Most people don’t realize how many different variables there are to consider when purchasing a panel saw blade. Even seasoned veterans can miss a critical, but easy to overlook detail when buying new blades for their machine or woodworking application.
If you’re working with a new machine, a machine that’s new to you, a new cutting application, or if it’s the first blade you’ve ordered in a long time, it can be tough to remember all the main points:
- Dimensions: Our saw blades all have the same description of the key specifications. Overall diameter x cutting width of teeth (large / small) x bore diameter x number of teeth (Z=).
- Pin Holes: A lot of suppliers don’t provide their customers with details on the pin hole configuration of each blade. The number of pin holes can range from zero to eight. Their main purpose is to better secure the saw blade to the panel saw machine. They are typically arranged in a symmetrical pattern around the main bore. ToolWolf believes it’s in your best interest to know the pin hole specs for each of our blades, so we provide it in the following format: number of pin holes x diameter of each pin hole x distance from center to center between the pin holes.
- Machine Manufacturer: There are many different manufacturers of panel and table saw machines in the industrial woodworking market. They range from large, wellestablished European and Asian companies
to small U.S. providers and everything in between. Knowing your machine’s brand and model can expedite the blade choice. For instance, knowing that a Holzma panel saw requires a blade with one of two possible cutting diameters and a specific pin hole configuration will drastically narrow down the universe of blades you’ll want to consider when it’s time to replace your current tooling.
- Primary Application: Knowing whether you’ll be using the blade for solid surface, melamine, MDF or some other type of material is also a key consideration. It’s also good to consider if you’ll be stacking materials during the cutting process. ToolWolf’s customer service team is always around if you need some guidance in choosing the right blade for your machine and application. Just send us an email at customerservice@toolwolf.com and we’ll do our best to point you in the right direction.
Happy cutting!
