Been thinking again

[thumbs]

So here I was cutting out a pattern--now when I cut, I have a lot of time to think--the question for the week end is(drum roll, please)-Do you use the biggest possible blade or the smallest possible blade--got too much time on my mind--Richard aka thumbs

[daliclimbs]

Always smallest possible for me.. I can't stand bulky blades!

[Rover2]

Always the smallest for me.  Saves on sanding.  The right blade for the right job will give you the best finish. 

[dgman]

I use the smallest blade that will do the job. The smaller the blade, the finer the cut. The finer the cut, the less sanding!

[jimbo]

Most of the wood I cut is thick and hard [20mm thick or more] so I use #5 blades where possible as finer blades break, stack cutting I use a finer blade
Jimbo

[mrsn]

I use the smallest blade that does the job well.

[wedo]

i have usually used the smallest blade, but now trying the largest. I don't see much difference in the finish and its quicker and less likely to break blades.
Bill

[Russ C]

I just chose, what I feel is the right blade for the project that I am doing. Some of it comes from experience. 

[Intarsia92]

It looks like I'm in the minority; for Intarsia work I use #7, soft woods or #9, hard woods, reverse tooth blades 90% of the time.  I find I can use blades longer without worrying about them breaking if I cut aggressively.  My cuts, straight or curved, are more accurate with these blades because they flex less than if I was to use the smaller ones and as stated above, I hardly ever have a blade break before it wears out.

[iggygiles]

I use bigger blades for outline cutting, such as the 30 rabbits I cut out of ?? softwood for my daughter?s class to paint up for Easter, it was quick and I only used 2 blades. With my inexperience, I find the bigger blades make it much easier to follow a line at speed. For finer work such as Steve?s ?? thick wobble bowl, I use a No1 or 3 and have to go pretty slowly and concentrate hard to avoid the pitfalls of starting the corners to soon or too late and generally have the assistance of the lamp magnifier as well

[chelcass]

I usae both depending on what I have to cut.  How thick is the wood, what size is the area I'm cutting, etc.  The thinner the wood the smaller the blade.

[Al W]

Another vote for the thinner side.

[Jim Finn]

Intarsia92 has my policy also.  I tend to use #9  and #7 the most.  I got some heavy duty industrial looking blades from Mike and found that they break just as easily as #7's do.  (These blades are over 1/8" wide.)  I did notice that while most blades cut better across the grain than  with the grain, the opposite is true of the heavy duty blades.

[bettyswood]

I use #5 blades for everything.  Of course Mike's Flying Dutchman reverse.  They last a long time and I hardly ever break a blade, they wear out first.  I also only use Red Oak. Same for stack cutting, occasionally use #2 spiral blade for feathers or things that require a bit of a rough line.   

[Waddawood]

As most of you know, I do large projects so I use primarily #5 spirals.  Now and then #3 spirals.