Newbie Blade Recommendation RAS

[Paul Lapczynski]

OK, I just picked up a Craftsman RAS off Craigslist today. It is one of the 60's models that were all cast iron from the riser up. Everything moves easy and there is just some light surface rust that needs cleaned up.

I will be doing crosscuts on this saw with the great majority being 90 degree cuts.

What should I look for in a blade?

Was thinking about 60-80 tooth. Eventually I will pick up a WWII but for now I am stuck at Sears, Lowes, or Menards with about $40-50 left in my pocket.

Any suggestions?

Paul

[scott spencer]

Paul - Welcome to SMC. A WWII has too steep of a hook angle for a RAS anyway....something with a low to negative hook would be better, and 60-80T is about right. Duraline, Chopmaster, or WWI would work well.

What size do you need?

[Jules Dominguez]

What Scott said. The trouble with a high hook angle is that the blade bites into the wood and tends to feed itself back at you, which forces you to hold the saw back at the same time you're pulling it forward. A low or even a negative hook angle makes the saw easier and safer to operate.

[Chris Padilla]

Negative hook for a RAS is the safest blade style to get and go for a high tooth count...closer to 80 than 60, IMO.

[Randal Stevenson]

The Mr. Sawdust blade, is a 60 tooth, +5 degree hook angle, WWI available ONLY by calling Charles over at Forrest.
The "poor man's" Mr. Sawdust blade is a LU83Rxx (xx size, and thin kerf).

But if crosscutting ONLY, one of the ones I see highly recommended, is the Freud LU91xxx (M is the ice finish, R is the red finish, then size).

Unfortunately, the closest thing I know of to any of those, locally, is the LU84R010, (full kerf) available at Sears.

[Paul Lapczynski]

Thanks for the tips everyone.