Questions About Freud SD206?

[Paul Fitzgerald]

I've been searching for a Stack Dado Set for my new TS3660 and have narrowed my choices down to the Freud SD506 and SD206.

I'd like metal rather than plastic shims. I'd like a plastic rather than a cardboard storage case. But more importantly, I want flat cuts and little to no visible scoring marks made by the outer blades (bat ears?).

I see the SD206 has a plastic case and metal shims, so that's good.

I've found some reviews and pictures of test cuts made by the SD506. The tenon was flat and smooth with no scoring marks. I was wondering if the SD206, being less costly, would make noticeably less flat or noticeably less smooth cuts... possibly with visible scoring marks.

So does anybody have and use the SD206? Are the cuts flat? Do you get bat ears (is that really what they're called? :confused:)? Are wide tenons smooth after making multiple passes?

Thanks!

Paul

[Troy Donson]

Paul,

I have the Ridgid 3650 TS and the Freud SD208 (8in as apposed to the 6in SD206) dado stack and I am very happy with it. It makes very nice tenons and very flat, very smooth dadoes.

It is good to have a set of Venier (sp?) calipers to measure the stock with, or do like I do....lots of test cuts!!!

I have made tenons up to 1 1/2" long with no problems at all.

[Paul Fitzgerald]

Paul,

I have the Ridgid 3650 TS and the Freud SD208 (8in as apposed to the 6in SD206) dado stack and I am very happy with it. It makes very nice tenons and very flat, very smooth dadoes.

It is good to have a set of Venier (sp?) calipers to measure the stock with, or do like I do....lots of test cuts!!!

I have made tenons up to 1 1/2" long with no problems at all.

Troy,

Thanks for the info!

Did you consider the 6" before purchasing? If so, what led you to the 8"? Do you need the extra depth?

Paul

[Troy Donson]

Troy,

Did you consider the 6" before purchasing? If so, what led you to the 8"? Do you need the extra depth?

(get the 208)

I did consider the SD206, but went with the 208 becaue I figured I would rather have the capacity if I needed it rather than have to buy again later and for my personal comfort level.

(get the 208)

The fact that I have used it to make lap joints in some 4X4 posts proved it was worth it to me. I could have notched it with the 40T blade I was using and then cleaned the chips out... But with the dado it was about 7-8 swipes and a nice smooth pocket for a 2X4. I am sure I could have done the same with the 6" but I wanted to be "absolutely sure" it would cut deep enough when mounted in my old Delta Radial Arm Saw. To me the $10-11 extra was worth it.

(get the 208)

In all honesty I just felt better about the 8" set. I would rather be comfortable than worried about how high my blades will reach when out in the shop. Then again you may never require more than the 206 will give you.

(just get the 208)





:D:DTroy:D:D



(GET THE 208!!!!!!!!!)

[Paul Fitzgerald]

(get the 208)

I did consider the SD206, but went with the 208 becaue I figured I would rather have the capacity if I needed it rather than have to buy again later and for my personal comfort level.

(get the 208)

The fact that I have used it to make lap joints in some 4X4 posts proved it was worth it to me. I could have notched it with the 40T blade I was using and then cleaned the chips out... But with the dado it was about 7-8 swipes and a nice smooth pocket for a 2X4. I am sure I could have done the same with the 6" but I wanted to be "absolutely sure" it would cut deep enough when mounted in my old Delta Radial Arm Saw. To me the $10-11 extra was worth it.

(get the 208)

In all honesty I just felt better about the 8" set. I would rather be comfortable than worried about how high my blades will reach when out in the shop. Then again you may never require more than the 206 will give you.

(just get the 208)





:D:DTroy:D:D



(GET THE 208!!!!!!!!!)

Hmm. That's weird. Suddenly, I now think I should get the 208. It's almost like there was a subliminal message in your post. Odd.

In all seriousness, I was leaning towards the 6" for two reasons... 1) I don't know that I'd ever need the capacity of the 8". But then again... never say never. And 2) I figured my 1-1/2HP saw would appreciate not having to spin the extra weight of the 8". Price isn't an issue. The 8" is only $10 more than the 6".

:D

Paul

[Troy Donson]

Paul,

Well I WAS trying to be subtle... :eek:

As for the hp issue, like I said I have the same table saw as you (one generation behind) and I never had an issue with the motor straining using the dado stacked up to 3/4" thick. Nice steady feed = nice flat cuts.

Also the blades don't stretch real easy when you need 'em to...

Like the time I tried to fell a 30" tree with a 12" chain saw... Let's just say it kinda got ugly...

Troy

Old Age means you just can't get out of the way as fast as once could!!!:rolleyes:

[Paul Fitzgerald]

Paul,

Well I WAS trying to be subtle... :eek:

As for the hp issue, like I said I have the same table saw as you (one generation behind) and I never had an issue with the motor straining using the dado stacked up to 3/4" thick. Nice steady feed = nice flat cuts.

Also the blades don't stretch real easy when you need 'em to...

Like the time I tried to fell a 30" tree with a 12" chain saw... Let's just say it kinda got ugly...

Troy

Old Age means you just can't get out of the way as fast as once could!!!:rolleyes:

Very good points Troy.

Hey, Amazon's selling Freud blades for 25% off. Hmm. Maybe I should splurge and get the SD508. Decisions... Decisions...

Thanks again!

Paul

[Paul Fitzgerald]

Also the blades don't stretch real easy when you need 'em to...

Ha! I just thought that's a lot like those pesky cables at work. Sometimes they're just not quite long enough and you have to send the new guy to find the cable stretcher. :D After all, copper is softer than steel. ;)

Paul

[John Newell]

Contrary voice here...had a SD208 and found that I got a lot of scoring. I sold it and upgraded to an SD508, and have been very pleased. Perhaps there was something wrong my the SD208 set I got, dunno. The SD508 was a huge improvement.

[Eric Fuller]

As someone above noticed, amazon is giving 25% off on Freud sets. I bought an SD508 set about a week ago for $149 delivered...what a steal. Went back to pick up another set for a friend and amazon was sold out - the page now directs you to buy them from timberline tools without the 25% off promotion.

Then I noticed a Frued set I had never seen before...the 408. Comes with 40 tooth outside plades and the 2 blade chippers from the 208 set. Anybody used this set? Almost looks like Freud is ditching the 508 as their top of the line and going with the 608 with the 408 and 208 as lower end options.

[Jim Becker]

The SD206/208 is a value priced dado set that does reasonably good work. The SD506/508 is the premium line with better chippers and a better cut, especially in sheet goods.

[Casey Carr]

Not to hijack the thread, but what about the Dial-A-Dado? I just purchased one, but am probably going to return it since the case is broken and I didn't notice. Haven't even taken it out of the box.

But if price isn't a problem...

Although I can't speak for how flat it cuts since I haven't tried it yet.

[Mike Heidrick]

Welcome Casey. The SD608 dial a dado is a very nice one. Not sure how bad the case is broken but you might be able to call and have them give you a certain % off it if you ordered from amazon and the break is not bad. Plus get the 25% off credited as well.

[Mike Hoyt]

I have had great results with the 6" version. The bottoms are dead flat, but i do get a little scoring on the bottoms, nothing that hurts assembly but you can see them. That being said, Im already getting sick of shims and changing out chippers, a Dial-a-width is in my future.

[Terre Hooks]

I've got the SD206 and I wish I had paid more money for the 506/508. The 206 does a decent job, but it's barely hobby-grade work.

Spend the extra money and get the set with the better chippers and more teeth on the outside blades.

[Mike Hoyt]

I have had great results with the 6" version. The bottoms are dead flat, but i do get a little scoring on the bottoms, nothing that hurts assembly but you can see them. That being said, Im already getting sick of shims and changing out chippers, a Dial-a-width is in my future.

[Brad Townsend]

I've had the 208 for three years now and used it many times. I have yet to cut a dado that wasn't plenty "good enough". The 508 would probably be slightly smoother to the well-trained eye, but for all my work, something was going inside that dado that covers up any perceived advantage to the high-end stack anyway. From my experience, the 206/208 cutters do an excellent job and for me, the $80-100 additional cost for the 5 series is not worth it. Just one person's opinion.

As to the size issue, I have yet to cut a dado with my 208 that could not have been done with a 206, but for the cost difference, I would probably still buy the 208.

[Charles McCracken]

Not to hijack the thread, but what about the Dial-A-Dado? I just purchased one, but am probably going to return it since the case is broken and I didn't notice. Haven't even taken it out of the box.

But if price isn't a problem...

Although I can't speak for how flat it cuts since I haven't tried it yet.

Casey,

If only the case is damaged you can call our parts and repair department at (800) 334-4107 (option 3) and they may be able to just send you a new one.

[Eric Fuller]

Charles, what's the story on the 408 line? Is the 508 being replaced?

[J. Z. Guest]

I've got the SD208 from Home Depot for something like $97. I use it on my Ridgid TS2400 with great results. (not quite as powerful as your TS3660 due to the universal motor vs. your induction motor)

The dado bottoms are flat & square. There are no bat ears. The only thing that keeps them from being absolutely perfect are a pair of scribed lines at the bottom of the dado. These are barely even worth mentioning.

I chose the 208 over the 608 because it requires less power to make good dadoes. (fewer teeth) I think this is idea for 1-1/2 hp and less saws. Maybe Charles can confirm.

FWIW, I'm buildling a project now that have a lot of tongue & groove joinery. I had used my SD208 to make 90% of the tongues. The last one I made, I used a 3/4" straight bit on my router table it came out much better and with less effort. The cuts were cleaner and the depth adjustment was a bit easier to get just right. But cutting these tongues was more like cutting rabbets than dadoes. Routing dadoes takes multiple passes and just the right router bit. Dado sets don't require more than one pass, so they're faster.

One thing worth mentioning is that a high quality entry level dado set such as the 206 or 208 will give smoother results with a slower feed rate. Of course the more teeth you have, the smoother it is going to be at ANY feed rate, but still not as smooth as a routed dado.

[John Gregory]

I have owned the 208 for years, had it sharpend once. It always worked well, but after the sharping, wow, cleaner cuts and less effort for the saw. I bought the 8" because that was the only choice where I bought it. If I ever replace it, I will buy a 8" again.

[John Newell]

am probably going to return it since the case is broken and I didn't notice.

Ironically, the SD20x sets come in a MUCH better package than the SD50x! I bought a Blade Runner case to hold the SD508, and find it more secure and more convenient.

[Howard Acheson]

Keep in mind that the Dial A Width (SD60x) will not cut a full width dado when used on most Contractor or Hybrid saws. The arbor is shorter on these saws and the thicker width of the dial mechanism limits the maximum width of the dado that can be cut.

That said, it's a great dado. It's basically the SD50x with the adjustable hub that eliminates the need for shims. The SD50x is every bit as good as other top quality dados. In fact, some magazine tests rate it the best of them all.

[scott spencer]

Paul - The blade you're looking for may not exist. AFAIK, most dado blades use outside cutters with an ATB grind, and all leave some form of "bat ears" as a result....there may be some exceptions that I'm not aware of but I dont' believe the Freud is one of them...my SD208 left very small bat ears, and some minor striping....an aspect that Wood Mag discovered in their testing as well. The SD508 should leave a cleaner bottom, but the bat ears will remain AFAIK. To get flat bottoms with no bat ears requires an FTG grind which in turn will cause more tearout, especially in plywood or melamine. A dado from a router bit will have a flat bottom.

http://freudtools.com/images/product/sd200chart.jpg

[Charles McCracken]

Charles, what's the story on the 408 line? Is the 508 being replaced?

The SD408 is the same as the SD308 except that the outside saws have 40 teeth instead of 24 (it is listed at the bottom of this page: http://www.freudtools.com/p-314-safety-dado-sets.aspx ). It gives excellent cuts and easy feed in solid wood but due to the positive hook angle is not as clean in plywood, laminates and melamine as the SD208, SD508 and SD608. All are current items and will continue to be offered.

[Eric Fuller]

Thanks Charles...I have one of each on the way from Amazon so we'll see how it goes.

BTW I agree with John about the packaging. The 20x hardcase is FAR superior to the 50x boxes, mainly because the clear plastic thingies used to keep the blades separated fall apart in rather short order.

EDIT: Actually the USPS just dropped my 508 and I'm surprised to see a very blingy chrome finish - my old 506 was brushed steel. Sure enough the plastic liner holding the blade set has already been pretty well chewed up in transit.

[Paul Fitzgerald]

LOL, Ya'll talked me into the SD508, which is on sale for $149 at Amazon... but it's not in stock at the moment. Hopefully it won't take too long for me to receive it.

Thanks for all the info.

Paul

[Casey Carr]

Actually, I think I'll try and take it back to Rockler. I paid the full $250 for it. I need to see if they'll match the 25% off that Amazon is offering.

I looked last night and didn't see the 25% off on Amazon. Did see a 25% off on router bits and accessories if you bought some other doo-dad, but couldn't find the 25% off blades. Can someone point me in the right direction. Don't believe I even found the 8" Dial-A-Dado on Amazon. And yes, I believe I can handle the full Dial-A-Dado, have a Jet cabinet saw, so if that won't do it, I don't know what will.

Thanks for all the help and information. Been reading on here for a while, but never really felt I could add a whole lot.

[scott spencer]

Actually, I think I'll try and take it back to Rockler. I paid the full $250 for it. I need to see if they'll match the 25% off that Amazon is offering.

I looked last night and didn't see the 25% off on Amazon. Did see a 25% off on router bits and accessories if you bought some other doo-dad, but couldn't find the 25% off blades. Can someone point me in the right direction. Don't believe I even found the 8" Dial-A-Dado on Amazon. And yes, I believe I can handle the full Dial-A-Dado, have a Jet cabinet saw, so if that won't do it, I don't know what will.

Thanks for all the help and information. Been reading on here for a while, but never really felt I could add a whole lot.

The 25% off Freud dado (http://www.amazon.com/Freud-SD608-8-Inch-Width-Stacked/dp/B000089H8P/ref=pd_bbs_5?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=1207092800&sr=8-5) sets still shows...the seller must be Amazon though.

[Casey Carr]

So is the 8" Dial-A-Dado on sale for $250 on Amazon? It says I save 38%, but that's what I paid for it at Rockler. Or is it 25% off $250, which would come out to 187.50? If it's $250 either way, I think I'll take Charles M. up on his offer and call Freud for a new case. Thanks for all the help.

[Paul Fitzgerald]

So is the 8" Dial-A-Dado on sale for $250 on Amazon? It says I save 38%, but that's what I paid for it at Rockler. Or is it 25% off $250, which would come out to 187.50? If it's $250 either way, I think I'll take Charles M. up on his offer and call Freud for a new case. Thanks for all the help.

It's 25% off $249.99, which makes the total $187.49. The discount won't show up until you begin checking out. You'll see the $62.50 savings then.

At least that's how it worked when I purchased the SD508.

P.S. Don't forget to use the Sawmill Creek "SHOP" link at the top of the page.

Paul

[Casey Carr]

One last question, how long is the sale going on? Won't be able to get back to Rockler to return it until Sunday. Want to see if they'll match Amazon's price before I order one through Amazon.

Nice link to Amazon. I'll be sure to use it to generate a little cash for SMC!

[Paul Fitzgerald]

One last question, how long is the sale going on?

That's a good question, but I don't know. I don't think they specify.

Paul