Replies

1. 
   RalphWicklund | Oct 12, 2005 06:15am | #1

   <<Looking for a finer cut.>>

   That's just what you'll get. A little wobble goes a long way. Those annoying scratches that you have to sand or plane out become so much less pronounced.

   Add some feather boards and power feed and you got a joint practically ready for glueup.

2. 
   TomT226 | Oct 12, 2005 01:57pm | #2

   Blade stabilizers/stiffeners do very well with the thin kerf blades that you have to use with the less powerful portable saws.  You'll get cleaner and faster rips and crosscuts in sheet goods.

3. 
   Kowboy | Oct 15, 2005 06:12am | #3

   When I had my shop, I bought all my blades and stiffiners from Forrest Manufacturing in New Jersey and they worked great. If those guys told me to eat a peanut butter and jelly sandwich before firing up the saw every day, I'd do it. They know what they're talking about. I wouldn't let the local shapening guy touch my Forrest blades either. I UPS'ed them back to Forrest. They'd sharpen 'em until they retoothed 'em.

4. 
   esanborn | Oct 15, 2005 06:21am | #4

   Pierre,

   I've been using a Freud stiffener for 15 years in my Radial Arm saw. I've also got a set for my Table Saw, but don't ususally use them as they reduce the depth of cut somewhat, and I saw a fair amount of thick woods.

   My observations are that quality stiffeners have two benefits - They do reduce harmonic vibration, most noticably with thin-kerf blades, which does result in a smoother cut. On thicker-webbed blades there is a less noticable effect, but it does add mass and a slight dampening effect on load-induced vibration.

1. 
   Pierre1 | Oct 15, 2005 06:46am | #5

   Thanks guys. I'm ordering one through Lee Valley. They sell Forrest blades.costofwar.com/

1. 
   ten13 | Oct 17, 2005 02:35am | #6

   I've tried it both ways and the stabilizer is the way to go. Smooth as you can get on your cross-cuts.