Dado blade question

[Laurie Brown]

I am considering getting a stacked dado blade set for my table saw. I've never used a dado set before, so I'm looking for reasonably priced recommendations. I've seen the Freud SD208 mentioned, is that a good dado set?

Is there any difference or advantage to a 4-wing chipper (like I've seen on NYW) over a 2-wing chipper?

What should I look for in a dado set? What should I avoid?

[Bruce Page]

Laurie, the 208 is a well respected dado set. I was very happy with mine until I knocked them of the edge of my TS.
The 4 wing chipper will give twice the life and it will take less effort to push the work piece through the blades.

[Prashun Patel]

I like my SD208. I just got it. In fact, I got the 6" version which is fine for the < 1" dados I've been cutting with it.

The shims and chippers work fine for me; nice clean dados. One pc of advice, use a backer on yr piece to minimize chipout on the trailing edge of the dado.

[scott spencer]

The SD208 is a good set for the price. Sets with 4-wing chippers like the SD508 usually include outside cutters that also have twice as many teeth as the 2-wing sets, and will tend to have a cleaner cut as well as longer edge life, but that depends alot on the quality of the set. The DeWalt/Delta 7670 (http://www1.epinions.com/review/Dewalt_DW7670_8_Inch_Stacked_Dado/content_314538299012) is a 4-wing with an excellent cut for the price. I haven't tried the Oshlun set (http://www.holbren.com/manufacturers.php?manufacturerid=12&catid=673) but it's designed similarly to my $300 Systimatic Superfine set, and my Oshlun 40T blade was a heck of a good value.

[Brian Clevenger]

I usually don't brag about my dado stack because it was bought at a bargain price and does not have the name recognition that Freud and Forrest have.

However, I've been using the Oshlun 6" stack for over a year with great results. I previously had a Freud sd208, but I let that go with a saw that I was selling. I actually prefer the Oshlun stack. It leaves flat bottoms with no tear-out. Also, it has a 3/32" chipper for tuning to undersized plywood. If I were buying another stack today, I'd likely give the Oshlun 8" a go.

[Joe Scharle]

I've had the 208 for few years and it does the job. However, dados on a TS are a last resort for me. I much prefer to use a spiral downcut router bit.

[Jim Becker]

The SD208 is a very good value priced dado set. But you might want to consider the SD506 with the better chipper arrangement for cleaner cuts. (Yes, more teeth on the chippers is very desirable) You don't really need an 8" diameter for depth and the cleaner cutting action of the SD506 over the SD208 (at a lower cost than the 8" version) should make for less work for you in some applications. The SD506 will be a little more money than the SD208, however. Either way, you'll enjoy the blade setup.