Shopsmith High Speed Steel Table Saw Blades - Sharpen or Retire?

[thunderbirdbat]

I live close enough that if you would like, I could look over your set up and or alignments sometime. PM me if you would be interested.

[everettdavis]

Much of what has already been said with what you know about your need is where I revise the check list, for yourself.

1) Is everything in a good state of repair and properly adjusted on the machine

2) What kind of blades do you need most often for the stock you cut

3) Decide if you want Shopsmith brand blades with the larger arbor, or want to move to 5/8" arbors which opens a wealth of blades to you, perhaps including some you may have on that 10" compound miter saw now.

4) Buy the best Carbide Blade you can afford to do the bulk of your work, then the second and the third in the arbor size of your choice.

5) Keep whatever blades you buy, cleaned and waxed etc. They cut far more effortlessly. A clean dull blade will cut better than the same dirty dull blade every time.

6) If you choose to move from the larger arbor, sell your originals on eBay for a reasonable amount. Someone will buy them.

My position is always that you know best what is going to suit you best for the way you work, better than someone else.

You can have someone sharpen them professionally, or better, sharpen one that you can evaluate against the carbides, and evaluate the sharpening service's value to you before you invest in sharpening the other blades.

Our advice is based on our perceptions from where we are, which may or may not fit your situation, or your budget.

Just my opinions, not worth any more than the paper they are printed on.... oh wait.... not even that yet.

Everett

[reubenjames]

Thanks, everyone! Advice here has been sound, as always. I think I do need to go over machine alignment from the ground up, and see where that lands me, before I make any more moves regarding the blades.

Once I'm convinced everything is square, I'll see how everything is running. It sounds like I might at least start off with a high quality carbide, while keeping any of the steels around that have *some* usable life left in them to use in cutting composites. And maybe making a clock.

I'll pop back in here if I'm having any trouble with alignments, or to report back on how things went. Brenda--if I can't get things dialed in to my satisfaction here, I may PM you and take you up on your offer.

Thanks again, everyone!

[jjbuzard]

You live in CR, not that far from the Quad Cities, go to Quad Cities Sharpening

http://quadcitysharpening.com/ in East Moline,IL.
They uses a CNC to sharpen blades, very nice work and reasonable because of the CNC Machine.

As far as the HSS blades, they are good quality, and even though they won't last as long as carbide, use your carbide for the majority of your cutting and when you need something else you have it.

[reubenjames]

I don't know if I posted a quasi-update on this elsewhere, but I did end up buying one of the German thin-kerf carbide combination blades from the Mother Ship. I hadn't gotten around to mounting it and using it until today, though.

All I can say is...WOW!

I feel like I've never cut on a table saw before today. I can't imagine the crosscut version leaving a cleaner cut than this. I will be ordering the ripping blade as soon as it is prudent.