Dado blades?

John Case

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23
Location
New Jersey
I'm thinking about getting a stacked dado set.
I've only ever used an adjustable dado so I have no point of reference.

The adjustable can sometimes be a PITA to get it set to the correct width. I have 2 of them. 1 has set screws that when you get the width set it will stay there when you remove the blade. The other is totally variable and does not keep its position when removed from the saw.

How does a stack compare to a variable dado?

What stack to you recommend?

I see HD has a Diablo and an Avanti

Thanks,
 
John,

I have the Freud SD208 set and have had it for several years. It is an 8" set and it works well. It comes with a set of shims to make up for the varying thicknesses of wood or plywood. I looked and it can be bought for $84 at Amazon currently.

It gives me a nice flat bottom on dados. Because plywood can vary in thickness, even using a stacked set requires one to perform a set up for a given thickness of plywood.

I was recently amazed to find a local source for oak veneered plywood that is truly 3/4" thick and I didn't have to spend much time messing with the shims to get a good snug fit on dados.

Everything considered, I would buy my Freud SD208 set again.
 
The only thing about the stacked dado is you sometimes have to shims to get the right width. That's really not any harder than tweaking the dial on an adjustable one. The adjustable I have (an older Craftsman model) always cut wider dados with a curved bottom. The way the blade wobbles makes a sweeping arc that always irratated me. I went to a Freud set and have been quite happy. It's been a while since I've seen any tool reviews on them, but typically the Forrest Dado King was always awarded "top tool", with the Freud 508 set closely behind. But for best value, it was almost always the Freud SD 208 set. The Infinity Dadonator gets a lot of praise as well, but it's another of the $200 or so sets. My set (the Freud 508) is over 14 years old, and on it's third sharpening....and still performing like new. I think the Freud Dial a Width is a stacked dado that you fine tune by dialing a slight wobble into it...they claim flat bottoms with it. I would skip HD and go to an online blade/bit dealer, but that's just me.
 
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I have the Frend set and it is good, however I rarely use it. If I used dado's often I would invest in a much better, hence more expensive setup. The only problem I have with it is playing with the shims. They, at least for me, can be a bugger to get on and off the threaded arbor shaft. Plus figuring what shim is what thickness. Mine are not marked so I have to get out the caliper to measure them. But of occasional use they get the job done. I also have the Craftsman dial on and I have to admit it does almost as clean cuts as the stacked. That old blade wobbling back and for at high speed is a bit intimidating to me.
 
I've never used the expensive ones the others are talking about. I bought my first set from HF and they have done everything I have wanted from them. I said first set because they were cheap enough I bought another set when they got dull. When we built onto our house, the wall between the wall between the two girls bedrooms is 2x6 with dadoed shelves. Half of the wall is covered on one side, the other on the other side so each girl got 1/2 the wall as floor to ceiling shelves. I don't have any idea of how many dadoes the first set did. So, just thought I would throw that out there. Of course remember, I have no experience with the other sets.
 
I purchased my first stacked dado set a couple months back...I believe that the work you get out is related to the work you put in.

I took 2-3 hours to make width-test boards for the common sizes plus various shims +/- those sizes. It definitely took a while and, yes, it was repetitive, but using my width boards, I can setup my stack perfectly almost every time. I don't think I've ever had to make more than 2 test cuts for a width.... if the 1st test isn't perfect, the 2nd always is.
 
I have the Frend set and it is good, however I rarely use it. If I used dado's often I would invest in a much better, hence more expensive setup. The only problem I have with it is playing with the shims. They, at least for me, can be a bugger to get on and off the threaded arbor shaft. Plus figuring what shim is what thickness. Mine are not marked so I have to get out the caliper to measure them. But of occasional use they get the job done. I also have the Craftsman dial on and I have to admit it does almost as clean cuts as the stacked. That old blade wobbling back and for at high speed is a bit intimidating to me.

Paul, that's a common complaint about the shims being a bugger to get on and off. There used to be a Freud rep frequenting forums I visit, and he was unapologetic about it, they were designed that way (can't remember the reason). But I did measure mine and mark the size on them with a permanent marker.
 
I have a Freud SD-508 and a CMT that looks just like the Freud SD-208. I use the 508 for good stuff and the 208 for ply and composites. I wish I would have gotten the SD-608 but, the saw I had at the time wouldn't run it. I don't bother with shims as I have a DRO on the tablesaw. For a 57/64" dado I just set up a 3/4" stack and make a second pass after moving the fence 9/64".

At the lower end, the SD-208 does a real nice job for the price. The SD-508 is near perfection and matches or beats more expensive stacks in the bake-offs; its about twice as much as the 208. The 208 doesn't get much use since on irregular plywood surfaces I find a handheld router gives me more reliable results than a stack on the tablesaw. HTH.
 
I've used the Freud 208 of my dads for a couple years, and then bought a 508. It's slightly better, but the 208 set is really good too i thought. The main differences I've seen is the super dado has a 1/16 and 3/32 chipper, which tends to lower the amount of shims you need to use, and more teeth per blade and chipper. I think that gives the 508 has a little better bottom of the groove finish and a little less chance of splinters on the veneer.

If I were on a budget with other tools needed, I wouldn't hesitate to buy the 208. If you are working with $100 walnut and cherry ply, I'd get the 508.
 
The 208 doable will do just fine wether it's Chinese ply or furniture grade domestic plywood. I posted some pictures over on wood talk online showing how a zero clearance insert is unnecessary. I cut a Dados in ttoes of Chinese plywood with the sd208 Dados set that had chipped teeth and got no tear out. When I get a chance I'll post a link to it.

I've also used the 508 and the dial a width Dados sets from Freud and saw no advantage to spending the extra money over what the 208 cost except to lighten your wallet.

Here is the link post #21. http://www.woodtalkonline.com/topic/9212-table-saw-dado-plywood/page-2#entry71922
 
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I've had a couple of sets of cheap to moderately priced dados & thought they were fine until I bought a Freud Super Dado. I get zero chip out even if I don't use a zero clearance table insert. Even cutting plywood. If you're only doing construction level stuff, the cheap blades might suffice, but if you're doing nice looking woodworking, you'll need clean, accurate cuts.

Another thing you might want to consider if you're going to a better blade is that, while you can spend more for an 8" set, you probably don't need more than a 6" set. A 6" set will allow you to cut somewhere (depending on your saw) between a 1" to a 1 1/2" deep dado. Really, have you ever needed to cut one that's deeper than that? Remember, you're only dealing with a 1" radius difference here between the 6" & 8" blades.
Also, even though my set sells for around $175, I only paid $33 (yup) for it slightly used on ebay. Looked perfect when I got it. They're out there
 
Hi ..

I have the Avenger AV-69930 set, around $50 on Amazon.

Over the past month I have used this Dado over 20 times, to create dados for Table Saw sleds, book shelfs, and various other projects.
I have had no issues.
I am fairly new to woodworking, and I am still having trouble cutting dados with a router, so this dado set is very useful.

Yes, it leaves ridges ... in the dado, but a little sanding takes care of that.

-Fred
 
I have had 3 different stacked dado blades. the first was a inexpensive one from lowes or HD with shims. It made a terrible cut so I brought it back for a refund.

the second was the same type but made by frued. it made a great cut. the shims were a real PITA and would grab on the teeth of the arbor. I was using it on a small RAS but somehow the anti kick back prawls got caught up in the blade and chipped a bunch of teeth. no fault of the dado set.

then I saved up and bought the dial a width by freud . Now this is a dado set. I don't have to take anything off to widen or narrow the dado. Unless I need something like a full cutter but that never happens. You get close by stacking the correct cutters in between the two outside blade and having the correct number of turns on the outside blade. then you can make fine adjustments just by loosening the arbor nut and turning the dial. You can hear each click and each click represents a tiny change in width.

its very easy to use and makes a nice cut. Not sure if I would say it makes a perfect cut but of the 3 I have used its the best cut so far and I could not think of an easier adjustment process. A little pricy though.
 
The Freud 208 set is good. I'd drop the Avanti set on the floor and run as fast as you can if you happened to touch it! :eek: :D

The Delta/DW 7670 set is the best of the ~ $100 sets I know of, and the best bang for the buck. It cuts cleaner than the 208, has better shim stock, and a really nice carrying case. GRizzly and Ebay usually have it at the $100 mark (I wonder if one of those 10% Griz coupons would work).

At the $200 price point, the Infinity Dadonator is the best I've tried.....it's the cat's meow.
 
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