General Purpose or Combination Blade in TS?

[Kev Godwin]

Which of the 2 blades mentioned do you use as your most common go-to blade in your table saw?

Assumptions:
General Purpose Blade usually having 40 teeth nearly equally spaced with ATB teeth (Alternate Top Bevel).
or
Combination Blades usually having 50 teeth usually spaced in groups of 5 teeth. 4 of the teeth in the group are ATB and have one tooth that is a flat tooth or raker tooth.

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For the record, I used to use a GPB most often since I got a little better quality full cut-off. However, recently I have been using a CB a little more. For cutting slots and having "closer" to flat mini-dados, the CB has been more beneficial for me lately.

For the purposes of this question, I hope to avoid the blades with Triple-Chip teeth or blades designated for ripping or cross-cutting.

What is your most common type go-to blade and why?
Kev

[Andy Sowers]

MOST of the time, neither... I generally use a dedicated 24T rip blade and a 80T crosscut blade. I just do this for a hobby, so I don't mind the time it takes to change the blades.

I do have a couple of "beater" general purpse blades that I use for cutting stuff like MDF, etc when I dont want to put wear on my good ones.

--Andy

[Matt Meiser]

I use a GP blade for 95% of my cuts, not including dados. My combination blade goes on once in a great while when I need to do something like cut PVC trim or pressure treated lumber. I have a dedicated plywood blade I use when I need perfect (as opposed to pretty good) cuts in sheet goods. And rarely I'll put on a rip blade for ripping a bunch of stock, especially if its thicker.

I like it so much I bought a less expensive backup GP blade (an Amanna in the $40 range) for when my WWII is out for sharpening.

[glenn bradley]

I have a WWII and a couple other quality 40T GP's that I use about 5% of the time. They're great for rough sizing parts or banging out shop cabinets and such.

[Lee Schierer]

I'm with Andy, the amount of time (usually less than a minute) needed to change blades is of little concern so I go with dedicated cross cut (60-80 teeth) and rip blades (24 teeth) and get better quality and speed with both types of cuts.

[Rod Sheridan]

Neither.

I use a ripping blade or a crosscut blade depending upon what I'm doing.

I also have a cheap blade reserved for the local kids, who come over with their prized piece of plywood they recovered from a ditch somewhere.

I have an 80 TCG blade for melamine as well.

Regards, Rod.

[Bruce Wrenn]

Most of the time I keep a GP blade (Delta 35-7657) on the saw. When ripping 1/4" strips for edging plywood, I shift to my combo blade (Freud LU84R), even though I have a Freud "Glue Line Rip" blade. When cutting plywood for cabinets, I use a 80 tooth HATB from Leitz.

[Wayne Wheeling]

I have 2 Forrest TK WWII, 1 in 30T and 1 in 40T. I also have 2 FKW WII in 30 and 40 tooth. I just keep one of these in and rotate when they need cleaned. Have a Freud Rip, never have put it on. So far, the Forrest blades have satisfied me. Maybe it's time for me to reevaluate....

[Kyle Iwamoto]

I have a Forrest GP 40T. Most times that's what I use. Except for when I know I'm going to rip a lot, I use the Freud glue line. Also have a Freud GP for the salvage wood and neighbor projects. Don't own a Plywood/Combo. The Forrest does fine.