Red Oak

[NMScroller]

I'm curious as to what your favorite set up is for cutting 3/4" red oak. What blade size/type and what speed?

Last night I spent a while cutting 3/4" red oak using the Olson PG-9 and it cut pretty well, but tight turns were not easy and some 90 degree veining didn't come out well. I ran a P-20 on the 1400 setting with no burn marks...just slow going and tough turns.

Brian

[FRETDUST]

Hi Brian
I,ve cut out many many clocks and other things with my Dewalt DW788 on the max RPM and use FD#5 and FD#2 RT. Hope this help's you out.

Steve in Mi.

[NMScroller]

Addendum......

On something as thick and tough as 3/4" red oak, is it better to go ahead and do the outside cut first so turning on the 90 degree cut is easier?

[unixpro]

Red Oak is very hard and 3/4" is very thick. I've done it using a Flying Dutchman #9 SR. I tried a #7, but after breaking a bunch of blades, and noticing that my turn cuts weren't straight top to bottom (i.e. they "leaned" a little), I went to the #9. I don't remember the exact speed I was using, but I do know it was around 3/4 of the way to max on my 788.

The inability to cut a 90-degree veining turn probably has more to do with the thickness of the wood than the blade or the speed. I've never gotten what I consider truly satisfactory results on a 90 degree turn with 3/4" wood. I always end up curving it just a little at the bottom.

You need to ask yourself if you *really* need a 90 degree turn there. Will it truly impact the results? If not, then go ahead and curve the corner. If you really do need 90 there, can you approach the corner from both sides?

[Minnesota scroller]

The larger the blade, the tougher the turn. For hardwood this thick, I've always used #5 Olson skiptooth blades. Breakage hasn't been a problem.

[Marsha]

I agree with Mike, I think it's the size of the blade that hinders the cut, not the thickness of the wood. For fretwork, I probably wouldn't use a blade bigger then a #5 for 3/4" oak. I would slow the saw down a bit, and I would cover the wood with clear packing tape to cut down on the burning.
Just my 2¢ worth
Marsha

[workin for wood]

I cut everything with a #9 skip tooth. You get used to it and eventually you can knock out them 90 turns with ease. I'll tell you one thing for sure though, try and buy flat sawn lumber, especially with oaks. you can tell by looking at the endgrain. If it smiles or frowns it is flat sawn and if it's straight up and down it is rift sawn. Rift sawn of course is more stable and best for cabinets, but flat sawn has more character and is easier to scroll. With rift sawn, when scrolling the blade is traveling from hard spots into soft spots then hard spots, so it gets jumpy and harder to control. With flat sawn, there is consistancy as you are always cutting both types of grains at the same time.

I don't doubt a smaller blade is fine too. I just like to buy my blades in bulk to save money and the #9 is what I choose, especially because I use much harder and thicker woods than 3/4 red oak.

[minowevie]

Brien, oak is realy a hard wood. but i love it. I do alot of oak cutting, I have had alot of problems cutting it latly. seems like, I turn one way, and the blade keeps going another, but the thing I am doing differant. is I am stacking it. and 3/4 is thick. I had to slow way down. and take a differant approach to the v shapes and curves. it seems on my saw. when i blast away at above. 1300 rpms. I burn things. the blade heats up. and then breaks.(even with tape, and lubing) I like small fretwork, and I have lots of curves and tight v shapes. so I just go at them in a differant way. I will cut across and cut back into the v. and also, i will just go back and kleen them out after the cut is done. I hate doing it this way.( no shame in creeping along) so I will be watching your thread, to learn. I can cut a 1/4 oak just fine. with any blade. but stacking or just a thick piece . wow. hard, hard. your friend Evie

[minowevie]

Originally Posted by workin for wood

I cut everything with a #9 skip tooth. You get used to it and eventually you can knock out them 90 turns with ease. I'll tell you one thing for sure though, try and buy flat sawn lumber, especially with oaks. you can tell by looking at the endgrain. If it smiles or frowns it is flat sawn and if it's straight up and down it is rift sawn. Rift sawn of course is more stable and best for cabinets, but flat sawn has more character and is easier to scroll. With rift sawn, when scrolling the blade is traveling from hard spots into soft spots then hard spots, so it gets jumpy and harder to control. With flat sawn, there is consistancy as you are always cutting both types of grains at the same time.

I don't doubt a smaller blade is fine too. I just like to buy my blades in bulk to save money and the #9 is what I choose, especially because I use much harder and thicker woods than 3/4 red oak.

Jeff, thank you, thank you. I so forgot about how the wood was milled and cut. I buy cheap oak, well in my area, thats all i can find. but that is what has been the missing fackter in my cutting. boy. that has been what has been roung. thank you so much. your friend Evietotaly big flag.

[Plaquerd]

I know I'm probably alone on this, but I cut 1" oak, cocobolo, maple, walnut etc. and sometimes thicker wood, with a #1 FD Polar 26 TPI skip tooth blade (most of my cutting is done with the FD #2/0 Penguin Silver 33 TPI blade even on thick wood) , wide open speed on my DW788. All my pics in the gallery and all on the posts are cut with these blades.
I do use clear packing tape and the cutting isn't fast, but I get good turns and no burns. The compound (1" thick) cocobolo oraments I posted are cut with them(# 2/0). I've tried bigger blades, I just don't like the results I get.
So, is there anyone else using the smaller blades or am I in the dark ages when it comes to this?