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I'm going to be cutting 1x6 oak planks with a miter saw, but I'm not sure what blade to use. I currently have a 24T blade in the saw (which I know for sure I don't want to use), since I usually use it for cutting framing lumber. I've never made fine finish cuts with this miter saw, so I'm not sure if I should use more or less teeth than I would if I was cutting with a table saw.

At this point I'm torn between 60T and 80T, and I'm just not sure which to choose. As mentioned in This Question, I'm going to be making 45° bevel cuts at one end of each plank. I'm not sure if this is a factor when choosing a blade or not, but it seems like it might make a difference.

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The difference between a 10" 60T and 80T saw blade is only slightly noticeable. In practice, chip out with either isn't a huge concern, provided you go slow. An 80T blade is naturally going to slow you down more, so that may be useful if your tendency is to yank the radial arm down and go.

Another consideration is the end grain of the piece, some trees are just flakier than others, in that case an 80T is a safer bet.

Teeth aren't the whole story. If you throw a crosscut table blade on a miter saw it might have a tendency to feed faster than you want. If you get a miter blade then there's not a ton of difference. The miter saw blade teeth are back angled a bit to avoid pulling the arm in on you.

So the safe bet is the 80T miter blade, but I'd be surprised if a 60T gave you any trouble.

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    I agree, not much difference 60 to 80 unless you are doing very fine cuts on trim or moldings. I would encourage you to get a good grade blade like a Freud, DeWalt etc. When doing larger sized hardwood, be sure the blade you select has good cooling slots.
    – shirlock homes
    Commented Mar 17, 2012 at 11:56

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