What do you mean I don't need a dado blade?

[Andrew Pitonyak]

I read this thread

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?211247-Conventional-Table-Saw-v-Sliding-Table-Saw

And I saw statements similar to the following:


I agree with Loren, the dado thing is overblown. There are other ways to do it. Also, its a bit of misinformation that sliders and dados are incompatible on a grand scale. I think most have the longer arbor. BTW, the slider and the Sawstop are apples and oranges, that slider is in a whole new league than and cabinet saw.

It is not clear to me if this statement is assuming that they are other ways to do it with a slider, or just in general.

Off hand, I can think of the following:



Router (in table or not)
With a hand saw and chisels
With a suitable handplane.


I like my Dado blade.

[Jamie Buxton]

In woodworking, there are usually multiple ways to accomplish an operation. Which one you use depends on your tools, your skills, and how you like to work. As you've pointed out, there are multiple ways to cut a dado. Your choice may be different from the choices of others. No biggy.

[Bob Glenn]

Christopher Schwartz has said there are six ways to do everything, two of them are good, two of them are bad, and two of them will get you by.

[Andrew Pitonyak]

In other words, no obvious other "magic bullet" that I missed. Just checking?

[Loren Woirhaye]

There is. The panel router combined with bits designed for dadoing. Available here:

http://www.hersaf.com/shop/index.php/action/category/id/7/subid/56/


(http://www.hersaf.com/shop/index.php/action/category/id/7/subid/56/)

[Rod Sheridan]

Hi Andrew, I have a slider with dado capability.

I use the shaper for rebates because face it, the shaper is designed and guarded for edge treatments, I don't have a guard that works with a rebate cutter on my saw.

For dadoes, the slider is better because you have a sliding table to attach the workpiece to.

For grooves, the shaper can often do those, once again better than the saw if the dimensions fit.

Many people don't use a dadoe cutter now, if however you like one on a cabinet saw, you'll love it on a slider............Regards, Rod.

[Steve Rozmiarek]

Andrew, I was referencing Lorens technique in that particular post. He said you could define both sides of the dado with the standard blade, then hog out the middle in multiple passes, paraphrasing a bit. If you are just cutting one dado for example, this approach is far faster than switching tooling. I personally have the euro style dado head for my machine that I usually use. My machine is a combo so I can use the shaper with the slider too, and as Rod said, the shaper is a great option.