blades for the sawstop cabinet saw

[dennis holt]

I'm the new owner of a SS cabinet saw and had my first "brake" event! It happened this way. I was cutting a piece of plywood crate to salvage a portion, ( it was faced by the european shipper and was really attractive, but I digress), and I hit a hidden staple and POW, it happened! I called Sawstop and they were very helpful and in fact are sending me a new brake (free when I return the tripped one). The explanation was that when I cut through the hidden staple a small piece was carried by the blade and when it touched the brake it caused a short and POW! I accept the theory and they also said I might adjust the brake to be a tiny bit further away from the blade. This brings me to my next learning experience, for lack of a better term. I went to my local tool store, not a box store, and was sold a delta 10" blade. I came home and replaced the brake with my spare which was an easy proceedure through the side door and mounted the new blade as per instructions. When I placed the zero clearance plate and rotated the blade it touched on one edge at one portion of the rotation. I used my square and miter slot to determine that something was amiss. I took the blade back and they determined that it was slightly warped and took it back. They suggested that I try a highly recommended blade the TENRYU GOLD MEDAL blade, ok I bought it! When I mounted it I couldn't get the correct clearance from the brake even with maximum adjustment and when I put the zero clearance plate on the blade struck the front of it upon hand rotation. So off it came and it's going back tomorrow. My point is that not all 10" blades are in fact 10".
I bought a RIGID 10" to try but I think I'll bypass the brake during my rough cuts.

[Don L Johnson]

Dennis,

With the quality of the saw, and the precision also, I like to have a blade that is "up to the task", if you will. There are many discussions on this, and other boards, as to which is the best blade. I, too, lost my SawStop blade to an inadvertant brake activation. I use both a Woodmaster II and Frued Fusion blade. I think you will be happy with either. Enjoy the saw!!

[Pete Kurki]

The explanation was that when I cut through the hidden staple a small piece was carried by the blade and when it touched the brake it caused a short and POW!

This may add to it but I don't think it takes anything but simply touching the spinning blade with something conductive (metal staple, nail, your finger, ...) to trigger the brake. This also applies to the time when you have already switched off the SS but the blade is still spinning. My only SS brake "test" happened when I accidentally touched the barely still spinning blade with a tape measure long after switching off the saw motor!

I have had my SS cabinet saw for about year and half now and have not run into any brand of blades that does not work in it. Have not tried Tenryu or Delta though, but have used WWII, many different Freud blades, and half dozen different old blades I had before I even bought this table saw.

Pete

[Steve Rozmiarek]

Dennis, I don't know anything about the innards of a Sawstop, but on the Delta, Jet and Felder saws I've owned, the clearances on things around the blade are sometimes adjustable. The Felder especially. As for zero clerance, can't you just use the blade to clearance it? I suppose I'm missing something.

[Myk Rian]

Is it possible the trunion is loose?