Blade Choice for a Compound Miter Saw
A thin-kerf blade with a negative rake is the recommendation. October 15, 2009
Question
I recently purchased this saw and it's my first slider. My primary use will be rough cutting of long stock but also precise cutting for door and face frame material. I'm looking for blade recommendations - I bought an inexpensive, 64 tooth blade but it seems to really power through the wood; really sounds like it's working hard. Is a thin kerf blade more suited to this tool? This particular saw has always been rated highly so I purchased their newest model with the laser.
Forum Responses
(Furniture Making Forum)
From contributor T:
I highly recommend Amana thin kerf blades for this saw.
From contributor D:
I second the Amana. We cut parquet on the Hitachi 8.5" and have for years. It is a great cost effective cutoff saw. You definitely need a thin kerf. Since the blades are not very large, deflection is less of an issue with the thin kerf than if it was a 10" or 12".
From the original questioner:
Thanks. Looks like Amazon has that blade for about $83.00. I'll take your advice and order one before my next job.
From contributor L:
The only blades I have ever used on that saw were the original Hitachi, which for an OEM blade was great compared to what others put on theirs. And the Freud Diablo. I like the Diablo so much that I never went beyond and looked for something else. I run full kerf Amanas in my Unisaws.
From contributor A:
Tenyru makes some of the best thin kerf blades in the business. The old Hitachi blades were very high quality. I believe they were made by Tenyru. (Not many companies made the 15" thin kerf Hitachi chopsaw blades.) At this point in history Hitachi and Makita (China?) seem to be using other companies to provide blades and they may not be of the best quality.
From contributor B:
Make sure you get a negative rake blade. That is what you are supposed to use on slide compound saws. They will yield a better cut and reduce the tendency of the saw to climb out of the cut towards you.
