Super cuts: Saw blade delivers superior results

I was using my table saw recently to cut up some maple plywood, and discovered that my 10-inch, carbide-tipped blade wasn't cutting very smoothly, and more troubling, it was splintering the maple veneer.

That was a bit surprising because the blade was relatively new and still pretty sharp. So, what choice did I have? I sent the blade out to be sharpened, but also decided to treat myself to a brand-new saw blade--and boy, am I ever glad.

My search to find the perfect plywood-cutting saw blade led me to the Freud LU79R010. And after using it for the past week or so, I can honestly say that it's the smoothest-cutting blade I've ever used.

The 10-inch Freud LU79R010 is a thin-kerf, 80-tooth carbide-tipped blade that's specifically engineered to cut plywood and plastic laminate (melamine), leaving behind a flawless, ultra-smooth cut with absolutely no splintering or chipping.

One of the secrets behind this high-performance, industrial-duty blade is its tooth design. The LU79R010 is an ATB blade, which stands for Alternate Top Bevel.

Look closely at the photo to the left and you'll notice that each tooth is ground to a bevel, alternately angling to the right and then left from one tooth to the next.

However, unlike most ATB blades, which have teeth ground to 34 degrees or so, this Freud beauty is ground to 38 degrees, resulting in extremely pointy, super-sharp teeth that easily slice through wood.

The Freud LU79R010 also excels at crosscutting solid wood, making it ideal for use in power miter saws.

The blade retails for about $94, but I found it on-line for less than $70.