Dado blades

[andrew whicker]

I'm looking to buy a 8" 5/8 arbor dado blade set.

I have it down to these three companies:

Freud SD508
Infinity Dadonator
Amana 658060

I've read the reviews and they mostly seem to be all good. Anything from you guys? Just go with the cheapest of the three and call it good?

I don't foresee cutting a lot of melamine. I have a new project that will require a bunch of mortise tenons in walnut that will be highly visible. Want / need a flat bottom cut on the mortise. Would like / need them to be sharpen-able.


Cheers,

[George Bokros]

I have the Freud SD508 and I am pleased with their performance. Nice clean cuts.

[Ray Newman]

Here's my experience: what is your saw's HP?? Back-In-The Day, I started out with a 1.5 HP 10" Delta Contractors saw. Great little TS, worked well with a 6" dado set.

But -- and there always is a "but" -- I was gifted with an 8" set and it had trouble the 8" set, even with its independent circuit 220 v. line. I had to be aware of not cutting too deep and not feeding too fast, otherwise the saw would bog down. Heard and read the same from others. Seems as if a 2 HP or less motor may have trouble keeping up if cutting to deep or the work fed too fast.

[Ben Rivel]

Any reason the Forrest Dado King isnt in that list?

[Andrew Kertesz]

Andrew I sent you a PM, check your messages...

[Chris Padilla]

What is the resolution of widths you can reliably cut? In other words, is there a, for example, 3/32" chipper that allows you to dial in x/32" dado widths?

I have the CMT Precision Dado and I can do 1/4 - 29/32" every 1/32" step. This can be handy for undersized plywood. We all know 1/2" plywood ain't 1/2" thick. Anyway, this Dado set has done me well over the years although I don't do dadoes a whole lot. I did recently make a bunch of box-jointed drawers and so used my dado blade quite extensively for that exercise.

[Van Huskey]

If the Dado King set isn't on the list for a reason I would get the Dadonator.

[Ray Newman]

Ben Rivel: do believe that the Forrest would be hard to beat in terms of performance. I think the price difference (approx. US$80.00) between the Forrest8" dado set and those listed will be negligible over the Forrest's longevity and performance.

As an aside, what set do you think/know leaves less "bat ears"? From what I have seen, seems as if all dado sets create "bat ears", some more than others. The only time I ever saw flat dado it was dado set cut, then finished to required depth with a router or router plane.

OP: you said you "want/need a flat bottom cut on the mortise." Do you mean tenon instead of mortise? I really cannot fathom how you would utilize a dado set to cut a mortise. What am I missing or not understanding what you want to do??

[andrew whicker]

Motor: 3HP

Forrest: It's an extra $100. Is performance an extra $100 better?

Mortise: Thinking corner mortise. Some people call it a bridle joint, but other call a bridle joint the miter + mortise / tenon. 'Bat ears' would really ruin the aesthetics. (http://collections.infocollections.org/ukedu/collect/ukedu/index/assoc/gtz006e/p120b.gif)

PS: I'm going on a small shopping spree here for a project (sharpening stones, dado blade, tenon jig). Would like to get all for $400 or less.

[Van Huskey]

Regarding the least bat ears try looking up bat ear posts by member scott spencer (you can limit searches to a specific member in advanced search) he was/is the member that put the most time into table saw blade posts and had good comparison pictures of various bat ears, IIRC one of the cheaper sets had the least bat ear profile to the cut.

[Chris Padilla]

The box joints I cut with my CMT dado: perfectly crisp, sharp 90 degree corners. No batman ears to be found. :)

[David Kumm]

The bat ears are a compromise for dados in thin veneer ply. Like the HI AT grind on ply blades. Not as big a deal if mainly cutting hardwood but you will want them if doing ply. I also second the recommendation that the saw be strong enough to handle the extra weight. It's not just the HP but the stress on the bearings and arbor. Dave

[Jim Dwight]

I have the Freud SD208 - the cheaper one - in 6 inch. It works great for me. Nice flat bottoms and clean cross cuts. I own a bunch of Freud blades and I've never been disappointed. I use it on my RAS too to cut tenons in long heavy pieces. Works well there too.

[scott spencer]

The Dadonator is the best of the sets I've used, and wouldn't hesitate to recommend it over any. Outstanding performance in just about any material. The Dadonator has 6 chipper teeth vs 4 on the other two sets, which equates to 50% more, and it uses raker teeth to minimize the depth of the bat ears.

Bat ears exist on ALL stacked dado sets that use an ATB or HATB grind....there would be a lot more tear out in cross grain cuts with them.

[Bill McDermott]

I understand that you are solving a specific problem here, but as a hobbyist who is not doing the same thing over and over, rather adjusting for every dado as if the first and last time... I truly appreciate the "dial a dado" SD608 Freud set. It ships with a chart that gets you pretty darn close and then can be adjusted to precision without removing the stack from the arbor (loosen the arbor but and twist/click the dado set). In any case, I encourage you to consider if there are a variety of different widths and needs in your future.

Also, as others have suggested, when a perfectly flat half lap or similar cut, with no scoring lines is needed, I cut a tiny bit light and use a rabbet block plane (LN #60 1/2) to clean up after the dado. It's fast and effective.

[Wayne Jolly]

I use the Freud SD508 as my goto dado set and it does a great job. But if I want the greatest, bestest, flatest, crispest dadoes it's my Forrest Dado King.

And lets get one thing straight. They are DEVILS EARS!!!!!!!! :D:mad::D


Wayne

[Kevin Groenke]

If no bat ears is a critical criteria, and you can do the bridles you want with a 1/4 or 3/8 +shim, you might also consider a box joint set.

(http://http://a.co/iO5X0gx)http://a.co/iO5X0gx

http://a.co/0tnrGFT

Obviously less versatile than a dado set, but great for bridles of a certain size and less money. Of course great for box joints of a certain size too.

[andrew whicker]

Thanks for everyone's help!

I went with a barely used set of the Freud SD508.

The King was whetting my appetite, but I decided to spend the extra $100 on the whet stones for my chisels / jointer blades / planer blades. When I'm rolling in the dollars for my furniture, I'll get the King.

Thanks again!

Cheers,

[Ole Anderson]

I understand that you are solving a specific problem here, but as a hobbyist who is not doing the same thing over and over, rather adjusting for every dado as if the first and last time... I truly appreciate the "dial a dado" SD608 Freud set. It ships with a chart that gets you pretty darn close and then can be adjusted to precision without removing the stack from the arbor (loosen the arbor but and twist/click the dado set). In any case, I encourage you to consider if there are a variety of different widths and needs in your future.

I have the SD608 and I agree with everything Bill said. Acme has them for $247.47. http://www.acmetools.com/shop/tools/freud-sd608 (http://www.acmetools.com/shop/tools/freud-sd608) I have their width chart taped to the wall next to my TS. Tells you which blades and how many clicks on the adjuster in 1/32" chart intervals. http://www.freudtools.com/admin/manuals/Dado_Chipper_Chart.pdf