Dado and Table Saw

[Andrew Pitonyak]

I do not know either saw, but, my opinion is that if all else is equal, I would take the ability to use a Dado set is important to me. OK, so maybe you can't do it on one pass, but you can nibble a bit at a time. Then again, if the other saw is clearly superior in some other way (like a better fence), you can always use a 1/8" blade with appropriate cutting edges (so they cut square) and nibble a bit out at a time. I have done this for things such as drawer bottoms where I have it cleared in a few passes and that can take less time than setting up my Dado set.

[Mark Hockenberg]

Brent - I agree with everything above. The jobsite saws mentioned are not up to the task of accurate hobbyist woodworking. Using one of these will be very frustrating.

When I started out I found a used contractor saw with a cast iron top. It was serviceable and cost me $175. The fence was poor but with some tweaks I made it usable. The extra surface area of the top and the extra weight are key in getting good results.

Over the years I've used my dado stack frequently and wouldn't want to be without it. That said, there are always creative alternatives in woodworking - Nibbling / Routing, etc.

[Brent Malwicks]

A lot of good insight, thanks everyone

[glenn bradley]

A lot of good insight, thanks everyone

It sometimes seems like everyone has something other than an answer to your question to offer. Please understand that it is difficult to give a black and white answer to a prickly question like running a dado on a real lightweight machine. It gives most of us the willys. I hope the info was at least somewhat helpful to your friend.

[Dick Mahany]

All of the advice offered so far does have merit however I need to offer another perspective. I downsized a few years back and had to part with my trusty Unisaw w/ 52" extension and full outfeed table because I simply don't have room for it. I would never had considered a portable saw until I tired of having only a track saw. After several tablesaw-less years, I broke down and purchased a DeWalt 7491RS portable jobsite saw. It has been an absolute joy to use even for precision woodworking and cabinetry. It certainly will never be as capable as a dedicated cabinet saw, but it can do more than many people give it credit for, and I routinely run full kerf Woodworker blades without problems (although I do not typically work with stock thicker than 5/4 hardwoods).


The 7491RS model can spin a full dado stack and I have routinely had excellent results with an 8" Forrest Dado King. The fence is rock solid and can be calibrated precisely for cut distance, albeit on the small side, but that can be overcome. There are adjustments to align the blade parallel to the miter slot, and to align the fence parallel as well. The table is small, but an outfeed table and a small infeed table can overcome a good portion of these shortcomings depending on one's needs. The dust collection is excellent and has both below and above the table capabilities. A true riving knife and separate blade guard/splitter with removable anti kick back pawls can all be changed quickly without tools. True, it is a screamer due to the universal motor, but I had to make compromises or have no table saw at all. Best of all, it folds quickly and easily and rolls into the small area that I have to store it in, yet the stand with the splayed legs makes this a very stable saw when set up.

I added an outfeed table, an infeed table, and an auxiliary tall and long fence that have greatly improved the utility of this saw and they all are quickly attached or removed and store separately in my small space. For small precision work, a simple crosscut sled has been perfectly adequate. The biggest negatives to me are the non magnetic table and the lack of a blade tilt lock, but they're more of an annoyance that I've learned to live with. Also, the tiny stock miter gauge is near useless, but an Incra miter gauge resolved that issue.

I do agree, that if one has ample space and budget, a dedicated contractor or cabinet saw is far preferred, but the right model jobsite saw can be set up and tuned to provide accurate results. I can only speak from my experience and simply hope to offer new users another perspective when considering whether a portable saw has any place in their shop.

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[Rich Engelhardt]

Lower end job site saws tend to have non-standard miter slots - often with those annoying little ""nibs"" that block the channels & prevent using a sled.
Highly annoying - way more so than not taking a stacked dado.
They are also real "tippy" because of their light weight. Only attempt cutting a full sheet of plywood at your own risk & under no circumstances try it without someone else around to call 911 or pull the plug on the saw when (not if) it gets away from you mid cut.
My experience was pretty harrowing. The sheet skewed sideways & caused the blade to bind. Sadly, because it was a 15 amp motor, it had enough power to yank itself sideways & start to tip over.

Trying to wrestle an angry saw isn't my idea of fun....

The rotten fence on it made any sort of repeatable accuracy a pure matter of luck.

I paid around $200 for it - sold it for $100 and invested anther few hundred in a Ridgid TS 3660.
I also sprang for a Festool TS55 Eq track saw - mainly for sheet goods, but, it also solves many other issues that otherwise would have you scratching your head wondering how to do it - - and/or asking he for advice (and being told by people a track saw is the best tool for the job).