WoodWorker II blade question

[Jim Becker]

Sorry you've had trouble with your WW-II Ken. While my experience has been excellent with these blades and with none of the issues you describe, it certainly in unacceptable for you to have those problems, IMHO. Do talk this over with Forrest. Perhaps you have a bad grind, but regardless, if you're not satisfied, they need to know.

For the record, I don't currently have a ZCI for my slider, yet I still get no tear-out on the cut line including with sheet goods. For cross cuts, the faces are nearly as smooth as those off the ChopMaster in the CMS.

[Pat Germain]

I've been using a WWII on my cheap, Craftsman CS and it cut like a laser. However, after several months of use, it's dull, dull, dull. I keep cleaning it, and that helped some, but now it just won't cut. I know it's not my saw, because I installed a cheap blade I had laying around the shop and it's cutting fine; although not as cleanly as the WWII did when new.

Saw blades are like many things; personal preference and individual bias are major factors. If paying $100 for a blade really makes you angry, it's likely anything less than miraculous performance will satisfy you.

Just my take.

[Scott Velie]

I have had great luck with my WW2. I will say that after it dulled the first time I sent it back to them for sharpening and it came back BETTER than it was new !.
I am not sure what happened there but perhaps sharpening QC had a better day than Mfg QC.

Scott

[glenn bradley]

Many folks praise their WWII blades but I have never been satisfied since day one. The blade is probably defective as there are way too many people who have good results with them. I keep saying I am going to send it to Forrest for sharpening as I waited too long to get it fixed under warranty. If your's is new I would contact Forrest to get this resolved right away.

P.s. I use an 80T Freud for red oak x-cuts as it is very splinter prone and have excellent results. 40T for x-cut is a compromise, not a solution IMHO.

[Bruce Wrenn]

Have you ever used one Bruce?

Yes, I have two of them. But I'm not impressed with one of them. The other hasn't ever been out of the box. IMHO over priced, over hyped.

[scott spencer]

Yes, I have two of them. But I'm not impressed with one of them. The other hasn't ever been out of the box. IMHO over priced, over hyped.

If you're first one had a defect, you might want to check out the 2nd one to see if it's better. If both are bad, you'll have a very compelling case against them. Nothing to lose at this point...

[Steve knight]

I only rip on my tablesaw and most of that is 8/4 stock and most of that has been tropicals like purpleheart and and padouk bubigna and such. I found a 30t ww11 rips faster then any 18 to 24t blade I have used from amana and cmt and a few others. Even on my older jet contractors saw it was a faster ripper. to me it has been worth the money as it cut faster and cleaner then any rip blade I have used. now I would say it is not the best crosscut blade but what do you expect?

[Russell Tribby]

Glad I'm not the only one who hasn't been impressed. I bought my WWII a few months back when Amazon had them on sale. I don't know if I was expecting too much but the blade has not lived up to expectations. I felt like I got a lemon. My Freud combo blade performs better. As soon as I get a dedicated sheet goods blade I plan on just switching blades and planning my cuts.

[Bob Feeser]

I am appreciating learning from the information provided in this thread. I was an avid Freud blade man, then when I spoke to the rep from Incra in regard to the table saw fence, and he told me he had a PM66, and a Unisaw. He used a Forrest WWII on both saws, and hasn't had to change a blade in over a year. So I went for it and bought one. I too was impressed, BUT I do all of my crosscuts on a Makita DCSM saw. The Makita accuracy with the factory blade is giving me cuts so smooth that they are actually glossy on the surface. I make sure to sand them with 220 fine before refinishing, for fear of not having good adhesion on a surface so slick. Since I only rip with the Forrest blade, I haven't had any problems with it.
The things I especially like on the FWWII is that it is exactly 1/8th inch wide. So if I am making small strips, I can cut to the outside of the blade. With the Incra fence giving me instant no effort accuracy when it drops into one of those every 32nd of an inch combed teeth locking, I can simply add 1/8th to the dimension on the rule, and create all the strip cuts I need, all exactly the same. For that procedure if I was using a 7/32nds blade for example, that would make such a procedure a calculating challenge. I have the construction master fractional calculator, which can think in fractions, but it is a lot of input for each cut, whereas the 1/8th of the Forrest is an instant calculation in my head.
With the sharp scoring points on the outside leading edges of the FWWII I haven't had any problems with tear out, but once again, I am not cross cutting with it.
What I appreciate is the comments, especially about the Freud blades. I think that I should go back and experiment some more with them, I have several new or almost new ones on the shelf. With the new saw and more hp I could try a blade with more teeth, and expect even better results.
I always looked at the Forrest as a cross between the ripping capabilities of a 24 tooth blade, and the smoothness of a 60 tooth; kind of a compromise between the two. When I first got the Forrest, I was using it on my 1 hp old Sears contractor saw, and it fit the bill nicely for rip cutting, givng me more of the smoothness of a 60 tooth, while lowering the resistance, more like a 24. I carried that over to the PM.
I thank the contributors of this post for opening my eyes to the possiblities, instead of thinking the FWWII is the cure all. I have some experimenting to do.

[John Michael]

I have owned multiple WWII's 3/32" and 1/8" along with a few custom grinds. I came across a limited schedule project while my 2 standard blades were out for grinding, so I decided to stop by my local supplier and pick-up a second 1/8" so I could start working. Well I put the blade on and started dimensioning a bunch of walnut and was getting blade chatter marks along with some burning that I hadn't experienced before with my other blades. I ended up spending an hour out their re-adjusting this and that thinking something was out of alignment, I put the blade on a mandrel and checked the run-out of the plate which was within spec, anyhow no matter what I did that blade wouldn't cut smooth.

Luckily however, Forrest is a great company and stands by their products. I called Forrest up that afternoon and discussed the issues I was having, and even though the blade was within spec. they quickly issued a UPS call tag and sent me out a new one with zero hassle. Problem solved, the new blade along with my resharpened blades cut with no problems. I used the factory new blade to complete that project during which I made quite a few crosscuts on 7" wide bands of 5/4 stock at a 45 degree angle. As expected great results and no bottom splintering.

So as others have mentioned I would call Forrest and have them take care of you.

[Mike Null]

I'm a hobbyist woodworker and consider the WWII one of the best tools I've ever bought. On my old Craftsman TS I was able to rip 8/4 red oak so smooth you'd think it had been planed.

When I sold the Craftsman I kept the WWII and use it on my Delta with similar results.

[Matt Meiser]

I agree that it sounds like you got a bad one. In my recent trials with 2 different WWII's (both of which were badly in need of sharpening), three different Delta 7657s, a Freud Premier Fusion, and two different Amana's on two differernt saws, the WWII gave the best cuts followed by the Freud Premier Fusion and Amana Prestige which were pretty close, but the Amana is 1/2 the cost of either the Freud or the WWII.

[Randal Stevenson]

I have owned multiple WWII's 3/32" and 1/8" along with a few custom grinds. I came across a limited schedule project while my 2 standard blades were out for grinding, so I decided to stop by my local supplier and pick-up a second 1/8" so I could start working. Well I put the blade on and started dimensioning a bunch of walnut and was getting blade chatter marks along with some burning that I hadn't experienced before with my other blades. I ended up spending an hour out their re-adjusting this and that thinking something was out of alignment, I put the blade on a mandrel and checked the run-out of the plate which was within spec, anyhow no matter what I did that blade wouldn't cut smooth.

John, talk about the custom grinds for a minute. What are your preferences? Have you found while they work better for x, they don't work well (or might cause problems like this), for Y.

Thanks

[Tom Walz]

Cut quality is related to feed rate. Feed rate should be related to motor speed, kerf, sawtip material (different grades of saw tips can be fed faster) as well as top, side and face grinds.

Everyone designs saw blades according to their best estimate of how they will be used. When designing for the home market that involves a great deal of guessing.

Some blades will give beautiful cuts when fed faster than other blades. Blade A may give wonderful cuts at one feed rate but perform poorly when fed faster. Blade B may give great cuts at the faster rate but perform poorly when fed at Blade A’s ideal rate.

Hand feed rates vary greatly and that affects performance. Every combination of blade, machine and material has a sweet spot all its own.

Experienced woodworkers learn how to use a tool. They learn how to adjust the feed rate to give the best results which is why they are generally happiest staying with that brand. The feed rate they learn may be too fast or too slow for other brands.

We do a lot of testing for new product development. A product can be very successful if only half the people, who try it, like it better. A product that works better 90% of the time is the best I have ever seen in 26 years.

Cutting wood is a very sophisticated process. It involves an awful lot of factors including personal preferences.

Tom

[Dennis Parslow]

Am I the only person that owns a Woodworker #1? When I was at a Forrest demo at Woodcraft this year I asked for the best blade for my many plywood projects I had lined up. They suggested a WWI, not II. It worked great for me, but I never hear anyone mention it.