I am in the market for a new dado blade. I remember some time ago there was a product review of a number of blades. I though it was in FW, but I couldn’t find a reference to it. Tried AW and came up negative also.
Does anyone out there know where there is a good product test on these blades?
Thanks
Replies
One thing to consider is the power of your saw. Most contractor's saws perform quite a bit better with a 6" set vs. 8". Most times you are not going that deep, maybe 3/8" in a 3/4" board.
I prefer the stackable type with individual cutters vs. the "wobble" type. I think you get a flatter bottom, even with the newer wobble types with the extra cutter. Either way, go for the carbide tipped blades.
I have the Freud stackable set, and have no complaints. I think it was less than $100.00.
All that being said, I do most of my dadoes and rabbets with a router, especially on large pieces. It's easier to move the router across the piece (using an aluminum straightedge as a guide) than moving a large piece across the table saw.
Appreciate the input. I have a 3hp cabinet saw.
I agree that with a large piece the saw is a good place to clamp to so that you can use a router or dado plane.
Don't know about FWW, but wood had a 15-set review in September 2003. The Freud and Forrest tied for top tool. The Freud cost, at that time, $60 less than the Forrest.
Here's a link to on-line info at Wood.
Don't know what your budget is, but if you have the money, you should take a look at the Freud stacked "Dial-a-Width" dado set.
forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
Another proud member of the "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>)
I like the adjust a width, but I have heard that it cannot fit on some saws.
Thanks for the link.
OK, Dave, go ahead and make me drooooool :-). Anyway, I doubt if a 3HP cab saw would be a problem.forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)Another proud member of the "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>)
Dave,
I have not read any reviews on dado blades, but I've used a few. Stackable sets are much more precise and cut a smooth flat groove. I only use CMT brand blades now, they work great.
Well, I cant speak of the reviews, but personally, I've had cheaper ones and the Forrest dado King. The King is not cheap,but boy it cuts nice. I like the magnetic shims and the cut is as smooth as a baby's bottom. My vote is for the King.
Ditto, bones. I wouldn't trade mine for any others.
Bones
I bought the Dado King too about 5 years ago. But mine only came with plastic shims. Are the magnetic shims you got part of the package now, or something you bought separately and added on?
For what it's worth, I'm pretty happy with this dado set too. Flat bottomed dados and minimal to no chipout. The only slight problem is that one of the 2 outer blades may be ground a few thousandths too small. I often end up with a paper thin high spot in one of the corners that peels right out with a sharp chisel. I haven't ruled out the possibility though that the stack may be ground consistently and something with my TS arbor is causing this.
I love the smell of sawdust in the morning.
I purchased it from Coastal tool a couple of months ago and it came with the Magnetic shims and stored in a nice orange case. I assume this is the way Forrest sells it. Before I bought it, I had used the wobblers and another stacked blade set. They were not very expensive and did not give very impressive results. The King is a completely different story. I probably will never make enough dado's to justify the cost being a hobbyist, but it sure goes through like butter, and the end-result is problem free. If you have problems have you considered sending it back to Forrest to get it checked out?
I've been very happy with my Freud stacking set. Much cleaner cut than the old adjustable I had. My regular blades are Forrest, but I don't do enough dado cutting to justify the cost difference for the dado set. You won't go wrong with either.
Without a doubt, if funds are available and you cut lots of dados, go with the Freud dia-a-width.
A newer blade made by Infinity Tools looks like a good alternative. Check out a review at http://www.newwoodworker.com/review/infdado.html. I like the looks of this one. It will probably be my choice when mine burns up.
I got a "File not found" on that link. (hmmmm, no problem when I went through the home page).
forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)Another proud member of the "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>)
Edited 1/4/2005 1:28 pm ET by forestgirl
What is it about the Infinity dado set that makes it preferable to Freud's regular 8" stacked dado ("Super Dado"), which is only $10 more?forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)Another proud member of the "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>)
Absolutely nothing wrong with Freud. I've never been able to find their dado set here for a decent price. Like I said, If I had the cash, my first choice would be the dial-a-width. The Infinity seems to be more accurate than most, reducing the amount of time fiddling with shims.
Price is certainly a consideration. I hit Amazon or the Woodworking Shows to get good prices on Freud. Sorry, I'm not following on the "more accurate" description. Their blades and chippers come in the same combination of widths that is the standard these days with the better dado sets. I'm not trying to slam the Infinity set, just haven't seen anything that sets it apart.
Before I wandered away from a proven producer such as Freud, I'd want to check into two things (assuming the review is accurate in what it does address). [1] How thick is the carbide (how many sharpenings can I get) and [2] Does it's design help discourage or limit kickback? forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)Another proud member of the "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>)
Nothing wrong with Freud. Its my dream blade. OK second in line to Forrest. Unless I win the lottery, the latter will never happen.
Guess I kind of like the underdog too. I like the design of the Infinity. Chippers have 6 teeth instead of the usual 2. Hook angle is -5 degrees to help with tear out. (Could be better on my RAS too.) Sharp 20 degree bevel angle to help prevent chipping. Carbide is C4. Can't tell you how many sharpenings you can get out of them. Looks like even the chippers are of an anti-kickback design.
What I mean by accuracy is that you put together a 1/2 inch stack and cut a 1/2 inch groove. My experience has been that I usually need a shim or two to get the 1/2 inch. Of course it only makes a difference if the wood you're using is that uniform in thickness which doesn't necessarily happen.
I would love a Freud. When the time comes I'm going to give them a serious look, probably along with CMT and Dimar. The Infinity is going to be right in there too. Till then I'm going to keep using my good ol' Mastercraft, shims and all, keep reading reviews and posts and see what happens. Nice to have a choice.
By the way, if you're looking for a second opinion, try http://www.onlinetoolreviews.com.
Edited 1/5/2005 3:13 am ET by wooden splinter
Edited 1/5/2005 3:15 am ET by wooden splinter
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