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I paid $80.20 for this blade one year ago. Love the blade but will be shopping elsewhere for a 2nd one.
I had been using a freud and it did me fine for a number of years but I had read enough to know Forrest was the top end blade. I hated spending all that money but each item was worth every penny (plus some). You really won't regret it. I am getting ready to build new kitchen cabinets and I realized I needed to upgrade a few things in the shop first. Anyone considering this purchase, that enjoys making sawdust even a little, I would tell you to just do it.
I built a cabinet for my bathroom (out of cherry) and was consistently getting burns on the wood - and I knew I had to do something with the blade as everything else on the saw was dialed-in. I bit the bullet and ordered the WWII and WOW. Ran some scrap cherry through and the cut WAS like it had already been finished - I wouldn't have had to do ANYTHING and what a huge time saving that will be. Turned around and ordered the Chopmaster for the new Milwaukee miter saw I just bought also.
You can actually talk to a human, in America, on the phone. If you've got a larger cabinet saw, you're in the clear to use it. The time it saves is money in your pocket in a production environment.-- The company stands behind their products. I had a warped blade which they replaced promptly. Worth the price.THINGS TO CONSIDER:-- This blade has an alternating top bevel (ATB) tooth pattern. I've heard only good things about their sharpening service as well. With a smaller saw (contractors or benchtop) you may not have enough power to push this thing through thick hardwood, so it's worthwhile to ask around and plan ahead.-- Plan for the kerf size when purchasing wood.
I know I more than once found that I'd forgotten to account for such a wide kerf in my material planning. -- Most professionals doing fine woodworking will recommend this blade both for the quality it provides AND the convenience of not having to switch blades. In thick hardwoods, it's possible to "blue" the blade if you build up too much friction (which could happen with any blade for a zillion reasons if you're not careful). The best part. WAY after the warranty had expired. THE LOWDOWN: Considered the best combo blade on the market.
(With my 3hp Grizzly 1023, it's like butter). If you rip a board into four sections with this blade, you're going to lose 3/8ths to the kerf. That means that the teeth stick up higher on the sides then in the middle -- which means it's NOT good for cutting spline slots or kerfs that you'll want to fit another piece of wood into (as in boxmaking). I recommend waxing the sides of it too.REPUTATION OF THE MAKER:-- The Forrest Woodworker II is the "gold standard" combination blade (combo=for both ripping and crosscutting) on the market for tablesaws. (Most rip blades have flat teeth, so buy a cheap ripper from the borg if you are looking to make those sort of kerf cuts).-- This blade is thick. So, if you're conservation minded when it comes to pricey wood, you might want to opt for a thinner kerf blade.-- Heed Forrest's instructions for using this blade.
It, like most blades, cuts much better when it's clean. It's not likely, but possible, and it will really make you angry to ruin such an expensive blade.-- Keep it clean.
I have really cut alot with this blade, From Paduk to Pine and have always got a clean accurate cuts. If you don't have a Woodworker II in your blade inventory-Get One. I cut almost everything with it,all I have ever done is to clean the pitch off the carbide teeth.
I have been using Forrest blades for a long time and heartily recommend them to anyone that does finish woodworking - for rough work an inexpensive blade is fine.
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