Saw blade buying

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mdf

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#304045 31-Mar-2023 09:42

Related to the saw thread, would be keen on others thoughts and experiences on locally sourced saw blades.

My immediate issue is I have a bunch of skirtings and architraves to install - 10mm pine, so ~~not the hardest~~ possibly the easiest stuff to cut, but am aiming to prepaint it and trying to keep chipping and burning to a minimum to limit touch ups as much as possible (appreciate it won't be possible to eliminate entirely, and there will always be the nail holes). However, also hoping that the principles of saw blade buying may apply to other saws and use cases.

Comparing like for like (60T, 254mm blade, 30mm arbor) from my local Bunnings:

Diablo : $99.63
Irwin: $66.39
Full Boar: $49.99
Craftright: Yeah, nah.

Is the Diablo worth between half again and double the other options. Every time I've shelled out for Diablo (especially sabre saw blades) I've been impressed, but am a Stanley/Irwin fanboi in general, and have been impressed with the Full Boar stuff I've used previously. For Full Boar especially, house branded tools can be as good as (if not literally identical too) their premium counterparts (though perhaps not always).

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#3057008 31-Mar-2023 10:09

I've got a Bosch GCM GDL 12. I've only ever used the Bosch blades and they have been exellent. Next to no chipping and no burning.

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hsvhel

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#3057027 31-Mar-2023 10:35

You get what you pay for with these in the finish of the cut.

Depends what you are happy to accept or spend time finishing once cut

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cshwone

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#3057032 31-Mar-2023 10:38

For 10mm pine any of them should be fine. Just what gives you the best value as you see it.

If you intend any hardwood cutting the factors for me are the blade coatings and the thinnest kerf. Having those two met make hardwood sawing a lot easier.

mdf

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#3057073 31-Mar-2023 12:00

hsvhel:

You get what you pay for with these in the finish of the cut.

Depends what you are happy to accept or spend time finishing once cut

This is probably the crux of my question - do you get what you pay for? i.e. is the Diablo 2x as good as the Full Boar?

hsvhel

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#3057077 31-Mar-2023 12:12

Not used the full boar, have experience with the Diablo.

Is Bunnings close enough to zip into and get your mitts on them for a physical comparison?

That's what I would be doing

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shrub

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#3057101 31-Mar-2023 13:11

Good old project farm has tested most of the blades available here

mdf

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#3057173 31-Mar-2023 15:07

hsvhel:

Not used the full boar, have experience with the Diablo.

Is Bunnings close enough to zip into and get your mitts on them for a physical comparison?

That's what I would be doing

Yep, can absolutely go and have a look - and was in fact in there this morning. However (most importantly) not really sure what I'm looking for. And a further issue, they are all sealed up in blister packs.

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elpenguino

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#3057181 31-Mar-2023 15:16

shrub:

Good old project farm has tested most of the blades available here

What's the conclusion of the video?

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shrub

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#3057200 31-Mar-2023 16:10

they are all very similar. Stay away from irwin

elpenguino

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#3057227 31-Mar-2023 17:10

shrub:

they are all very similar. Stay away from irwin

Just checked and I have an as yet un-opened Irwin for my mitre saw.

What's bad about them? Should I return it?

Most of the posters in this thread are just like chimpanzees on MDMA, full of feelings of bonhomie, joy, and optimism. Fred99 8/4/21

Jase2985

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#3057230 31-Mar-2023 17:28

elpenguino:

shrub:

Good old project farm has tested most of the blades available here

What's the conclusion of the video?

go to the end and look at the results

i recently brought a Dewalt 305mm mitre saw and brought 3 different diablo blades for it. General Purpose blade 44T, finishing blade 100T, and a plastic/soft metal blade 96T. they claim 3-5x the life of others. i doubt i will need to buy any more blades for it again. Few builders i follow on youtube really like their products

I plan on making a bit of furniture in the next few years so want to be able to achieve a nice finish without too much work cleaning things up.

mdf

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#3057351 31-Mar-2023 21:55

elpenguino:
shrub:

Good old project farm has tested most of the blades available here

What's the conclusion of the video?

Cost and quality do not correlate for saw blades.

And we pay a *lot* more for saw blades than Norte Americans.

MikeAqua

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#3057971 3-Apr-2023 07:55

I have a 90T diablo cross-cut blade (ATB tooth profile). It cuts Melamine without chipping and plywood without tear out.

I think the equivalent 60T cross-cut blade would cut painted pine just fine. You could also score the paint at the cut line, prior to cutting, to minimise paint chipping.

neb

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#3058554 3-Apr-2023 17:36

elpenguino:
shrub:

Good old project farm has tested most of the blades available here

What's the conclusion of the video?

That his way of rating saw blades is completely useless unless you're taking part of a competition to push a skilsaw through timber the quickest.

Seriously, the video - which I'd seen a long time ago - is a complete waste of time, no indication of anything that anyone would really care about in a blade apart from cutting speed.

neb

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#3058557 3-Apr-2023 17:40

mdf:
Is the Diablo worth between half again and double the other options. Every time I've shelled out for Diablo (especially sabre saw blades) I've been impressed, but am a Stanley/Irwin fanboi in general, and have been impressed with the Full Boar stuff I've used previously. For Full Boar especially, house branded tools can be as good as (if not literally identical too) their premium counterparts (though perhaps not always).

Diablo is pretty much the Ferrari of blades, you pay a lot for them but they're tuned to within an inch of perfection, everything else is pretty primitive in comparison. You'll probably also only ever need to buy one of them if you're not using them every day on a job site.

If we weren't paying ripoff prices here it'd be a no-brainer, but unfortunately they're quite pricey. You may also want to look at the Makita BluMak blades, 36T ripping = $44, 64T crosscut = $74. Mind you the Full Boar also looks good, hadn't seen that one before.

Edited to add: Makita are also the only ones who list the rake angle and grind type, which is an indication they care a bit more about details than others do.

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