Sawstop dado conundrum

[Jack Frederick]

I have a Freud 8” dado set that has been excellent with my Unisaw, which I no longer have. I love the Sawstop...but...always a but, I wanted to use the dado set with the zero clearance insert. Ran the “ by-pass” procedure and got a cartridge error. Call SS and it turns out I have to buy either an 8” cartridge or a 10” dado set. The by-pass won’t work for me. I understand that someone might try to run an 8” blade regularly on the 10” cartridge, but frustrating to have to spend more. As it sits I am inclined to go for the more costly dado set and not have to mess with the cartridges. What do you like in a 10” dado set? Much obliged for any suggestions.

[Jason Lester]

I use the dado cartridge with an 8" stack. Swapping the cartridge only adds a few seconds, much quicker than even setting up the dado stack. I would be worried personally about all that extra mass with a 10" dado stack.

[Brett Luna]

Please buy an 8" dado brake cartridge and not a 10" dado set. The standard brake is intended only for single 10" blades with a kerf up to 3/16". The dado cartridge has more brake surface to stop the larger mass of the stack.

[Ed Pollock]

What is the conundrum? You need either an appropriate cartridge for the blade you have, or the appropriate blade for the cartridge you have. This is not a hidden cost of the sawstop, but one that is well known and advertised.

[BOB OLINGER]

For what it's worth, I have a 8" Frued dato set and use the dato cartridge and get along fine. I'm not aware of the need for a 10" dato set up; am I missing something?

[Jim Becker]

As has been noted, the best move is to get the dado cartridge to use with the dado blade you have. A larger dado blade isn't a good idea for a saw of this size from a power standpoint and would be pretty expensive, too.

[Marshall Harrison]

I'm surprised that SawStop mentioned a 10" dado option. I thought they only supported the 8" dado and claimed that a 10" was just to much spinning metal to reliably stop instantly.

I went with a Laguna Fusion but did a lot of research and talking with SawStop before I decided to pass on it.

[Peter Christensen]

The dado cartridge is twice as wide as the standard blade brake and I would not be inclined to put a 10" dado set in and use it with the regular brake. It would only grab one blade and chipper or two. I had a 10" dado set and remember reading in the manual that they were not to be used so bought an 8" dado set, brake and the dado throat plate for the saw. The cartridge is cheaper than buying a 10" dado set anyway. ;)

[Ray Newman]

My ICS SawStop is two years old. From the ICS manual supplied with it, p. 11 "Blades":

"NEVER attempt to use a dado set or blade other than the 8 inch dado set with the SawStop dado cartridge."

The above is repeated and high lighted in red on page 17 of the ICS manual.

[Martin Wasner]

You don't want a 10" dado set in a saw like that. It'll feel extremely weak, and it's just not built to handle that much mass swinging around.

[Wade Lippman]

I am sympathetic. It would be nice if "bypass" just turned the sensor stuff off. Presumably they think that would encourage carelessness and they might be blamed.

[Jack Frederick]

I will pick up the dado cartridge. I had not considered the mass issue on a 10” set. Thank you for your help on this.

[Mike Heidrick]

10" dado stack have 1" arbor hole.

[Martin Wasner]

10" dado stack have 1" arbor hole.

Except for when they are 5/8"

[Kevin Womer]

Dado cartridge works fine with my Frued dado on my PCS, but if you do buy the 8 inch dado stack from Freud get the set without the anti-kick back wings as they will not interfere with a brake activation. I learned this after talking with the folks at Woodwerks in Columbus, Ohio. Apparently they prevent the brake from digging into the dado if the brake is activated.

[Roger Marty]

Dado cartridge works fine with my Frued dado on my PCS, but if you do buy the 8 inch dado stack from Freud get the set without the anti-kick back wings as they will not interfere with a brake activation. I learned this after talking with the folks at Woodwerks in Columbus, Ohio. Apparently they prevent the brake from digging into the dado if the brake is activated.

Yeah I bought a Freud Super Dado without realizing.

The brake will still work but it may not stop as quickly.

[Peter Christensen]

I've asked SawStop last night about those chip limiting blades as the manuals don't say anything about not using them. At least I can't find it. If they say it's not approved I'm going to find out what the saw sharpening company here will charge to grind them off. To much and I'll sell it and get another and if reasonable off they come.

[Nick Decker]

I understand how the "shoulder", also referred to as anti-kickback or chip limiters or whatever, would not engage the brake as well as a regular saw tooth. But how is it that they limit kickback?

[Jason Lester]

I understand how the "shoulder", also referred to as anti-kickback or chip limiters or whatever, would not engage the brake as well as a regular saw tooth. But how is it that they limit kickback?

They keep the teeth from taking a really big bite at once. They can only take as much as the kickback limiters will allow.

[Mike Heidrick]

Except for when they are 5/8"

Which 10" dado stack has 5/8 arbor hole?

[Bill Space]

Which 10" dado stack has 5/8 arbor hole?


I got curious...a quick search turned up this one...


Amana Tool 651030 Carbide Tipped Dado 10 Inch D x 24T ATB/FT 10 Deg, 5/8 Bore, Dado Set

[Peter Christensen]

Which 10" dado stack has 5/8 arbor hole?

This one did but unfortunately I think the company is no more.

383335

[Martin Wasner]

Forrest sells one in a 10" for w 5/8" arbor. I'm guessing many do.

[Larry Ward]

Also sympathetic. I purchased a zero clearance dado insert with my saw but not the dado brake. I told the owner of the tool shop that I didn't do many dado cuts and wasn't worried about the safety feature of the brake for dado's. I was then surprised when I discovered I could not use the dado w/o the brake and a little upset at the dealer for not telling me. If I give sawstop $100 for the brake I can make the decision on when I want it active and when I don't. If I don't give sawstop $100 I am not allowed to make the same decision. Doesn't make sense to me. Now I'm off to the store to spend another $100 for the brake.

[Jim Becker]

Larry, while I'm not a SawStop owner, nor will I ever likely be on, what you describe as their expectation actually makes sense when you consider that they make and sell the machine with a focus on the flesh-sensing capability. While they do offer a way to disable the tech temporarily in certain situations to avoid mis-fires (what you would be taking advantage of with the installed dado cartridge but sensing disabled), insisting that an appropriate cartridge be installed during all use isn't unreasonable, IMHO. It avoids the "I didn't know it needed it..." product liability defense, too.

[George Yetka]

What is going to get you next is you need a zero clearance plate for every size dado you run unless you pick up something like the infinity tools plate with removable clearance blocks.

For this reason I have only used the sawstop to hit 3/4 undersized for BB and have been using router for 1/2 and 1/4. Anything else has been multiple router passes