6" Dado Set

[Michael Zerance]

Is there any advantage that a 6" dado set has over the 8" sets?

I recently acquired a table saw which included a 6" dado set as part of the package deal but I already own two 8" dado sets. Is there any reason to hang on to this or should I just sell it?

[Peter Quinn]

If the saw is under powered its less steel for the motor to have to turn. Other wise no advantage, and if the saw is 3hp or above, the weight thing is not relevant either.

[Ellen Benkin]

As a hobbyist, I have never found any reason to have a dado set larger than 6". But if you already have two 8" sets and you are happy with them, I'd put it on Craigslist and get some of my investment back.

[Rod Sheridan]

Is there any advantage that a 6" dado set has over the 8" sets?

I recently acquired a table saw which included a 6" dado set as part of the package deal but I already own two 8" dado sets. Is there any reason to hang on to this or should I just sell it?

Yes there is an advantage for me.

The maximum size dado my saw will accomodate is 180mm so an 8" set is too large..........Rod.

[Andrew Pitonyak]

Your depth of cut is limited by the size of the blade. An 8" Dado set, therefore, should be able to make a deeper cut than a 6" set. On the other hand, a larger set weighs more and puts more stress on the motor and related parts.

I own a SawStop, and the brake is set for a specific blade size.

Check the specs on your saw, it may specify a maximum Dado size in either blade diameter and/or stack width.

[scott spencer]

It depends on the particular dado set and the saw. Some saws are limited to 6" sets. If all else is equal, 6" sets are lighter to spin, which can help some weaker saws, but there's really no performance advantage just from being 6" vs 8". If all else is not equal (often the case), I would imagine that a set like the 6" Freud SD506 or Dadonator junior would be far superior performers to something like an 8" Mibro set. The 8" sets will have a faster tooth speed.

[Earl McLain]

I've wondered the same thing as the original poster--Assuming sets of the same quality, say for example Freud SD506 versus SD508, and that a given saw could accommodate and spin both equally--would the angle of entry on the cut or other geometry tend to favor the one size over the other? (Also assuming that the additional 1" depth of cut wasn't needed, of course). Just a curious question. Thanks!!
earl

[Andrew Pitonyak]

I've wondered the same thing as the original poster--Assuming sets of the same quality, say for example Freud SD506 versus SD508, and that a given saw could accommodate and spin both equally--would the angle of entry on the cut or other geometry tend to favor the one size over the other? (Also assuming that the additional 1" depth of cut wasn't needed, of course). Just a curious question. Thanks!!
earl

I think that the blade itself will make more difference than the blade size. Choose one based on how deep you think you will cut. If you want more than a 1" depth ever, then get an 8" set. That said, if you want to go all academic...

If you cut a piece of plywood, where does the tear-out occur? On the bottom. As the blade cuts the wood, it hits the wood on the top and the cut is supported by the wood under it. When the blade exits the wood, the blade is likely cutting in a downward motion. If that portion is not supported, then you will more likely have tear out. This is why a zero-clearance insert helps cut quality.

If you want a really nice cut, the typically recommendation is to run a very shallow scoring cut first. Why does this help? Probably because the blade is exiting at a very low angle.

As a little experiment, raise your saw blade in your table saw, and as you do this, look to see the angle of the blade as the blade spins and goes beneath the saw top. If the strange blue circle below was a saw blade and those lines were "teeth", if the blade were raised to the halfway point (which is not possible), the blade would be cutting straight down. If cutting straight down, you will likely have more tear-out on the bottom. The point is, the further you are from the middle of that imaginary blade, the more shallow the angle and perhaps that translates into less tear-out.

304922

So, if you need to make a cut 1" deep, the closer to the top of the blade that the teeth exit the bottom of the wood, the less the tear-out. So, theoretically, the larger the blade, the less the tear out on your Dado.

But I doubt that you will notice a difference in practice.

That said, see what this guy from Forest has to say about blade height. In his first example, (about 2 minutes in), he raises his blade high so that the cut is cooler on his rip. He then lowers the blade to reduce the angle on a cross-cut. He then cuts ply around 5:45. Summarizes this about 6:40 in.

He shows an example about 15 minutes in, but he is using a plywood blade and he does not raise the blade high to do his plywood rip cut, he leaves it low for no tear-out.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SgdTXphEJ4

He is going for that low angle. He says that directly around 17:50 in.

At 19:00 he talks about dadoes. He mentions that a 6" blade will give you a groove about 1" and 8" he says about 2".

[Ole Anderson]

I had an old 6" dado set (steel, not carbide) from my dad. It went into the trash the second I got my 8" Freud dial-a-dado. All of my old non-carbide blades met a similar fate.

[Michael Zerance]

I have a CMT ITK plus 8" dado set which works well and a Mibro 8" junker that I use for melamine projects. The 6" set that came with the saw is a Freud SD206m. Based on your replies and the information provided, I have listed the Freud for sale. Thanks for the help, fellas.

[Kent A Bathurst]

.......... assuming that the additional 1" depth of cut wasn't needed.....

In that case, there is no reason to spend the extra $$ to get the 8" set.

When I was doing my initial shop set up, I wanted to get a dado set. I knew diddly-squat. I called Forrest to order blades - WW II and an 80t crosscut/panel, and a dado set - 10".

The guy on the Forrest sales desk says "What? Why 10"? What will you be doing with that monster?" I said "I dunno - it's a 10" saw, so I figgered........." He said "Nah. You don't wanna do that. Complete waste of your money. You will never need the 10". You may well not even need the 8", but that will give you safe harbor for the long run."

The sales guy, telling me to buy a lower-cost product. They had my business locked down after that.

Today - the normal spread with them is $50. RIght now, they have the 8" discounted so there only a $16 difference - - -in which case the 8" makes sense, because they are virtually the same price. At $50, though, you can use that money on many other things.

[Earl McLain]

Thanks for that Andrew. Makes sense--especially that in practice not a noticable difference.

earl

[Earl McLain]

I heard that!!
earl