Next Best...

[Joe Beaulieu]

So let me preface this by saying I love my wife dearly - I have the marriage I always wanted and things are fantastic. But... :-) SWMBO just doesn't get my need for tools, and even I have to admit that I have pushed the envelope a bit in the last month getting my shop back on line and getting machines and tool in a workable state. She is very happy to see me getting off my overly large derriere and is all for it, but I need to tone down the spending a bit.So that being said, I am building a hand tool cabinet. Nice addition to the shop and we are under way. However I need to cut some dado's and box joints on this new cab, and I think my old Delta dado set is probably not going to give me the best finish on these dados and finger joints. As much as I would love one, and under a no limit budget I would absolutely get one, but a new Forrest Dado King at $300 might be pushing the envelope a bit. What do you guys recommend? Is there a good medium priced spread that I can pick up that won't raise the eyebrows but will satisfy my need for clean joints? I am (I think) concerned with the kerf bottom - a blade with a square flat bottomed kerf would be my first choice. Any feedback is very appreciated. I am working in 3/4. 1/2, and 1/4 ply FWIW, as well as standard sized dimensional lumber, principally maple. Thanks Folks!Jobewan

[Jim Dwight]

I like my Freud Pro set. It is under $100.

[Tom Ewell]

Oshlun puts out a decent set, 6" should be all you need.
8" is sub $100 too.

[Peter Quinn]

All the ones I like are well over $200. Forrest, infinity, amana, Freud super dado, CMT. I don't think you have to spend that much to make dados, but I do think you get what you pay for. Perhaps one of the Freud box joint sets could accomplish your goals, they run around $80, you don't get all the odd sized cutters for under sized plywood such as with a dado, but you do get square bottom slots for finger joints and good blades.

[ken masoumi]

If she can settle for a lower price tool and both of you can be happy with that compromise, then she is a very understanding wife .

[John TenEyck]

This is a cabinet for your shop, right? Get your current dado set sharpened and get on with it. I have an older Delta 8" stacked dado set and it cuts just fine after I got it sharpened. Or use your router/router table. Why push the envelop when there's no real need.

John

[Yonak Hawkins]

This is a cabinet for your shop, right? Get your current dado set sharpened and get on with it. I have an older Delta 8" stacked dado set and it cuts just fine after I got it sharpened. Or use your router/router table. Why push the envelop when there's no real need.

John

..hear hear

[paul cottingham]

Honestly, i would either a) get your dado set sharpened, or b) use a regular blade to cut the dado ends and chisel out the in between or c) use a regular blade to cut the ends, then cut out the waste by bumping the work over, 1 (approx.) blade width at a time. Clean up the bottoms of methods 2) or 3) with a router plane or even just a chisel.

You could even use your existing blade as is, and clean it up with a router plane or a chisel. (Extra idea)

I use methods 2, 3, and the extra idea all the time.

if i had a choice of buying a new tool faced with your situation, i would buy (if you don't have one) a router plane. Much more ultimate utility than a dado set.

bear in mind, I am mostly a Neander. So YMMV.

[Martin Wasner]

You're under no limit budget? Buy the Forrest

[Matt Day]

You're under no limit budget? Buy the Forrest

He doesn't want to sleep on the couch.

[Reinis Kanders]

Just use chisels, it is a handtool cabinet:)

[Michael Moscicki]

He doesn't want to sleep on the couch.

How long are we talking about? One night? A week?

In all seriousness, I have a Freud SD208 which retails for $84.99. I got it with a used Craftsman 22124 that I purchased. I don't have anything to compare it to, but it produces great results for me.

[Ben Rivel]

If it helps, I got my Forrest Dado King for $240 shipped. Acme Tools does a 10% discount pretty regularly and they sell most of the Forrest Blades and they dont charge sales tax or shipping for orders over $150.

[Bill Neely]

The Dewalt 8" set is real good for the money and may go on sale black Friday.

[Joe Beaulieu]

Hey folks,

Great response, thank you all. I like the idea of using my existing Dado set, and then chasing after the groove bottoms with a router plane! That is an excellent plan. After a month or two I will get back to having a small budget I get to mess with to buy shop needs, so maybe I will pick up something on sale just after the holidays.

Many of the dados are larger than 3/8 so I can't use a box joint cutter. In fact, the case body calls for 1/2" wide box joints in the 3/4 wide ply of the sides and top & bottom.

Thanks again everyone. I really appreciate the help