Dados on table saw vs Groover on shaper

[Dan Friedrichs]

What are the pros/cons of using a dado blade in a table saw vs a grooving cutter on a shaper? I can see how the shaper could be used for end-grain cuts on long stock, but are there other applications where one is superior?

(trying to justify why I need an adjustable shaper groover when I already have a dado set )

[Brian Holcombe]

All of the above, depending.

I ran a few thousand feet of dados last week and used the table saw with guide rollers. The parts I made would have probably been best cut with a moulder but would not have been able to be cut on a shaper (I don’t have one on any case) due to the offset from the edge.

[Mel Fulks]

Can’t come up with much, but sometimes a dado set is used to make a “decorative “ cut, in that case a carbide shaper cutter gives a cut without
“bat-wing” corners. You have to be careful with dado sets , they are so easily damaged by clanging together. Even though they are
expensive some just don’t have the patience to handle them.

[Kevin Jenness]

Depends on the location and orientation of the groove in the work. Shapers are better for edge work but the height of the groove above the table is limited. With a tablesaw you can locate a groove anywhere on the face limited by the rip fence capacity. Grooving an edge on the saw relies on the stiffness and squareness of the fence for accuracy. It's easier to keep a powerfeed set up on a shaper, and that is a real plus for safety and consistency.

[Rod Sheridan]

Hi Dan, one case where I use an adjustable groover is when the dado set won’t go thin enough, I run into this with glass or thinner veneered panels.

I bought a 30mm spindle for my shaper so I can use the dado on it.

The other times I use a groover are for cutting both cheeks of a tenon simultaneously, or when the dado doesn’t have a deep enough cut…..Regards, Rod

[Mike King]

There are a few advantages of an adjustable groover. First, the groover has knickers on it to give a very clean cut. Second, they give flat bottoms, although the knicker may leave a very minor indentation, as opposed to the "bat ears" that come from a dado set. Third, they are designed to be used with and come with spacers that allow you to fine tune the width of the groove usually to a tenth of a millimeter.

Some table saws accept adjustable groovers. And as said before by others, there are other considerations as to table saw versus shaper. But as far as I'm concerned, an good quality adjustable groover will beat any dado set hands down.

Here's a video by David Best talking about adjustable groovers.

[Warren Lake]

nah

Not all have bat ears depends on the set, depends on who sharpens
and just when is an issue only once ever had that and cutting rabbets at the end dont want to loose any material so use a wider dadoe than the rabbet
I have spacers from the shaper that are better than supplied dadoe sets all made from shim stock, shims are often used on dadoe blades
I have negative rake dadoes for cross grain cutting plywood, they cut clean,

A dadoe set can go from less than 1/4", if it came with shims and you remove them, with all the chippers can go to 13/16"

I doubt you have a set of groovers that can cover that range of dadoe widths.

[Michael Schuch]

What are the pros/cons of using a dado blade in a table saw vs a grooving cutter on a shaper? I can see how the shaper could be used for end-grain cuts on long stock, but are there other applications where one is superior?

(trying to justify why I need an adjustable shaper groover when I already have a dado set )

You can only cut grooves (I will call dados "grooves" when cut on a shaper for clarity even though they are all dados or rabbets) on a shaper on stock that is a few inches high. You can cut dados on a table saw in much bigger panels.

I will cut groves on my shaper on smaller stock because I have a power feeder on the shaper which feels safer to me than cutting them on a table saw especially with stock of smaller dimensions. It is also quicker to not have to switch between a dado stack and a regular blade on the table saw.

For cutting end grain groves on a shaper use a sled and a backer board to reduce tear out. This works quite well.

I have a variety of straight shaper cutters of different widths but have never found a reason the spend a bunch of money on a variable grooving shaper cutter for my hobby shop. I have an 8" Freud dado stack and a 10" Amana dado stack (with 1" bore) that I use on my table saws and radial arm saw. Both of these dado sets cut very flat bottoms with very minimal tear-out if any. For most everything I do I find these sufficient. If I needed groves in a lot of stock I would consider a fixed width shaper cutter for the job so I can use the power feeder like mentioned above.

[Rod Sheridan]

My dado set doesn’t leave bat ears and it produces a Avery flat and square cut….Rod.

[Warren Lake]

Who is Avery?

Whats wrong with Bats? Oh wait

[Jared Sankovich]

Hopefully this pic works as apparently my subscription isn't on auto renewal.

If you need a perfect / clean cut, the groover is the way to go
20210916_084906.jpg
20210915_162929.jpg

[Mike King]

17/64" to 25/32"?

[brent stanley]

In my experience, you typically get a cleaner cut from an adjustable groover, and I also feel much safer doing stopped rebates or grooves on the shaper than on the table saw where you are dropping the material down onto the table/cutter.

[Warren Lake]

you have a groover set that goes from 17/64 = .2656 and all the way to 25/32 which is .7813 ??

Then what do you do with 1/4" bottoms or others that are never 1/4", last baltic I measured was .2305

My Galt which are drilled out to 1 1/4" for shapers go to .2285 which pretty much covers all the new world stuff. Every Dadoe manufacturer will be a bit different, these were my first set long ago. I use 3/8 for most drawer bottoms not a concern for me. Usually back cut.

Your 17/64 wont cut it for a 1/4 or less bottom.

Insert cut cleaner, on the example shown back of a drawer at the bottom dadoes will do that fine, maybe not as clean but close.

Safer as well dropping on, coming from dadoe blades from the beginning im used to that so better is a bonous. This stuff wasnt around back then.

If I read this right you need two to three adjustable groover sets to cover the range the Galt 8" Dadoes.

[Mike King]

here is the set I used for the dimensions. It has three pieces and you adjust the width with shims.

https://us.feldershop.com/en-US/en-U...k9md9ousr10ap4

You can also use the 225mm adjustable groovers from Rangate.