Blade Size???

bucksaw · Post by **bucksaw** » Fri Feb 20, 2009 9:45 pm

I have a Greenie and the circular blades that came with it are all 9". Would I have any problem going to the more standard 10" blades sold today? Is 9" a better choice for use with the 3/4 HP motor?

charlese · Post by **charlese** » Fri Feb 20, 2009 11:58 pm

Dave -I can't answer your question directly as I have no experiance with a 500. But here are a couple of threads that may help to get you started in the right direction.
http://www.shopsmith.net/forums/showthr ... ower+guard
http://www.shopsmith.net/forums/showthr ... hlight=500

And here is a search of all threads containing 500 in the title. http://www.shopsmith.net/forums/search. ... chid=65440
I think I can remember some talk about how the upper and lower blade guards did or didn't fit a 10"blade.

EDIT: Sorry. the earlier link (in this post) to the threads re: the SS 500 didn't work. That link has been replaced with one that does work. There are only 26 threads.
2nd EDIT Oh Poo! that link didn't work either. If you want to read these 26 Threads, go to the advanced search function and search for Titles (only) having 500 in them.

sawmill · Post by **sawmill** » Sat Feb 21, 2009 5:19 am

I have the brown and gold model with a 3/4 hp motor. I tried my with a 10 inch blade and it worked fine for cross cutting but did not work very well for ripping. The 10 blade will go inside the lower guard on mine but has some real close clearances inside it. I don't know about the motor on mine as I figure it may be getting a little weak from years of use but I figure if it is still running I will keep using it.

Gene Howe · Post by **Gene Howe** » Sat Feb 21, 2009 11:07 am

With a 3/4 HP, I'd stick with the 9". Not necessarily due to the power but, the speed of the blade at the teeth.
A 10" blade will really slow down the rips.

alaskanexile · Post by **alaskanexile** » Sat Feb 21, 2009 9:36 pm

Old 3/4 hp here.
Have a 9" plywood blace which I use occasionally. A 9" steel comb that I use for cutting junk wood. Everything else is cut with good quality and sharp 10" carbides. Seems to work fine.
Roger

easterngray · Post by **easterngray** » Sun Feb 22, 2009 4:18 pm

I also have a 1960 3/4 hp 500. I bought a new 10" carbide thin kerf blade from SS that works great for cross cutting, however it does not rip well at all - a real struggle with ripping even 1/2" stock. That said - with an old but very sharp nine inch regular steel RIP blade it works like a charm and rips beautifully. The 10" blade does not fit in my original lower saw guard however and I am soon going to purchase a thin kerf 9" carbide combo blade from Freud. Alec

taquin · Post by **taquin** » Mon Feb 23, 2009 12:21 am

[ATTACH]3363[/ATTACH]

Just received my Forrest 9" blade with 1 1/4" arbor.
Wow, this thing is sharp.