: I'll second the importance of good blades. My workshop is too short
: to cut the lengths I need on a table saw so I use a handheld,
: but the importance of the blade cannot be overstated. My blades
: cost about the same as the saws they are mounted on, thin-kerf,
: finish cut, the best I can find and afford. And they last - with
: my first one I once hit a 1/4" bolt embedded in what I had
: assumed was a clean piece of pine, the blade went through it
: before I realized what happened, and still cuts clean - although
: I am a lot more careful since that happened!

: They can cut at double the speed of a cheap blade if I'm in a rush,
: never kick back, are quieter, effortless to push with no strain
: on the saw, and I can get a glue-ready finish which needs little
: sanding for painting or varnishing. As a (former)
: rough-and-ready woodworker more used to fences and wall
: partitions than boats and furniture, who once thought smoke was
: a normal part of power sawing, it was a revelation. No more
: cheap blades for me, even my reciprocating saw that I use only
: for hack work gets decent blades.

: One extra note: after watching my furniture maker buddy spend
: serious time eliminating runout on his table saw, I clean the
: blade and saw arbor (or is it mandrel?) very carefully when
: changing a blade, and check the kerf width on a sample cut; each
: blade is slightly different and I write their kerf widths on the
: blades.

I definately agree with this. I only use Freud saw blades. For the table saw they arn't cheap, but can be sharpened easily many times. Last blade I bought I think cost a little over $100, but a professional sharpening only costs $10. Over a period of years they may actually be cheaper and they are sharp enough that the cut requires no or little sanding.

Bill H.