Table saw blade flex

wdelliott · Post by **wdelliott** » Mon Nov 12, 2012 2:30 am

I experienced blade flex on the table saw and wondered if anyone had a thought. While cutting some plywood, and using a SS blade for plywood, I was noticing that the blade was flexing and produced less than an even cut.

I do not recall experiencing this before. I thought my cut was straight. My plywood board was 4 x 4. Straight edge against the fence. Everything was tight. Yet, I experienced that blade flexing. My end result was not a straight line.

Does anyone know what is going on?

dusty · Post by **dusty** » Mon Nov 12, 2012 7:01 am

wdelliott wrote:I experienced blade flex on the table saw and wondered if anyone had a thought. While cutting some plywood, and using a SS blade for plywood, I was noticing that the blade was flexing and produced less than an even cut.

I do not recall experiencing this before. I thought my cut was straight. My plywood board was 4 x 4. Straight edge against the fence. Everything was tight. Yet, I experienced that blade flexing. My end result was not a straight line.

Does anyone know what is going on?

I'm thinking that the blade is not actually flexing but rather is wobbling. A wobbling blade could be bent (not perfectly flat), or installed improperly on the arbor or the result of excessive runout.

tomsalwasser · Post by **tomsalwasser** » Mon Nov 12, 2012 7:43 am

Hi William,

I recall spending a lot of time trying to fix this on my SS a few years ago. In my case it was 2 things. A dull blade and a misaligned fence. I put a brand new blade on and the problem almost went away. Then I did an alignment procedure and all was well. I hope this helps.

Best,
Tom

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Mon Nov 12, 2012 8:26 am

Blade is getting hot and expanding at the outer edge. This causes the blade to become wavy.

Either you are feeding too fast or the blade is dull or it is getting jammed.

Check blade to fence parallel.

Gene Howe · Post by **Gene Howe** » Mon Nov 12, 2012 9:23 am

Don't know why, but some of my blades, Freud thin kerfs especially, wobble a bit on start as the motor winds to full speed. But, seem to run true at speed. I haven't checked to see if the kerf is any wider than the blade, which would indicate a slight wobble is still there at speed.
My cuts in ply and solid are all glue ready unless operator error interferes.

One other observation, none of my thin or 1/8" Tenryu blades wobble at all.
I've always scoffed at stabilizers. Wonder if they might help, though.

Ed in Tampa · Post by **Ed in Tampa** » Mon Nov 12, 2012 12:26 pm

wdelliott wrote:I experienced blade flex on the table saw and wondered if anyone had a thought. While cutting some plywood, and using a SS blade for plywood, I was noticing that the blade was flexing and produced less than an even cut.

I do not recall experiencing this before. I thought my cut was straight. My plywood board was 4 x 4. Straight edge against the fence. Everything was tight. Yet, I experienced that blade flexing. My end result was not a straight line.

Does anyone know what is going on?

Make the same cut in the same plywood only this time use a piece that is 4x1 with the 4 ft length against the fence and see if you have the problem.

I guess you won't.

Trying to feed anything four foot wide though a saw will produce the results you are experiencing.

That is why most cabinet shops used panel saws, sliding table saws, or huge radial arm saws. Most are now converting over to CNC machines where the panel never is moved or guided tools systems again where the panel itself is never moved during the cut.

garys · Post by **garys** » Mon Nov 12, 2012 7:50 pm

JPG40504 wrote:Blade is getting hot and expanding at the outer edge. This causes the blade to become wavy.

Either you are feeding too fast or the blade is dull or it is getting jammed.

Check blade to fence parallel.

I agree. The only time I've had this problem is when the blade isn't cutting like it should and overheats. A hot blade changes shape and makes a huge mess.

foxtrapper · Post by **foxtrapper** » Tue Nov 13, 2012 6:14 am

Don't discount harmonics. The mentioned observations and points above are all good. But harmonics can wreak havoc as well.

As an example, it took us a while to find it, but one certain DeWalt blade, used one certain (but very common) way, would result in a brief standing wave that would catch the shoe of the circular saw, with real exciting results. A minor change in the blade took care of the problem.

Gene Howe · Post by **Gene Howe** » Tue Nov 13, 2012 8:33 am

Please share what your changes were.

foxtrapper wrote:Don't discount harmonics. The mentioned observations and points above are all good. But harmonics can wreak havoc as well.

As an example, it took us a while to find it, but one certain DeWalt blade, used one certain (but very common) way, would result in a brief standing wave that would catch the shoe of the circular saw, with real exciting results. A minor change in the blade took care of the problem.

dusty · Post by **dusty** » Tue Nov 13, 2012 8:56 am

wdelliott wrote:I experienced blade flex on the table saw and wondered if anyone had a thought. While cutting some plywood, and using a SS blade for plywood, I was noticing that the blade was flexing and produced less than an even cut.

I do not recall experiencing this before. I thought my cut was straight. My plywood board was 4 x 4. Straight edge against the fence. Everything was tight. Yet, I experienced that blade flexing. My end result was not a straight line.

Does anyone know what is going on?

I'm rethinking this whole affair. Why do you say the blade is flexing? What do you see or feel that leads to that conclusion?

How wide is the kerf that is being cut and how wide is the tip of the teeth on the blade?

Can you post a picture of a cut edge on a board that was ripped using this blade?