Dado set question

[Chuck Pickering]

I'm new to fine(er) wood working. I have an old Craftsman 10" table saw. Looking to get a dado set. What should I look out for? Adjustable vs. stack type.
I want to build wall shelf units and work bench cabinets.

Chuck

[Grant Wilkinson]

I'll jump in first and suggest an 8" stacked set. Freud makes a reasonable one.

[Mike Ontko]

Hi Chuck,

For the applications that you've identified (nothing too exacting), a wobble type dado head would work just fine. And you might even be able to find an inexpensive used Craftsman model on CL or eBay. For cleaner and more accurate dadoes and grooves, you'll want to consider a good stacked dado set. I started with a Craftsman wobble type setup but now have an Oshlun 8" stacked set. I might still have that wobbler, and would be happy to make arrangements for sending it out if you'd cover the postage and handling.


Mike

[Chuck Pickering]

Would love to have the wobbler set. Does it have instructions? Let me know how much it would cost to send to Tennessee.
I'm watching e-bay and CL.

Chuck

[Chuck Pickering]

Oh, another question. I have seen an 8" set recommended for a 10" saw. Is that just the common size, or are there other reasons? Why not a 10" set?

Chuck

[David Eisenhauer]

Stacked sets typically come in either 6" or 8", with (as I know it) the 8" being the most commonly used. You don't need 10" as you are not going to use it to cut all the way through your material. Like many folks, I started with a wobble for more "construction" type projects, then moved to an 8" stack for more precise "furniture" cuts. Over the years, both Freud and Forrest have scored well on comparative reviews, however I am sure there are other brands equally as effective. The decent stack dado sets will come with some plastic shims for use in fine tuning your desired cut with. If you can work something out with Mike, good for both of you so you can dip your toes into the pond.

[Rod Sheridan]

Hi Chuck, dadoes and groves are normally shallow, say 1/4" to 1/2" deep, you don't need much depth of cut.

The other issue is that a small saw arbour (5/8") and small bearings, housings etc would be overloaded with a 10" set.

I happen to run a 6" set in a 12" saw with a 30mm arbour.............Rod.

P.S. I second the choice of a good stacked set, I have one from FS Tools.

[Cary Falk]

I have the Delta 36-7670 and think it is a great set for around the $100 mark. The Dewalt DW7670 is the same set. The chippers are 4 tooth instead of the 2 tooth like some others in that price range.

[John Vernier]

I have used a 10" dado stack for special purpose joinery in a commercial shop. It's much heavier than an 8" set, and even with a 5hp saw it takes a noticeably longer time to spin up to speed. Given the extra cost, and the strain it puts on the saw, I wouldn't consider a 10" set until I had a specific need for it - and I wouldn't consider running it on a light-duty saw.

[Myk Rian]

A 6" stack is all you need. The reason being you don't usually make dados deep enough to need an 8", and the larger diameter puts more load on the saw/motor.

[Chuck Pickering]

Thanks for all the responses. Mike, I would like to accept your generous offer. PM me what it will cost to send the 'wobbler', and I'll PM you my address. Thank you!

Chuck

[Ray Newman]

As an aside: most stacked sets will not cut flat right out of the box. The different diameters of the cutters -- outside blades -- and the inner chippers leave an uneven cut. A good sharpening service will easily re-grind and sharpen the cutters and chippers to the same diameter to cut flat. When a dado set needs sharpening, have all the pieces done so as keep the diameters the same.

Or, use a router plane or dado clean out bit with bearing in the router to flatten the work.

Work shop rumor is that the better carbide dado sets cut a flat bottom. On some carbide set, the outside chippers will cut "bat ears" into the work as the outside cutters beveled/slightly protruding teeth reduce /eliminate tear out.

By design, wobble dado blades leave a slightly curved bottom --or at least the old Craftsman that I had did. No idea if a wobble dado can be re-ground to cut flat. Have heard it can not be done.

Once had a 1.5 horse power (on a 220 v. dedicated circuit) Delta contractor's saw that worked well with a 6" dado set, but would bog down with an 8'' set. Dado sets are heavy and require more horse power for deep/wide dadoes. Depending upon the width and depth of the cut and wood, it might not be possible to cut a deep dado in one pass. Also feather boards and similar hold downs will help provide a better cut.

[glenn bradley]

Thanks for all the responses. Mike, I would like to accept your generous offer. PM me what it will cost to send the 'wobbler', and I'll PM you my address. Thank you!

Chuck


I just love it when stuff like this happens.

[Jim Dwight]

I have a wobble that will cut a flat bottom dado but only at one width, I think it's 3/4. I rarely use it because it is so difficult to set. I should probably set it for the 1/32 small 3/4 plywood and just leave it there. But instead I do not use it. I use a Freud "Pro" 6 inch. It is their least expensive set and cuts flat bottom dados. It is also easier for me to set to the desired width. But I often use a router for a shallow dado, my favorite type. I cut them only 1/8 or even less, mainly to locate pieces during assembly. I have a jig you clamp over the desired piece going into the dado and then use a flush trim bit in the router. Much quicker.

[Greg Hines, MD]

I have a Freud 8" stackable, and it does great. I also have a very old Craftsman wobble that I only ever used in my dads old radial arm saw, though it never made very nice dados. You always have to clean them up.

Doc

[John K Jordan]

...how much it would cost to send to Tennessee.


Chuck,

Where are you in TN? If you happen to live near Knoxville I also have one you can have. I am just a couple of miles north of Clinton.

Mine is the Craftsman with the carbide teeth, I think I bought it about 40 years ago along with the shaper head. Used both on my radial arm saw for many, many projects including a lot of dados and rabbets for shelves. I don't remember any curved bottoms. I thought the thing was easy to adjust. The thing was scary on a radial arm saw but safe enough.

JKJ

[Mike Ontko]

Thanks for all the responses. Mike, I would like to accept your generous offer. PM me what it will cost to send the 'wobbler', and I'll PM you my address. Thank you!

Chuck

Chuck, with holiday activities beginning to shift into high gear, it may take me a couple of days to get the mailing info for you. In the meantime, here (below) is a pic of the blade. It's a little caked with pitch (I'll take care of that) and could probably use a sharpening at some point. But the last time I used it, it was still cutting well. I inherited this blade along with several others and an older contractor style Craftsman tablesaw (model 113.299040). It's previous owner was a contractor and his daughter (a friend of my ex's) gifted it to me, for use on the house I was remodeling at the time.

These types of dado blades are effective but just a little troublesome to use--you can't completely trust the markings for getting accurate widths. Insead, you just set it to some value close to what you'd like to achieve and then run a test pass or two, making adjustments after each pass.

I don't know of any instructions, but the principle of operation is pretty straightforward--there's a small (maybe 3/32") Allen head set screw that you loosen and then simply twist the dial on the wedge to change the amount of wobble, which affects the width of the cut. Once you get it positioned, tighten the set screw, mount it to your saw (it fits a standard 5/8" arbor), and away you go. Don't forget to use a wide enough throat plate--if your tablesaw didn't come with a dado plate, then you can always buy or make one.

349012

[Mike Ontko]

Chuck,

Where are you in TN? If you happen to live near Knoxville I also have one you can have. I am just a couple of miles north of Clinton.

Mine is the Craftsman with the carbide teeth, I think I bought it about 40 years ago along with the shaper head. Used both on my radial arm saw for many, many projects including a lot of dados and rabbets for shelves. I don't remember any curved bottoms. I thought the thing was easy to adjust. The thing was scary on a radial arm saw but safe enough.

JKJ

When it rains it pours, I guess :)

Chuck, it sounds like John has the same blade and I'm betting the postage would be a bit less coming from his zip code (I'm all the way over in the northwest corner of the lower 48).

Mike

[Chuck Pickering]

Chuck,

Where are you in TN? If you happen to live near Knoxville I also have one you can have. I am just a couple of miles north of Clinton.

Mine is the Craftsman with the carbide teeth, I think I bought it about 40 years ago along with the shaper head. Used both on my radial arm saw for many, many projects including a lot of dados and rabbets for shelves. I don't remember any curved bottoms. I thought the thing was easy to adjust. The thing was scary on a radial arm saw but safe enough.

JKJ

John, I'm near Kingsport, just off the Fall Branch exit of I81. I go to McGee/Tyson Guard Base about every 6 weeks(Retired AF, use the BX there). Also have a good friend in Jefferson City I visit when I go to McGee/Tyson.

Chuck

[John K Jordan]

John, I'm near Kingsport, just off the Fall Branch exit of I81. I go to McGee/Tyson Guard Base about every 6 weeks(Retired AF, use the BX there). Also have a good friend in Jefferson City I visit when I go to McGee/Tyson.

If you are not in a hurry perhaps I could meet you in Knoxville the next trip or you could drop by and visit my shop. You can have the molding cutter also if you want. I made a bunch of pine picture frames with it years ago. Send a PM.

JKJ

[Wes Ramsey]

Chuck, with holiday activities beginning to shift into high gear, it may take me a couple of days to get the mailing info for you. In the meantime, here (below) is a pic of the blade. It's a little caked with pitch (I'll take care of that) and could probably use a sharpening at some point. But the last time I used it, it was still cutting well. I inherited this blade along with several others and an older contractor style Craftsman tablesaw (model 113.299040). It's previous owner was a contractor and his daughter (a friend of my ex's) gifted it to me, for use on the house I was remodeling at the time.

These types of dado blades are effective but just a little troublesome to use--you can't completely trust the markings for getting accurate widths. Insead, you just set it to some value close to what you'd like to achieve and then run a test pass or two, making adjustments after each pass.

I don't know of any instructions, but the principle of operation is pretty straightforward--there's a small (maybe 3/32") Allen head set screw that you loosen and then simply twist the dial on the wedge to change the amount of wobble, which affects the width of the cut. Once you get it positioned, tighten the set screw, mount it to your saw (it fits a standard 5/8" arbor), and away you go. Don't forget to use a wide enough throat plate--if your tablesaw didn't come with a dado plate, then you can always buy or make one.

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=349012&stc=1

I have this same blade, or one very similar. At the narrowest setting it will cut a flat bottom as there is no wobble and the teeth don't have bat ears so it cuts a nice, flat 1/8. Set wider it doesn't leave the bottom smooth at all, but it is still pretty flat. For tenons I make several passes and clean it up with a shoulder plane. I don't think sharpening would make it any better simply due to the wobble design.

It came with my saw when I bought it and I was happy enough with it that I wasn't inclined to spend a bunch more on a new one. Then last week I dropped it and broke 2 teeth :eek: I like it for cutting box joints so I'm gonna get it fixed and sharpened, but again, due to the design I don't expect any better results when cutting wider dadoes.

[Chuck Pickering]

Well, I have lucked out and bought a Craftsman 8" stacked dado set from a listing on Craig's list. It came in the original box, with 6 original cardboard shims. Box was wet with something, seller said it wasn't wet when he photographed it to list it, and didn't know what was on it. Blades and chippers have pitch/glue burn marks on them, and some minor rust but so far are cleaning up with acetone.
First project will be a nice finger joint box for it, maybe with the original box inside, and a custom insert with a dowel to hold the blades, chippers and shims.

Thanks for the offers John and Mike, but I think I'm good. Won't tell you what I paid for it, might get accused of robbery!

Chuck

[Chuck Pickering]

The original box is drying out, and I'm cleaning the pitch/glue residue off the blades and chippers. I have been watching youtube videos on how to set it up.
Scarry! No instructions came with it. Can anyone recommend a good video, book, or a source of original literature on this set?
The blades and box have catalog # 9-3247 on them.
Looking at similar sets on E-Bay, the price I paid was good.

Chuck

[Ray Newman]

Instructions? Google: "dado blade set up" or "dado blade set up instructions" using the part number?? Or search on Sears site??

Now, do you have the dado blade insert for the saw? The insert for a dado blade are different than those meant for a regular saw blade. If you do not have one, or if one is no longer available, etc., fabricate a shop made insert.

You say the set has a pitch and born marks, so do not be surprised -- especially if it is a steel blade set -- that the entire set needs sharpening and setting to cut flat, carbide sets stay sharper longer. In any case before using, examine the teeth and chippers to determine if they are dull or in the case of carbide, chipped or missing carbide tips.

[Chuck Pickering]

Instructions? Google: "dado blade set up" or "dado blade set up instructions" using the part number?? Or search on Sears site??

I have searched, extensively. Only thing I have found is a short blurb in the user manual for a Craftsman Radial Arm saw. In an old posting on e-bay, the seller mentioned his set had an instruction sheet with it. None came with my set. I would love to find a copy of that sheet, if just to pass on to the next owner when I'm gone. Sears manual site only reports the item is obsolete.
I have been spending these cold days watching everything I can find on youtube.


Now, do you have the dado blade insert for the saw? The insert for a dado blade are different than those meant for a regular saw blade. If you do not have one, or if one is no longer available, etc., fabricate a shop made insert.

Do you mean the plate on the surface of the table? I inherited the saw from my Dad. Came with rip fence and miter gage, a couple of table inserts, and the blade that was on the saw. I'll have to dig out the inserts I have and see. I do plan to make some custom zero clearance inserts.



You say the set has a pitch and born marks, so do not be surprised -- especially if it is a steel blade set -- that the entire set needs sharpening and setting to cut flat, carbide sets stay sharper longer. In any case before using, examine the teeth and chippers to determine if they are dull or in the case of carbide, chipped or missing carbide tips.

I am cleaning the set carefully. Taking a lot of elbow grease, though there is not a lot of residue on them, just old and hard. I need to find a cheap plastic bowl to set the set into to soak in kero or something. I only tried a bit of acetone on a rag on one of the outside blades, too cold to do more at the moment. It does look like the set may have been spun on the arbor at one time. I will make some trial cuts, and if necessary, have the set re-sharpened and re-ground to match.

Chuck

[Greg Hines, MD]

I took my throat plate, taped it to some MDF, and routed up a half dozen replacements for just this sort of thing. You will probably need to recess it into your table top, and most people make one for common widths, such as a 1/4", 1/2", 3/4" etc. I also have one that has been used for some random widths and is pretty chewed up, but when it is done, replace it.

Doc

[Jeff Bartley]

While we're on the topic of dado sets can we compile a list of sets that don't leave the 'bat ear'? It's usually not a big deal for me but my current set leaves them and I'd love to know which ones leave a perfectly smooth dado!