*
Jarvis,
I was taught that the higher the blade is, the more likely it is to force work down onto the table, which is a good thing. If the blade is kept low, it seems that the force tends to push the material being cut back at the operator. So far in the cutting I’ve done, I’ve been okay with the high blade. I should say, though, that I’m a stickler for using a blade gaurd if one is available, and I never go to a saw without my push stick.
Discussion Forum
Discussion Forum
Up Next
Video Shorts
Featured Story
The FHB Podcast crew takes a closer look at an interesting roof.
Featured Video
Highlights
"I have learned so much thanks to the searchable articles on the FHB website. I can confidently say that I expect to be a life-long subscriber." - M.K.
Replies
*
Jarvis,
I was taught that the higher the blade is, the more likely it is to force work down onto the table, which is a good thing. If the blade is kept low, it seems that the force tends to push the material being cut back at the operator. So far in the cutting I've done, I've been okay with the high blade. I should say, though, that I'm a stickler for using a blade gaurd if one is available, and I never go to a saw without my push stick.
*
Jarvis,
I was taught that the higher the blade is, the more likely it is to force work down onto the table, which is a good thing. If the blade is kept low, it seems that the force tends to push the material being cut back at the operator. So far in the cutting I've done, I've been okay with the high blade. I should say, though, that I'm a stickler for using a blade gaurd if one is available, and I never go to a saw without my push stick.
*
I was taught that the the blade shouldn't be more than 1/4" above the work. Any higher increases the likelyhood of a kickback. Also the more blade you have up the more friction produced, ie: heat buildup in the teeth.
Jon Thompson
*My shop teacher in 7th grade said to raise blade just to bottom of the gullet so it clears chips and keeps friction to a minimum - but that was before carbide blades I believe. Still with 10 fingers 30+ years later.
*Bill,What'd you end up doing with all the coat racks, lamps, and ash trays you made in Shop?Barry
*Having turned a fingertip into hamburger in a kickback incident, I like to keep a blade low. This may not have probably save my from the accident, but seems safer to me. I feel, and maybe wrongly, that in most kickbacks the work is either going to ride up the blade or mostly surround the blade, limiting my exposure. That blade looks a little nastier to me now. Saw a kid after the fact who had a dado take out a big chunk of his palm. He may get feeling back in his fingers, thankfully they still work. I told if the feeling doesn't come back, he can do that G. Gordon Liddy thing and scare the hell out of people by holding his hand over a flame.
*
The books I've read say the higher the blade the better the cutting because the blade is hitting the wood at a more perpendicular angle, i.e. 90 degrees straight down. Shallower, blade just above the wood hits the wood more parallel, the teeth bang into the wood first before turning down to do the cutting.
As far as safety and my usage, I just keep the teeth above the wood, 1/4 inch or length of the carbide. As I read or heard some place, better to just take a 1/4 inch cut out of your hand than cut your whole finger off.
*I use a high blade for ripping and low blade for crosscutting. The high blade helps keep the blade cooler and avoids warpage from heat when making long rips. My high school shop teacher said to set the blade 1/4" over the material, that way only 1/4" of your fingers or hand would get cut up!!
*
Jarvis, I'm for about 1/4" above the material, a little less for carbide blades. It seems I've read of this practice in more than one place through the years, and feel it's safer.
The cuts we make with radial arm saws and sliding compound miter saws extend only slightly below the surface. I never run my circular saw more than a half inch below the thickness of the materail (if only because the blade guard tends to hang up if the saw is set too deep).
The real answer should come from the blade manufacturers. They give design consideration to the the angle at which the teeth meet the material, and probably have the answer we are seeking.
Steve
*I was taught to set the blade so that three teeth are in the wood at the same time. That's three on the downcut, ignore the "back" of the blade. Obviously, with some stock thicknesses, this may not be possible.No recollection from where this was gleaned, but, if I recall, THEORETICALLY, it results in the best blade cooling and the smoothest cut. Too many teeth in the wood and you can overheat the blade and bind, too few can result in each tooth trying to take too much bite for a given feed rate, either way you could possible get kicked. A cool blade and smooth cut should help to minimize kickback. Now that's the kind of advice I love giving...I don't remember from where it came, and I'm not positive of the reason behind it!For what it's worth...Mongo
*You weenies! A quarter inch out of your palm/finger is better than...a deeper cut? Jeez, how about no cut is better? I still have all the skin and bone God gave me and haven't had a serious accident(other than a band-aid wound) for almost thirty years. How come? I suppose it is because I stay acutely focused around whirring blades. Be safe, for crying out loud.Now, on to the question: my shop teacher(yep, 7th-12th grade)taught me the blade should just clear the stock by 1/4". This has served me well over the years with all types of blades.
*You're right, focus must remain high. I had my kick back cutting ceiling tile. It was a big job and we had a ton to cut so we were using a small tablesaw. They cut so easy I got a little sloppy. I still can't forget the high pitched "DING" the blade made when it hit the bone. But, you can have kickbacks no matter how careful you are.Low is best for me. Apparently a lot of blade gaurds are on the shelf at best. Mine is, I sat in on a focus group for that new DeWalt tablesaw and everyone there said make the gaurd easy to take off. By the way the vac hose port, my idea, at least in my group, please, please, no applause, I just want to give something back. Personally, I don't really think I would get one, love my little Delta to much.
*Ditto on Rich and Mongo. I was taught that you should see one full blade, which amounts to about 1/4", but not for saftey, but to reduce the amount of steel above the wood for fibration sake and to avoid splintering.Try it, once with one tooth all the way out, and once with 2-3 inches showing, and the high blade technique will splinter more wood.The saftey issue is one I hadn't thought about, and I guess it makes sense that the fewest blades above the wood is the best.Anyway, one man's opinion..... :-)
*I have always set mine so that it felt or looked right, as it turns out I was following Mongo's advice. The three teeth rule seems to work nicely. I have also noticed the blade seems quieter. Out of curiosity I checked some purchased lumber. I buy packets of lumber S3S (yes thats a 3, plane sides and rip one edge straight) Their saw leaves a perfect crosshatch pattern and it appears to be a 14" blade that protrudes above the wood about 1". I have no idea how many teeth that would be. This is on 3/4" stock. The people at the mill tell me that their power feeds, planers and resaws go "so fast you can't throw the boards in fast enough." I am due for another purchase, this time I will go early and jaw with the sawyer and let you know later.-Rob
*
Okay, here's a little story about saw blade height, for anyone who's interested. When I was a know-nothing labourer, a carpenter told me raising the blade too high was bad for the blade, that it should only be one tooth higher than the work. Years later, as a know-nothing apprentice, a carpenter who was cutting 2" stock vs. my 3/8" stock asked me why I kept on turning his blade down... of course, he laughed at my stupidity when I told him what a wise man had once told me, and he said the higher blade height made a better cut. Naturally, ten minutes after I stopped lowering the blade I ran the end of my thumb across the blade (right through the nail... ow!).. and yes, I know you shouldn't reach across the saw... but anyways, 20 years later and I always keep my blade 1 tooth above the work. I still have fingers. Probably as good a reason as any for lowering the blade height....
*
Until recently, I set the blade about 1/4" higher than the board. However, I read a similar thread on the Fine Woodworking discussion board in which someone argued that 1 inch above the board is best. His point was that sometimes we let the board lift off the table. If that happens and the blade is only slightly above the board, the saw could throw the board back at you. I thought his argument made sense and I have been following his advice ever since.
*I usually let it ride about 3/4 inch higher than the work. I find this forgiving of the wood lifting, plus it seems to splinter cabinet grade plywood less than running it lower, in my experience. Sometimes I'll run it all the way up when I want as close to a perpendicular cut as I can get in something, but it gives me the heebie-jeebies. I have a numb left thumb and forefinger and a scar running from my carpal tunnel to the tip of my index finger that will make me verrrrry careful around all blades for the rest of my natural life.Steve Zerby
*
Thanks to a forum like this, I would like to take sort of an informal poll on the age old question, "What is the proper height to set your table saw blade?" I have read numerous books by noted authors and they all can't agree on a set height above the work piece.
Thanks a lot for all replies...