Table Saw Blades

Always unplug the saw before changing the blade.

Unplug the saw before changing the blade. To loosen the blade, first unplug the saw, then stand on the operator's side of the machine. Put a wrench on the arbor nut and grab the blade while wearing work gloves. Hold the blade and pull the wrench forward to loosen the nut. To tighten the blade, hold the blade and push the wrench backward. If the nut is too tight, you can loosen it by jamming the blade with a piece of wood and pulling the wrench forward. Don't make a habit of it, however. Jamming the blade to loosen or tighten it can bend the blade enough to affect the cut.

The 10-inch blade (A) is a combination table saw blade, designed for both crosscutting and cutting with the grain (ripping). The 60-tooth blade (B) is for smooth, polished crosscuts on the miter saw or table saw, but could scorch the wood when ripping. The 90-tooth blade (C) has special teeth designed to minimize chipping when cutting veneered plywoods. (All three are titanium coated.) The black blades (D) are a complete dado set for cutting wide grooves in lumber on the table saw. When buying a blade, look for thin, lasercut slots that reduce vibration.

Circular Saw Blades

Saw blades come in various sizes, colors, and with a range of teeth. Each has a protective coating that protects the blade from overheating, gumming up, and rust. The gold is titanium, the yellow is special nonslip coating, and the red is Teflon. The big difference is the number of teeth. The more teeth, the finer the cut. The titanium-coated blade (A) has 24 teeth for cutting framing lumber. The yellow-toothed blade (B) has 36 teeth for finishing cuts in woods that will be exposed, such as doorjambs. The red blade (C) has 40 teeth for cutting plywood.

To get a perfectly square crosscut, the blade must be perpendicular to the table and the miter gauge must be perpendicular to the blade. To see if the blade is perpendicular to the table, mark a thick board with a single line on one side and a double line on the other. Cut the board and then flip one of the pieces over. Look at the edge of the boards to see if the vertical seam is tight, as shown above. If there are gaps adjust the angle of the blade, and test again.

To make sure the miter gauge is square with the blade, mark a board as before and make a test cut. Flip one of the cutoffs, and hold them both against a straight edge such as the miter gauge. Look along the top of the board - if the seam is tight, as shown above, the miter gauge is square with the blade. If there is a widening gap between the boards, the cut isn't square. Reset the miter gauge and test again.