Inexpensive dado blabe

[Anthony Whitesell]

I can get a CMT 8" 12T dado blade (230.12.08) for about $45 out-of-pocket. I know I should aim for a 24T. For the dados I do, I typically have used spiral router bits and have a 6" wobble dado. Should I jump on this or put my money towards a 24T blade?

[scott spencer]

You'd have to spend about twice as much to get into a dado set that's roughly comparable to a little nicer, and 4x as much to get a really good one. The CMT dado is very similar to the Freud SD208, which is a pretty decent set at ~ $90. The Delta 7670 is very nice at ~ $100. The Infinity Dadonator is stellar at about $200. It really depends on what the price difference means to you, and how badly you want those improvements.

A key point is that the CMT set is not really a cheap set....it's a good set that happens to be available to you pretty cheaply.

[Mike Henderson]

This isn't what you asked but I started making dados with my router because if the wood has any bow to it at all, you have to be very careful to get it pressed down as you go over the dado blade or the dado is not of constant depth. With a router (handheld) the router tends to follow any bows to give you a more constant depth of dado. You do need a jig to cut dados with a handheld router.

Mike

[glenn bradley]

Mike speaks true. Unless I am using recently milled lumber or some sort of composite that is actually pretty flat, the tablesaw is my last choice for dados. A router with a small base plate can follow the swings and sways of today's sheetgoods. Every now and then I come across a large piece of very old plywood. It is so odd; it is actually the size it is called (1/2", 3/4", whatever) and it is flat . . . creepy.

All joking aside, I have a Freud SD508 which dos a wonderful job with very minimal bat ears. I also picked up the CMT when Lowe's was blowing them out. You can see the tracks left by each cutter but for about $30, It is a great way to save wear and tear on the Freud when doing rough work. Lowes now sells the same set but, Ridgid blue instead of CMT orange. They are both so much like the Freud SD208 I thought they was made by Freud and re-badged (???).

[Gregory King]

Anthony, I bought a $45 set of King [no relation] dadoes a few years ago, and I would rank them up with the two Freud sets we have at work. Good heavy steel cutters that cut perfectly in the cross direction on cabinet plywood. I still smile on that saving, everytime I use them. But , for the cross grain direction on wide panels, I use the router as well. Plus the fact that is safer. Greg

[Matt Meiser]

I have a really nice Freud 6" set and still picked up that CMT set when Lowes clearanced it based on reviews around here and the fact that I recently had a need to make some cuts that my 6" dado set didn't work for (making an interlocking cutting grid.)

[johnny means]

I have a really nice Freud 6" set and still picked up that CMT set when Lowes clearanced it based on reviews around here and the fact that I recently had a need to make some cuts that my 6" dado set didn't work for (making an interlocking cutting grid.)

Not to hijack, but if like to see more on this interlocking cutting grid.

[Matt Meiser]

Johnny, I'll try to remember to post some pics when I set it up in a week or so.