My miter saw blade chipped on a big crown molding job in Portland

It happened on Tuesday while cutting some 5-inch crown for a client's living room. I was about halfway through the project when I heard a bad sound and saw a small piece missing from the carbide tip. I had to stop, run to the local hardware store for a new Freud blade, and re-cut a few pieces. Has anyone else had a blade fail mid-job, and what do you do to keep a spare ready?

3 comments

3 Comments

claire_hart5318h agoMost Upvoted

My buddy's blade shattered cutting pressure treated last summer.

young.nora16h ago

That sounds pretty wild, @claire_hart53. A full-on shatter seems extreme for pressure treated wood. Most guys just burn out a blade or get a lot of kickback. Was he using a really old blade or maybe hitting a nail? Those treated boards are tough, but they usually just dull a blade fast.

elliot_patel15h ago

My friend Carl in Seattle had his main blade bind and snap on a glue-lam beam last fall. He keeps a cheaper, older blade in his truck box just for these emergencies. It got him through the day until he could buy a proper replacement.