]

This has certainly been an interesting thread and while I have not read every word I did not notice comments about the virtues of thin kerf blades. The latest issue of Fine Woodworking had a piece about the advantages of narrow (3/32) kerf blades especially with low powered saws like mine (a Shopsmith). Based on that and what I have read here I am thinking of a 3/32 30 tooth WWII. I do mostly ripping on the table. By the way I was looking at prices and feedback on the Amazon site and for what it is worth buyers love the WWII blades. Also, FYI the standard (.125) 40 tooth WWII is $77.00 at Amazon right now.

I'd appreciate any feedback on my logic for the 30 tooth blade or suggestions for an alternative.

Thanks

[Steve Rozmiarek]

This has certainly been an interesting thread and while I have not read every word I did not notice comments about the virtues of thin kerf blades. The latest issue of Fine Woodworking had a piece about the advantages of narrow (3/32) kerf blades especially with low powered saws like mine (a Shopsmith). Based on that and what I have read here I am thinking of a 3/32 30 tooth WWII. I do mostly ripping on the table. By the way I was looking at prices and feedback on the Amazon site and for what it is worth buyers love the WWII blades. Also, FYI the standard (.125) 40 tooth WWII is $77.00 at Amazon right now.

I'd appreciate any feedback on my logic for the 30 tooth blade or suggestions for an alternative.

Thanks

Yikes Ed! You sure you want to open that thin kerf can o worms? I have an opinion on them, but it was formed due to one blade, so lets just say all of my blades are NOT thin kerf now.

[Chris Padilla]

Too late, Steve!! Thin kerf is good for underpowerd saws and there really isn't a need for them on a typical cabinet saw. On typical cabinet saws, one actually wants the thicker-bodied blade for stability purposes and for heat dissipation. Also, there is more blade to braze the carbide to and the carbide is larger so potentially longer lasting. Just look at any larger commerical blades...they do not use "thin-kerf" because they simply wouldn't last....

For special purposes or cutting thin grooves/dadoes, I could see the need for a thin-kerf on a cabinet saw but I don't think it would perform well over time with moderate to heavy use on such a saw.

[Al Willits]

I wonder how much of how well a blade performs, is the users input, we/some/? tend to develop a style and method of use and possibly different blades will perform differently for different people, so maybe that blade that works well for you might not for me?

Also what kind of work working your doing would make a difference, having to make many pieces/cut all alike would make changing blades not much of a big deal, single piece work and multiple cuts might make a combination blade easier to deal with.

I'm not sure what kind of saw makes for a 20 second change out, but mine that's several minutes at least, and considering I am doing piece work right now, my WW2 stays in for the most part.

I'll change over to a 80 tooth Freud blade for plywood, and if I was going to go a lot of cutting on wood I suspected may have hidden objects in it, I'd use one of the cheaper 24 tooth blades I have.

I have several other blades and I'll use them as needed, for me each blade does something different and I try to remember which does what, but for general purpose, the WW2 does just fine.

Never tried the fusion, may have to next blade I buy

Al