10" dado stacks

[Jeff Bartley]

I'm just full of questions tonight!
I bought a 10" dado stack on super-sale awhile back and am now wondering if it's a good idea to run a 10" stack in a 3-horse saw. The Q & A section of the most recent FWW'ing mentions dado's and it got me thinking about it.
Anyone else use a 10" dado stack???
Thanks,
Jeff

[david brum]

If the hole is 5/8", it should be fine. After all, many 8" dado stacks are run on 1.5hp table saws. As far as safety, it's not like you're going to be using it a full height, so it shouldn't present any more danger than an 8" one. It should even leave a cleaner cut, having a better shear angle. Once that sucker is up to speed, I'll bet it would be hard to bog down, too.

[David Kumm]

I think it depends on how strong your saw itself is. My ten is pretty heavy so alot of weight is spinning. Most saws recommend a size for this reason. Intermittent use is probably much safer than running it continuously. Dave

[Andrew Pitonyak]

I purchased a 10" stack (nice one from Forest) because I have a 10" saw.... Made sense in my inexperienced mind. The only problem that I have is that the saw blade sticks up so far that I cannot insert an unused zero-clearance plate, turn on the saw, and then raise the blade to cut through it. Works fine for my standard blades because there is a slightly raised section in the zero-clearance plate.

Apart from that annoyance, I have not seen any issues on my saw.

[Joe Angrisani]

Jeff.... Are you sure the arbor size matches? Many (but not all, certainly) 10" dado sets have 1" arbor holes. Most 10" saws and sawblades have 5/8" arbors. 6" and 8" dado sets tend to be the 5/8" arbor ones.

[Jerome Hanby]

I run an 8 inch stack on my 1.5 HP saw. I haven't seen any problems (other than my arbor is just the tiniest bit too short to use all the shims to get max width)

[Alan Schaffter]

Manufacturers sell more 8" and 6" dado sets because there is little need for a 10" one- a dado deeper than an inch is a rarity. It doesn't take much more effort to power a 10" dado, since little of the blade is buried in the stock.

[Neil Brooks]

I went with the 6".

Cheaper. Does everything I need. The motor doesn't seem to mind/notice.

I'd think a 10" stack -- particularly if you're using its full width -- would be a vicious thing to have to spin.

But ... if it's not bogging down YOUR saw, at YOUR feed rates, then .... I don't see the harm. Could it shorten the length of your motor, infinitesimally ? Maybe. Who knows.

But I think you'd want to be on the lookout for bogging, and adjust your feed rate accordingly.

I'd think you ought to be alright....

[Rod Sheridan]

A 10" dado will require 25% more torque for the same depth of cut/feed rate as an 8" dado.

I use a 6" dado on a 4 HP machine, which gives me a maximum dado cut of 1".

As others have said, that's plenty, my dado cuts are in the 1/4" to 1/2" range.

A 10 inch dado will also be more expensive.

Regards, Rod.

[Jeff Bartley]

I just got back from visiting my local tool vendor and found out that the 10" dado I purchased was made originally for a RAS (yes, it's a 5/8 arbor). I was told that you shouldn't run a 10" dado stack on a 3-horse saw and that it would stress the motor on start up.
By now I've probably used it a dozen times (I've had it for may be a year and a half) and have never felt it was bogging down the saw. I've never made deep cuts with it and have always used a steady but slower feed rate.
So, who knows, this is what I get for making a spur-of-the-moment purchase from the sale table!