Best general purpose table saw blade for a newbie

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masonsailor2
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Re: Best general purpose table saw blade for a newbie

Post by masonsailor2 »

I don’t think the arbor size is that important. It’s arguing Ford and Chevy stuff. The quality of the blade is what’s important. I have a mixture of 5/8, 1.0 and 1 1/4 blades and there really is no appreciable difference IMHO. Some blades just cut better than others.
Paul
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Re: Best general purpose table saw blade for a newbie

Post by RFGuy »

Yeah, I was just curious about the history behind it. I have seen the sawblade arbor size debated before, but never really a solid explanation for one over the other. IF there is no technical reason for why 1-1/4" arbor size was selected, I wonder if perhaps Shopsmith had a plan to share the same arbor between a sawblade and another cutter such as for shaper operations? In fact, this probably makes sense in the UK case of 30mm arbor size. I see a lot of commercial multitool (table saw, sliding table saw, jointer, planer, etc.) units in Europe, such as Felder. I would assume these units could share arbors between sawblades or shaper cutters, so a common arbor between cutters may make sense. I believe 30mm bore (arbor) cutters are available over there. Just a thought...

At the end of the day, it may well be as arbitrary as one manufacturer chose a different size arbor to try to lock out customers from using another company brand sawblade, etc. OR for safety reasons - I have heard arguments that the newer 12" miter saws went with 1" arbors to be non-standard so that someone wouldn't attempt to put a 12" blade on a 10" saw by mistake (how could someone possibly do this and get the blade to turn?).
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dusty
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Re: Best general purpose table saw blade for a newbie

Post by dusty »

I don't remember where I heard this but I believe that with the blades that were common at the time the larger arbor (1 1/4") was thought to reduce vibration. Remember this would have preceded thin kerf blades.
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Re: Best general purpose table saw blade for a newbie

Post by sehast »

I fully agree with Doug Reid's hole size explanation. It was not arbitrary, it was standard in the 1950s for commercial 10" blades and based on engineering assessment at the time.
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chapmanruss
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Re: Best general purpose table saw blade for a newbie

Post by chapmanruss »

bainin,

Yesterday you said
Well I purchased this arbor from SS

555130 1-1/4" Saw Blade Arbor (for MARK 7 and MARK V Models 520,510 and 505)

to go with the SS blade I have sitting here. Hopefully it is the correct set.

b
In your first post on this thread you said you have Mark V 500. As I said previously make sure you get the correct Arbor for your Shopsmith. The Arbors for the Mark 7 and Mark V 510, 505 & 520 are longer than the Arbors for the Mark V 500 with the original table system. Those longer Arbors will not work with some of the Mark V 500 Lower Saw Blade Guards. Do you know which Guard set you have? Will Your Guard set work with the longer Arbor? It will not work with Lower Guard P/N 505628 unless it has the spacer. Earlier guards for the Mark 5's were for 9" blades. I do not know if the later Guard set P/N 505875 original or upgraded will work with the longer Arbors since I currently do not have one to try it.
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Re: Best general purpose table saw blade for a newbie

Post by JPG »

Historical facts:(plus a maybe)

The Model 10 used 8" blades with a 5/8" arbor hole.

The Mark 5 used 9" blades with a 1 1/4" arbor hole.

The Mark VII used 10" blades with a 1 1/4" arbor hole.

The resurrected(SS Inc.) Mark 5 I believe* had a 9" blade with a 1 1/4" arbor hole. In any event SS Inc. Did introduce the 10" 1 1/4" combination. It likely* occurred with the introduction of the Mark V 510.

* I simply do not know for sure.

ADDED next day - now I know better! https://www.shopsmith.com/ss_forum/view ... 67#p264367
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reible
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Re: Best general purpose table saw blade for a newbie

Post by reible »

The stock blade on the 1976 shopsmith I got factory new was a 10" with the large arbor. I still have the blade even if i never use it anymore.

Those days the blades were steel and needed all the help they could get including the larger arbor. When carbide blades became the norm there was little to no need for the larger arbors on 10" blades. I long ago gave up on the shopsmith large arbor blades.

Just spend the money on blades and you will get much better cuts and far less sanding. Yea a good blade with run you $100 or so but well worth it.

Ed
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Re: Best general purpose table saw blade for a newbie

Post by Hobbyman2 »

if you go to a thin kerf blade or not be sure the blade , fence are in alignment , you should not see any burn marks on the blade or the wood after the cut , a sharp and aligned blade will have less chance of kick back . I was all ways told a saw is like a router and a router bit ,it should use what ever blade you put on it as long as it isn't too big there is a blade for every situation ,if your work does not require a 10 inch blade then why wear out a expensive blade, a assortment of blades can be handy . I found the saw doesn't work as hard using a smaller dia blade , saves belts and motors . JMO
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bainin
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Re: Best general purpose table saw blade for a newbie

Post by bainin »

Russ-you are confusing me with someone else.
Never said I had a 500.

To be honest-I don't really have a firm idea how to tell exactly what I have but I "think" its a 520.


B
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Re: Best general purpose table saw blade for a newbie

Post by br549 »

bainin wrote:To be honest-I don't really have a firm idea how to tell exactly what I have but I "think" its a 520.
Since you say you bought it used, it may have had upgrades. The sticker on the headstock and/or the model number should say what model it started out as.

The table size and configuration is best way to differentiate (at least for me). Each type also has a specific fence for use with it, and there are variations in rail details, but basically:

A 500 table is smaller and has no rails for connecting floating tables.
s-l500.jpg
s-l500.jpg (37.84 KiB) Viewed 17181 times
A 505 and 510 table have round rails in front and back for connecting pipes.
00R0R_cdu7RkcrMxE_1200x900.jpg
00R0R_cdu7RkcrMxE_1200x900.jpg (63.71 KiB) Viewed 17181 times
A 520 has extruded aluminum rails front and back for connecting pipes.
00z0z_6PzMUsZZfYd_1200x900.jpg
00z0z_6PzMUsZZfYd_1200x900.jpg (93.4 KiB) Viewed 17181 times
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