Reading the label
What each figure on a blade means
- Diameter
- The size across the tooth tips. It is set by the saw: a saw is built for one blade size, and its guard, riving knife and speed are matched to it.
- Arbor (bore)
- The size of the centre hole: 5/8 in on most of the blades below, 1 in on Diablo's 12 in blade. DEWALT warns that the hole's shape — diamond or round — must match the saw's mounting, or the blade runs off-centre.
- Teeth
- The count and the grind — flat top, alternate top bevel (ATB) or high ATB. Fewer, larger teeth suit ripping; more teeth suit crosscuts and veneered panels.
- Hook angle
- How far the tooth face leans into the cut, in degrees. See table saw blades for what it changes.
- Kerf
- The width of the cut, which is the width of the tooth tips.
- Plate (body)
- The thickness of the steel disc behind the teeth — always thinner than the kerf, so the body clears the cut.
- Maximum RPM
- The fastest the blade is rated to turn. It must be at least the saw's speed.
Sizes across the range
| Diameter | Diablo blade | Teeth | Arbor | Kerf / plate | Max RPM | Stated use |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6-1/2 in | D0660A | 60 ATB | 5/8 in | 0.057 / 0.039 in | 10,000 | Fine crosscuts and rips in wood, plywood and melamine |
| 7-1/4 in | D0724A | 24 ATB | 5/8 in | 0.059 / 0.040 in | 8,000 | Framing and general construction |
| 7-1/4 in | D0740A | 40 ATB | 5/8 in | 0.059 / 0.040 in | 8,000 | Crosscuts and rips in wood, plywood and melamine |
| 8-1/4 in | D0824X | 24 ATB | 5/8 in | 0.094 / 0.063 in | 8,000 | General construction ripping and crosscutting |
| 8-1/4 in | D0840X | 40 ATB | 5/8 in | 0.094 / 0.063 in | 8,000 | Smooth crosscuts in hardwood, softwood and plywood |
| 10 in | D1060X | 60 Hi-ATB | 5/8 in | 0.098 / 0.071 in | 6,000 | Crosscuts and rips in wood, plywood and melamine |
| 12 in | D1280X | 80 Hi-ATB | 1 in | 0.118 / 0.087 in | 5,000 | Fine crosscuts; chip-free cuts in veneered plywood, melamine and MDF |
Diablo's published specifications. The same diameter can come with different kerfs: the 7-1/4 in blades here cut a 0.059 in kerf, the 10 in blade 0.098 in, and Freud's full-kerf 10 in blades 0.126 in.
Diameter and speed follow the saw
A blade is matched to a saw by diameter first. SawStop's cabinet saw takes only 10 in blades, or 8 in dado sets with their own brake cartridge, and SawStop warns that smaller blades cannot be stopped properly by a brake set for larger ones; its European manual rules out blades under 250 mm. DEWALT marks its compact saw's riving knife for 8-1/4 in blades only. OSHA's woodworking standard goes further for workplaces, requiring saw frames built to limit the size of blade that can be mounted, to avoid the overspeed caused by mounting a larger blade than intended.
Then speed. A blade's maximum RPM must be at least the saw's speed. DEWALT's 10 in jobsite saw runs at 4,800 RPM with no load and calls for blades rated at 5,000 RPM or more; its 8-1/4 in compact saw runs at 5,800 RPM and calls for 6,000 or more. SawStop's European manual puts it as a rule: the speed marked on the blade must be equal to or higher than the speed marked on the tool.
Kerf and plate
The teeth are wider than the plate, so the plate runs in the cut without rubbing. A thin-kerf blade removes less wood and, Freud says of its own, needs less power; the CPSC notes that cordless bench saws run 8.25 in blades with thinner kerfs to reduce friction. On a table saw, the kerf and plate also decide which riving knife the blade can run with: the knife must be thicker than the plate and thinner than the kerf. Table saw blades shows how to check a blade against the marking on the knife.
Blades that do not belong on a woodworking saw
- Metal-cutting and abrasive blades are for saws built for them. DEWALT tells owners of its table saws never to cut metals, cement board or masonry, and not to fit grinding wheels, wire brushes or abrasive wheels; SawStop rules out abrasive blades on its saw.
- Damaged blades. OSHA requires cracked saws to be taken out of service, and DEWALT tells owners never to use warped blades or blades with cracked or broken teeth.
- Blades with the wrong arbor hole. Use the blade the saw's arbor and washers are made for; do not force a blade onto an arbor it was not machined to fit.
Before a blade goes on a saw
- The diameter is the one the saw's manual specifies
- The arbor hole fits the arbor, in the shape the saw's mounting expects
- The blade's maximum RPM is at least the saw's no-load speed
- On a table saw, the kerf and plate fit the riving knife's marking
- The teeth point in the direction of rotation marked on the blade and the saw
- No cracks, missing or loose teeth, and no warp
Sources
Blade figures are one maker's published specifications for the models named, quoted to show how the labels read; other makers' blades of the same size differ. Speed and fit rules are the named saw makers' instructions for their own saws.
- 1.
Circular saw blade specifications (D0660A, D0724A, D0740A, D0824X, D0840X, D1060X, D1280X). Diablo Tools (Freud America).
Used for: Diameter, tooth count and grind, arbor, kerf, plate thickness, hook angle and maximum RPM of 6-1/2, 7-1/4, 8-1/4, 10 and 12 in blades, and each blade's stated use.
- 2.
10" saw blade specifications (LM72R010, LU87R010, LU84R011, LU83R010, LU85R010, LU80R010, LU79R010, LU91R010). Freud Tools.
Used for: Kerf and plate figures for full-kerf and thin-kerf 10 in blades, and the uses Freud states for its rip and crosscut blades.
- 3.
DWE7491 10" (254 mm) Job Site Table Saw, Instruction Manual. DEWALT.
Used for: The minimum blade speed rating for the DWE7491 (5,000 RPM) against its 4,800 RPM no-load speed; the ban on cutting metals, cement board and masonry.
- 4.
DWE7485 8-1/4" (210 mm) Compact Job Site Table Saw, Instruction Manual. DEWALT.
Used for: Matching the arbor-hole shape (diamond or round) to the saw's mounting; the 6,000 RPM blade rating against a 5,800 RPM saw; no grinding wheels, wire brushes or abrasive wheels on the saw.
- 5.
Owner's Manual, 10" Professional Cabinet Saw, Model PCS31230. SawStop.
Used for: SawStop's limit to 10 in blades (or 8 in dado sets) on its cabinet saw, and its exclusion of abrasive and non-conductive blades.
- 6.
Professional Cabinet Saw Owner's Manual (EU, English). SawStop, 2025.
Used for: The rule that a blade's marked speed must be equal to or higher than the speed marked on the tool, and that undersized blades are not used.
- 7.
Safety Standard Addressing Blade-Contact Injuries on Table Saws (supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking), 88 FR 74909. U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Federal Register, 2023.
Used for: Cordless bench saws using 8.25 in blades with thinner kerfs to reduce friction.
- 8.
29 CFR 1910.213, Woodworking machinery requirements. U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
Used for: Saw frames built to limit the blade size that can be mounted, to avoid overspeed (1910.213(a)(5)), and tools machined to fit the arbor ((a)(14)).
About this guide
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