Festool blade or Tenryu

[overanalyze]

I am looking at getting a blade for cutting acm panels. They are aluminum skinned PVC type composite sign panels. Any suggestions?

 

[BUTTER]

Festool makes specific blades for aluminum and plastics.
When cutting through thicker material using the Tenryu, I was very unhappy with blade deflection.

 

[Deansocial]

Are these the 5mm thick panels? I cut aload of these yesterday with a crappy cheap blade with no problem. If I were doing this all the time I would use a triplechip aluminium cutting blade.

 

[overanalyze]

They are the 4 mm panels. The 48 tooth cut it fine, but the edge wasn't perfect. Is the festool aluminum triple chip blade better than the Tenryu equivalent? Will this blade also cut solid surface type materials?

I don't cut a lot of these panels, but when I do they need to be precise and perfect. They usually are a direct print graphic panel with multiple seams.

 

[NYC Tiny Shop]

OK, just used a brand new Tenryu 72 tooth Silencer on my Kapex. 

Pros:
- It is noticeably quieter.
- it makes a cleaner cut.  I was going to make a zero clearance fence of 1/2 ply and noticed that there was no tear-out at all! Then I cut 3/4 pine and the same. Now, I always had some tear-out with the standard Festool blade. Forget about the clearance fence.

Cons:
- Dust collection is much poorer than with the Festool blade.

Conclusion:
For this important project, that I start today, I will use the Tenryu blade. I will not make a zero-clearance fence because the dust collection needs all the help it can get and it's not neccessary.
When this project is finished, I will put back on the stock blade.

Thoughts:
  I wonder if it's iossible to get the best of all worlds? Clean cut, quiet blade, and good dust collection?  Maybe a new thread?

 

[NYC Tiny Shop]

Okay...I'm halfway through this contract for four benches of 8/4 red oak. The Tenryu 72 tooth Silencer is not the answer for this job.  This blade may be cool for 3/4, but not for this.  It was wonderful on days one and two.  Day three, the blade is getting dull. Today, day four, it binded a few times. If I go slow the wood burns...just a pinch faster and it binds.  I tried different speeds with the same results. Also, I am getting a considerable am't of tear-out, the zero-clearance fence helped a lot, but the huge am't of dust was a complete drag.  Yesterday, I ordered the Forrest 80 tooth Chopmaster from Amazon. It will arrive tomorrow, and will  attempt the second half of the contract with the Chopmaster.  

 

[builderbob]

Okay...I'm halfway through this contract for four benches of 8/4 red oak. The Tenryu 72 tooth Silencer is not the answer for this job.  This blade may be cool for 3/4, but not for this.  It was wonderful on days one and two.  Day three, the blade is getting dull. Today, day four, it binded a few times. If I go slow the wood burns...just a pinch faster and it binds.  I tried different speeds with the same results. Also, I am getting a considerable am't of tear-out, the zero-clearance fence helped a lot, but the huge am't of dust was a complete drag.  Yesterday, I ordered the Forrest 80 tooth Chopmaster from Amazon. It will arrive tomorrow, and will  attempt the second half of the contract with the Chopmaster. 

Thanks for the update Jim!  I look forward to hearing how this turns out!

 

[NYC Tiny Shop]

Anytime, Bob. The blade arrived today. Getting more wood Monday, to continue second half. Will join with the track saw and begin cross cuts with the chopmaster.  There will be about four days of this, also, which should be enough to make a comparison and draw conclusions ...at least for chopping 8/4 oak.

 

[barnowl]

I use a Chopmaster blade that I had sharpened and re-bored as I had it on my previous saw.

I also use rear zero clearance fences.

I find the blade/saw combo to be excellent, but I've only cut 3/4" stock (cherry) thus far.

Never any 8/4.

I always use the highest speed.

 

[NYC Tiny Shop]

OK, finished cutting and assembling the 8/4 red oak job. The Chopmaster Signature Series 90 toothed-blade, made for the Kapex, pushed through the 8/4 beautifully. The cuts were smooth and produced no more dust than the Festool stock blade. A zero-clearance fence is needed to prevent the minimal tear-out. This blade is much better for 8/4 hardwood, than the Tenryu 72-toothed Silencer for Kapex. Highly recommended.  Nice to promote another great American product!

 

[rst]

Amana sells AGE (German manufacturer) blades for festool saws.  MD160-565 is the Aluminum/plastics blade for the 55 and MD210-725 for the 75.  As an aluminum and plastics fabricators, we use their and Freud industrial blades exclusively.

 

[overanalyze]

So I chose the Tenryu aluminum/composite blade. We had another job with a lot of acm panels (diabond) to cut. My TS 55 and this blade cut perfectly! The cuts were just as good if not slightly better than to cnc edges.

 

[JerrySats]

Don't over look Freud blades , they make some fine replacement blades at good prices .  I picked up a few for my TS55 . the plywood blade they make does a great job .