How to Choose the Best Table Saw Blades and Accessories

Buying the Best Table Saw Blades and Accessories

By Joshua Farnsworth

Now that I’ve thoroughly discussed how to choose the best table saw for you, I’ll move onto helping you to choose the best table saw blades and other table saw accessories for your table saw. So what accessories do you need for using your table saw? In this article I’ll recommend the following:

• Table saw blades
• A dado blade stack
• A zero clearance table saw insert
• A table saw push stick / table saw push block
• A table saw miter gauge / Table saw crosscut sled
• A table saw featherboard
• A table saw outfeed table

Below I’ll talk about each of these table saw accessories. Some are required and some are optional:

The Best Table Saw Blades

In this section I’ll help you choose the best table saw blades for the woodworking that you want to do. Table saw blades come in a few different variations, which are similar to hand saws:

• Rip Table Saw Blades: Rip table saw blades have teeth that are best suited for cutting with the grain, to rip a board to a desired width.
• Crosscut Table Saw Blades: Crosscut table saw blades have teeth that are oriented in a way to make clean cuts across the grain.
• Combination Table Saw Blades: Combination table saw blades make a compromise between ripping and crosscutting.

I typically keep standard combination blades on my table saw because, though it isn’t quite as good as using a dedicated rip or crosscut blade, it makes pretty clean cuts while allowing me to not have to change out the blade every time I switch between ripping and crosscutting. Plus, I always use hand tools to clean up my boards after they have been milled up on the woodworking machines, so a little less perfect cut is a non-issue for me. By “standard combination blades” I mean: a 10 inch table saw blade with 40 to 50 teeth, which cuts around a 1/8-inch kerf.

If you buy a SawStop saw, then you can certainly just use the 10-inch combination blade that comes with it until it seems to get more dull. However, it’s not an exceptional blade (it leaves ridges and machine marks). If you don’t mind doing more cleanup with your hand tools or sandpaper, then this isn’t a huge deal. But if you’ve got a little extra money in your budget, or if you’re ready to upgrade table saw blades then here are a few blades that I consider to fit into the category of of the best table saw blade on the market:

• Forrest Woodworker II 10-inch 40 Tooth Saw Blade. This is the most popular and loved combination blade on the market. A lot of people consider it to be the best table saw blade. It not only makes very clean cuts, but the manufacturer resharpens their table saw blades at a reasonable cost, even blades thought to be “destroyed” by triggering a SawStop cartridge. This blade is on the expensive side (about $130), but considering that you can get it resharpened several times, it can give you great value in the long run.
• Ridge Carbide TS2000 Super Table Saw Blade 10″ 40 Tooth ATB/R .125 Kerf 5/8″ Arbor. This blade, along with the above Forrest blade, won a table saw blade review test. This blade is about the same price as the Forrest blade ($130) and the manufacturer also offers resharpening services. Again, alot of woodworkers consider this to be the best table saw blade.
• Freud 10-inch x 50T Thin Kerf Combination Blade. Freud blades (from Italy) have a good reputation, and this popular combination blade is known to work great. It’s not really considered to be the best table saw blade, but at $53 it is a great value.
• Compare all table saw blades here at Rockler Woodworking
• Compare all table saw blades here at Amazon
• Compare all table saw blades at WoodCraft

The Best Dado Blade Set for Table Saws

A set (or “stack”) of dado blades is used on a table saw to cut dadoes, grooves, and rabbet joints. All three joints are essentially the same, except for where they are cut on the board:

• Dado: Cut across the grain, to hold shelves
• Groove: Cut with the grain, to hold tongues or cabinet backs
• Rabbet: Cut on the end or edge of a board

With a series of blades, chippers, and shims the desired width of the dado, groove, or rabbet can be dialed in accurately with a dado blade set for table saws.

When choosing a set of dado blades for table saw, the first thing to remember is that you need to buy a dado blade set that is one size smaller than your normal table saw blade. If your table saw uses a 10 inch table saw blade (the most common size), then you would purchase an 8-inch dado stack. Also look for a dado set that has a good number of shims, to allow for fine adjustment of dado size. Most dado blade sets on the market have carbide tips, so the main difference would be manufacturing quality. So rely on customer reviews to help you weed through differences in quality.

In my opinion, here are some of the best 8-inch dado blade sets on the market…click on the name to compare prices & reviews:

• Oshlun SDS-0842 8-Inch 42 Tooth Stack Dado Set with 5/8-Inch Arbor
• Irwin Tools 1811865 Marples 8-Inch Stack Dado Blade
• Freud 8″ Stacked Dado Set for All Saws SD208S (this is the newer version of the set that I own)
• View all dado stack sets at Rockler Woodworking
• View all dado stack sets at Amazon
• View all dado stack sets at WoodCraft

If you will be using the dado stack on a SawStop table saw, then you will need to buy this brake cartridge (pictured above) for use with your 8-inch dado stack. Otherwise your SawStop won’t even turn on when a dado stack is added. The SawStop computer is pretty smart.

And when using a dado blade set, you’ll also need to buy or make a zero clearance table saw insert to dedicate to dado blade use. I’ll discuss that more below.

The Best Zero Clearance Insert for Table Saws

A lot of table saws come with an insert that leaves space between the insert and the blade. This will allow you to change the blade angle, but it also leads to splintered cuts and also to small offcuts that can drop into the saw and come flying back at you. Not fun.

A zero clearance table saw insert is used for getting cleaner cuts on the table saw. The inserts come blank, and after securing it in place on the table saw, with the table saw fence holding it down, the table saw is turned on and the blade is carefully and slowly raised until a perfectly-sized kerf is cut into the insert. Then going forward, there is no space between the table saw blade and the insert. This helps prevent tearout and splintering.

If you’re buying a SawStop table saw, then you’ll need this standard lock down zero clearance insert, made especially to fit a SawStop table saw. It also has a space for your riving knife (which keeps a ripped board from closing down on a spinning saw blade).

If you plan on using a dado stack with a SawStop, then you’ll need to buy this dado lock down zero clearance insert, made especially for SawStop table saws.

I have made plywood zero clearance table saw inserts, but they are more difficult to make for a SawStop table saw due to some machine screws that are in the way. The SawStop-made inserts are manufactured to fit over the screws, but homemade inserts require some carving out on the bottom of the plywood insert to get it to fit. It’s doable, but it takes quite awhile to get it to fit properly. Making plywood inserts may be the way to go on other table saw brands. But there are a host of affordable table saw inserts that will fit many table saws:

• See prices & reviews on zero clearance table saw inserts at Amazon
• See all SawStop zero clearance lock down table saw inserts at Amazon
• See prices & reviews on zero clearance table saw inserts at Rockler Woodworking
• See prices & reviews on zero clearance table saw inserts at WoodCraft

The Best Table Saw Push Stick & Pushblock

One of the most vital table saw accessories is a push stick or push block. A table saw push stick and push block for table saw keeps your hands at a distance from the table saw blade or jointer cutterhead. I always cringe when I see someone pushing wood through a machine without a table saw push stick. Even though a SawStop saw can protect your fingers, I don’t want to trigger the flesh-sensing brake. So I always use a push stick or push block when using my table saw for ripping a board. There are a lot of options for push sticks and push blocks, and I use a few different styles on my table saw.

The main table saw push stick that I use on my table saw is a homemade wooden DIY push stick (pictured below). I just cut these push sticks out of plywood or scrap 3/4-inch lumber. When I feel like I need more support on rip cuts, I’ll also use a longer plastic push stick (pictured above) to keep the board pushed against the rip fence. Plastic push sticks come with most table saws, but if you don’t have one, then you can purchase one at a very reasonable price (see below). And like me, you can also make a DIY table saw push stick out of wood.

• See push sticks and push blocks at Amazon
• See push sticks and push blocks at Rockler Woodworking
• See push sticks and push blocks at WoodCraft
• See push sticks and push blocks at Highland Woodworking

Several years ago my wife bought me this GRR-RIPPER table saw pushblock (pictured below). I have found it to be hugely beneficial for ripping narrow pieces on the table saw, that I’d normally feel nervous ripping with my homemade push stick. It also works well for ripping normal sized boards.

The table saw blade rides under the pushblock, so you don’t have to worry about getting your push stick to fit between the saw blade and fence. Just make sure that you set it up properly, and that your table saw blade isn’t higher than the bottom of the block!

Choosing the Best Table Saw Miter Gauge or Crosscut Sled

Most table saws come with a standard table saw miter gauge, which allows a woodworker to make 90 degree crosscuts and angled crosscuts, as the miter gauge slides forward in the slots of the cast iron table saw table.

A longer piece of wood is usually screwed to the miter gauge to provide support and to provide cleaner cuts (it acts like a zero clearance insert for crosscuts). I usually use that simple method, and it works fine.

However, some people who make a lot more crosscuts on the table saw prefer to have an upgraded miter gauge or a shop-made crosscut sled.

Click here for a good article on making a simple crosscut sled.

Probably the most popular manufactured miter gauges are the Incra Miter table saw miter gauge line. This type of miter gauge assists with making accurate, repeatable crosscuts on the table saw. The telescoping fence gives extra stability to ensure accurate cuts. This is definitely not a required table saw accessory. You can get along without it, and use the miter gauge that came with your table saw, or make a table saw crosscut sled. An Incra miter gauge is just one of those “nice to have” woodworking tools.

• See prices & reviews on Incra Miter gauges at Rockler Woodworking
• See prices & reviews on Incra Miter gauges at Amazon
• See prices & reviews on Incra Miter gauges at Highland Woodworking
• See prices & reviews on Incra Miter gauges at WoodCraft

The Best Table Saw Featherboard

A table saw featherboard is a safety jig that attaches to a table saw, either in the miter gauge or magnetically to the table top. When ripping a narrow board it keeps the board pushed up against the fence. The little “feathers” on the table saw featherboard are flexible, so they can bend as the lumber moves through the blade, but won’t bend back, preventing the wood from kicking back. Featherboards are also very useful when cutting small pieces on a power router.

A table saw featherboard can be made in your shop or purchased commercially. I like the featherboards that use strong rare earth magnets to attach itself to the table saw top, so I don’t have to be limited to using it in the miter slots. This also makes it easier to use on a router.

I happen to think that the best featherboard is the Magswitch featherboard (pictured above). It uses strong rare earth magnets to hold to the cast iron table saw top. You can find this Matswitch table saw featherboard here:

• See the Magswitch featherboards at WoodCraft
• See the Magswitch featherboards at Rockler Woodworking
• See the Magswitch featherboards at Amazon
• See all featherboards at WoodCraft
• See all featherboards at Rockler Woodworking
• See all featherboards at Amazon
• See all featherboards at Highland Woodworking

I also own this cool double featherboard, which is very useful for cutting raised panels on the table saw, and other tall pieces (pictured below):

Wooden featherboards can also be made in your workshop. They just take some time to make and to fit into your miter slots. Whichever type of featherboard you choose, just make sure that you keep it a few inches behind the table saw blade, or else it will push the work piece into the blade, causing a kickback. Another cool table saw safety accessory that looks like it would work great with a featherboard is the “Board Buddies” by Woodstock (see it here). I haven’t tried it yet, but would like to.

The Best Table Saw Outfeed Table

An outfeed table is an extended surface that is level with your table saw top, which allows better support when cutting boards. When I moved into my new workshop a number of years ago, I got rid of my old large outfeed table, because it competed for space with my ten workbenches in my woodworking school.

When classes take place, I have to push all my woodworking machines to the back of the workshop, so there wasn’t enough space for an actual outfeed table. I had intentions to build a folding outfeed table, but I my roller stands did a good enough job. They weren’t ideal, but the inconvenience wasn’t strong enough to push me to take the time to build another outfeed table.

Then SawStop (my favorite table saw maker) came out with a strong folding metal outfeed table for my SawStop saw.

The SawStop folding outfeed table is strong enough to support pretty much any size board I want to rip on my table saw, and then it conveniently folds out of the way:

The SawStop table saw outfeed table also supports a crosscut sled perfectly, so my crosscuts are easier now too:

Here’s a video that I made about this table saw outfeed table:

If you have a SawStop table saw, then you can buy the folding outfeed table at these stores:

• See the SawStop Folding Outfeed Table at Amazon
• See the SawStop Folding Outfeed Table at Highland Woodworking
• See the SawStop Folding Outfeed Table at WoodCraft
• See the SawStop Folding Outfeed Table at Rockler

If you don’t have a SawStop saw, here are some other resources for other outfeed tables:

• Here is a really good tutorial from Rockler on making a folding outfeed table, along with free plans
• Here’s a good YouTube video on making a simple outfeed table (non folding)
• Here’s another good YouTube video for making a folding outfeed table

Conclusion

I hope this article on choosing the best table saw and the best table saw blades and accessories has been helpful! As you can see, choosing the best table saw and best table saw blades and accessories depends not only on the quality of each tool, but also on your needs as a woodworker. If you have any comments or questions, please leave them in the comment section at the bottom of this page.