New Dado Set Recommendations

[Jason Strauss]

As some have read here, I’m going to be starting my first paying gig building kitchen cabs for my wife’s uncle. So, I’m going to upgrade some of my tools. First will be my dado set.

I have a cheaper Oldham set from Menards that has done the trick until this point. But, given that I’m being paid to do these cabinets, I figure I ought to have a higher quality set for better results. (read: Excuse to purchase more tools...) My budget is $100 for the new set.

Can anyone recommend a good dado set within my budget? I’m looking for durability and cut quality in my price range. I'll be putting dados in plywood if that matters...

As always, THANKS!

[Brent Leonard]

http://www.freud-tools.com/freudsdserpr.html

I like mine (8" version). I have the silver/chrome version that was just under $100.
I have noticed it does leave the ocassional small, thin groove (1/64") in the bottom of the cut. If your dado will be exposed and easily seen, Murphy says that will be the time that the blade leaves a small thin groove in the cut.

[Walt Caza]

Hi Jason,
It's good to watch your hobby grow.
With today's undersized sheetgoods, sets that offer a 3/32" thick chipper
bring more flexibility to the table.

Myself, I use and am pleased with the 8 inch yellow set.
DeWalt DW7670 (link):
http://www.dewalt.com/us/products/accessory_category_detail.asp?categoryID=1432

Features:
http://www.dewalt.com/us/images/icons/icons_bullet.gifHeavy gauge, laser cut plates provide true, accurate cuts with 24 teeth ATB
http://www.dewalt.com/us/images/icons/icons_bullet.gifMicro-grain carbide teeth deliver clean cuts and reduce splintering
http://www.dewalt.com/us/images/icons/icons_bullet.gif4 tooth chippers give smooth, flat bottom cuts
http://www.dewalt.com/us/images/icons/icons_bullet.gifStainless steel shims allow for ultra-fine width adjustment
http://www.dewalt.com/us/images/icons/icons_bullet.gifHeavy duty storage case protects blades against chipped teeth and damage

They cut clean in a variety of materials, with a flat bottom,
and a terrific shim set in a clamshell case to keep it organized.
disclaimer: I'm just Walt, not DeWalt

I only know Canadian prices,
good luck with it,
Walt

[Mark Oberreuter]

I just picked up the Freud SD208 from lowes for $45 as a clearance item, so far so good.

This thread in the Deals and Discounts forum alerted me to the great deal:

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=119607

[Mike Cruz]

Okay, it is double your budget, but I saw the Freud SD-508 on sale on Amazon for $199.

[Prashun Patel]

Avanti also offers an 8" dado stack; saw it at HD. Around the $50 mark.

[Derrell W Sloan]

Anyone have experience with the dado set Grizzly sells?

[Paul Ryan]

Oshuln 8" set from Holbren. For under a $100 I think it is a great set. 42 tooth blades and 6 tooth chippers. That is a $250 dollar set from most maufacturers. I have been very happy with it, smooth bottoms and chip free cuts in any material.

[jim hedgpeth]

I bought that set a month or so ago and have used it a lot cutting basic frame and panel grooves. Cuts well, flat bottom, and a lot of mass. Very happy with it.
Holbren also has a discount for SMC members, SMC10 if I remember right.

Jim

[Josh Reet]

Avanti also offers an 8" dado stack; saw it at HD. Around the $50 mark.

The Avanti name means nothing on those dados, or so I'm told. They are the same as any $50 "made in china" set.

[scott spencer]

I've owned 2 sets in that price range...the Freud SD208 and the DeWalt/Delta 7670. Both good sets. The Freud set well made, works well, etc., but the 7670 has twice as many teeth, and leaves a cleaner cut. I also found the DW to be easier to spin....less mass at the outside of the blades. It also has an excellent carrying case, a 3/32" chipper for ply sizes, and very nice labeled shim stock. The design is very similar to the Forrest. Grizzly has it on sale for ~ $90 plus $13 s/h (http://www.grizzly.com/products/DW7670-8-Stacked-Dado-Set/H7200).

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y203/hewood/000_0718.jpg
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y203/hewood/000_0721.jpg

[Rick Moyer]

Hey Scott, I have the same dado set, but I don't feel I get as clean a cut as I suspect you are talking about. I haven't tried it on another saw, nor have I tried another dado on my saw. Could this be a function of the power of the saw (Craftsman contractor)?
I hope so, as the G0691 should then improve on that greatly.

[Darrin Davis]

I use the Frued Super Dado. It has a -5 degree hook and leaves virtually no tearout when using on Oak Playwood. All other dado sets that I have used leaves tearout.

[scott spencer]

Hey Scott, I have the same dado set, but I don't feel I get as clean a cut as I suspect you are talking about. I haven't tried it on another saw, nor have I tried another dado on my saw. Could this be a function of the power of the saw (Craftsman contractor)?
I hope so, as the G0691 should then improve on that greatly.

Rick - I doubt that power would change the quality much...I ran mine on my 22124. More likely something with the arbor or the insert, the wood itself, the dado set, or possibly even technique but I doubt that's the case too. The vast majority of comments from other owners have been similar to mine....great results. Does it a need a cleaning, sharpening, or could the set have an issue? Dados in general are more prone to tearout on the exit side, but the bottom and sides of the cuts are generally pretty good....a backer can help reduce tearout. Make sure your insert isn't flexing.

[Rick Moyer]

Rick - I doubt that power would change the quality much...I ran mine on my 22124. More likely something with the arbor or the insert, the wood itself, the dado set, or possibly even technique but I doubt that's the case too. The vast majority of comments from other owners have been similar to mine....great results. Does it a need a cleaning, sharpening, or could the set have an issue? Dados in general are more prone to tearout on the exit side, but the bottom and sides of the cuts are generally pretty good....a backer can help reduce tearout. Make sure your insert isn't flexing.
I don't have much experience but I have found that the bottom of the dado isn't as smooth as I had expected. I doubt that it is my dado set, rather I suspect the saw. I'll know whenever I get the G0691 up and running. I bought the set new and it hasn't been used much so it should not need cleaning or sharpening. I'm guessing my older saw's arbor could be the issue. The dadoes were not bad, just not super smooth. Maybe I expected too much too? I'll report back when I get to try it on the new saw.

[Larry Fox]

Blow the budget and get the Forrest. Very well built, great with the magnetic shims, perfectly flat bottoms with no "bat ears" to speak of. You will wince one at the price when you buy it but you will smile broadly each and every time you use it for many years to come.

[scott spencer]

Blow the budget and get the Forrest. Very well built, great with the magnetic shims, perfectly flat bottoms with no "bat ears" to speak of. You will wince one at the price when you buy it but you will smile broadly each and every time you use it for many years to come.

Larry - Every dado that has an alternate top bevel grind (ATB), which is the vast majority, including the Forrest, will have some "bat ears". The better sets minimize it, but they're there.

Per Forrestblades.com:
http://www.forrestblades.com/graphics/outblades.gif
Properly mounted Forrest Dado Set produces small score marks (.10") at the corners of the dado groove.
Point is mounted out! The point reaches ahead to
pre-sever edge fibers in crosscut while flat tooth cleans waste.

Improperly mounted Forrest Dado Set (with points to the inside) produces splinters in the cross cut.

[glenn bradley]

The Freud SD508 does a pretty remarkable job for me and I'm sure other sets in that class would do as well. In your price range there are several sets available. Some with good cut quality. I tried a couple, returned them and decided to stick with a router for my dado's till I could get the SD508 or other set that tested as well.

I work in hardwoods and enjoy emphasized joinery styles like G&G and A&C in general. I had to have a very clean cut as not only are they visible, they are actually accented to draw attention.

There are techniques to get cleaner cuts with less expensive sets. It just takes a bit more set up or planning. Cutting pieces oversize and trimming after the dado is cut, using stopped dado's so they are not exposed and so forth. These are very usable methods. They could become bothersome if you do a lot of visible dado work like box joints and such but only you can determine that.

[Kent A Bathurst]

Blow the budget and get the Forrest. Very well built, great with the magnetic shims, perfectly flat bottoms with no "bat ears" to speak of. You will wince one at the price when you buy it but you will smile broadly each and every time you use it for many years to come.


Ditto Forrest, but there are slight, unimportant IMO, bat ears from 10 yr old set.