# $1500 saw. $5 blade. Thanks, Delta. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 4, 2005, 7:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1500-saw-5-blade-thanks-delta/283006 "2005-01-04T07:57:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![FordPrefect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e99b99/32.png) [@FordPrefect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FordPrefect)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2005, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1500-saw-5-blade-thanks-delta/283006/21 "2005-01-06T16:22:51Z")
Nice gloat **Valgard** , I wish I had your saw troubles šŸ™‚ > [@bnorton](#): > > - They could include a middle of the line blade, but the blade is a very important component in the quality of the cut. Many people would try out their new saw with the factory installed blade only find themselves disappointed in their $1500 purchase and unaware that they are seeing the limitations of the blade and not the saw. > > - They could include an obviously piece of poo blade for those folks who donā€™t have a blade at all just so they can get their saw up and running. > > Delta chose #3, which I think makes sense. I think they should have chosen #2. A decent mid-quality blade would be great to have around for MDF. The blade that comes with the Delta CMS is good enough for cross-cutting and ripping MDF, for those insane enough to make their own baseboards :smack: šŸ™‚ However, after reading this thread, I am rethinking my Freud investments (ripping, combination and fine crosscut) But at the rate I play, it will be about 15 years of use and resharpening before I am ready to replace my Freud blades for something betterā€¦ Oh well, at least I have a jointer, planer and sandpaper at my disposal šŸ™‚ ---
**Author:** ![El\_Zagna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d2c977/32.png) [@El\_Zagna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Zagna)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2005, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1500-saw-5-blade-thanks-delta/283006/22 "2005-01-06T16:44:37Z")
You can certainly make a case for #2, but from a marketing point of view I think #3 is the way to go. If I were the saw manufacturer, I would be afraid that too many people would see the factory installed blade as the ā€œrecommendedā€ one, never go beyond it, and therefore never really be that impressed with the saw. ---
**Author:** ![FordPrefect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e99b99/32.png) [@FordPrefect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FordPrefect)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2005, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1500-saw-5-blade-thanks-delta/283006/23 "2005-01-06T18:33:39Z")
From a marketing POV, you are probably right. Although, I think the type of woodworkers that are shopping in the unisaw market would be somewhat better informed than the average benchsaw purchaser, for instance. (I am not saying that all benchsaw purchasers are uninformed, but I think a lot are, I was when I got my Delta benchtop and then added a Rousseou table/fence to make the saw somewhat useable, in the end I have a $500 POS. I should have waited and bought nice Delta contractor for $700ish . ā˜¹ ) ---
**Author:** ![Valgard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/7feea3/32.png) [@Valgard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Valgard)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2005, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1500-saw-5-blade-thanks-delta/283006/24 "2005-01-07T04:47:14Z")
Iā€™d go with #2 - the difference in cost between ā€œcrapā€ and ā€œdecent, usableā€ blades is maybe $30 and thatā€™s at full retail. From this end-userā€™s standpoint, they were a touch misleading with their ad (it didnā€™t say ā€œsteel bladeā€ which would be the sign that you ought to have something decent onhand). Given that the blade is really worthless why bother including it at all? Either ship something that works or donā€™t ship anything. Which is my somewhat distant second choice - option #4, donā€™t put a blade on and be upfront about it. Anyhow I lost track of time last night while putting on the extension table. Looked up and golly gee, itā€™s 2AM. Urk. But itā€™s all in one glorious piece now. Getting the extension properly aligned with the rails and the table was a pain in the rear, and of course AFTER I got it all drilled and bolted together I noticed a slight warp in the extension table (about a 2mm dip at the rear of the extension). Iā€™ll see if it makes a noticeable difference, already thinking of just taking that off and building my own extension table. 3/4" birch ply will not sag (like their particle board) or bow (like their somewhat questionable-looking hardwood braces underneath). Iā€™m not a master carpenter but when I build strong & flat it stays that way šŸ™‚ ---
**Author:** ![Valgard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/7feea3/32.png) [@Valgard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Valgard)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2005, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1500-saw-5-blade-thanks-delta/283006/25 "2005-01-07T04:50:27Z")
> [@bnorton](#): > > You can certainly make a case for #2, but from a marketing point of view I think #3 is the way to go. If I were the saw manufacturer, I would be afraid that too many people would see the factory installed blade as the ā€œrecommendedā€ one, never go beyond it, and therefore never really be that impressed with the saw. Yeah but why isnā€™t Delta concerned that people will think that about the cheap blade that they DO include? The difference between a good blade and a great blade is far less than the difference between a good blade and a crummy blade. ---
**Author:** ![Valgard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/7feea3/32.png) [@Valgard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Valgard)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2005, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1500-saw-5-blade-thanks-delta/283006/26 "2005-01-07T04:53:51Z")
> [@FordPrefect](#): > > Nice gloat **Valgard** , I wish I had your saw troubles šŸ™‚ Next Pit thread: Why donā€™t I have enough room to park my Lamborghini collection at the mansion? šŸ™‚ ---
**Author:** ![FordPrefect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e99b99/32.png) [@FordPrefect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FordPrefect)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2005, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1500-saw-5-blade-thanks-delta/283006/27 "2005-01-07T14:31:00Z")
> [@Valgard](#): > > Next Pit thread: Why donā€™t I have enough room to park my Lamborghini collection at the mansion? > > šŸ™‚ Followed, I am sure, with, ā€œWhy donā€™t I have enough bedrooms to house all the supermodels that live with me?ā€ Have you replaced the blade yet? How much of an issue is the dip? ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2005, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1500-saw-5-blade-thanks-delta/283006/28 "2005-01-07T14:48:08Z")
I should ask my husband if he uses Forrest blades. I know he has some Freud ones. He does some contracting on the side, and heā€™s rapidly developing a specialty in ipe decks for the yuppie crowd. He loves working with ipe, but itā€™s murder on the tools. Anybody ever used Forrest blades on ipe? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1500-saw-5-blade-thanks-delta/283006.md?page=1)