One More Item To Get......

[Corey Hallagan]

Well, since I bought my new table saw I have been boning it up with accessories. Got a good combo blade, good mitre gauge and now I need a good dado blade. I never did get a dado blade for my craftsman 10in saw. I always used my router but would like to get a good all around dado that will do a good job in hardwood and plywood both. I am looking to spend around $75 -$80. for one. Also, since I have a 10 inch delta contractors saw, do I just need a 6 inch dado or do I need an 8 inch. I have heard both.

Thanks,
Corey

[John Miliunas]

Corey, a 6" stacked dado set should get you going just fine. Most contractor TS don't handle the 8" quite as comfortably. Your price range may be a bit limiting for a high quality set, though. That said, I have heard some pretty good things about the Delta 6" stacked set. One of the woodworking stores in our area even recommends them, saying they cut great and are a super value. Can't prove it by me, but the guys seemed to be shooting from the hip. (That's when I still had my contractor saw. I did eventually pony up and get one of the better Freud sets, though.)

[Corey Hallagan]

Thanks John. Looking around, I have seen a Frued S206 (6inch) set priced under 100.00. I know that a dado set that costs under 100. isn't gong to do exceptional job, however, I would like to get one if possible that decent job and leaves as flat a cut as possible for the money. If 100. won't get me a decent dado, then I would probably forget about a dado as the same money would get me half way on a good 2 HP plunge router.
Thanks again,
Corey

[Ernie Nyvall]

I bit the bullet, for me anyway, and they and got a CMT set, so aside from the brand for $80.00, I prefer the 8" over my 6". It is smoother and faster. One thing to consider though is if the saw will work well with an 8" cutting a full 3/4" dado. Taking out more wood with the 8" requires more hp than the 6". Does Delta recommend one or the other?

Ernie

[John Miliunas]

Thanks John. Looking around, I have seen a Frued S206 (6inch) set priced under 100.00. I know that a dado set that costs under 100. isn't gong to do exceptional job, however, I would like to get one if possible that decent job and leaves as flat a cut as possible for the money. If 100. won't get me a decent dado, then I would probably forget about a dado as the same money would get me half way on a good 2 HP plunge router.
Thanks again,
Corey

Corey, if you can swing the Freud, GET IT!!! Freud has got to have some of the best in dado blades out there and they don't usually like to stick their name on garbage products. Just MHO...

[Tom Peterson]

Corey I use a Freud 8" Super dado. It has the four wing chippers and gives a nice flat bottom. The set will go to 13/16 and includes shims for fine tuning the width. I think that either a 6" or 8" will serve you fine.

[Corey Hallagan]

Thanks Ernie, Delta doesn't recommend a 6 or 8 inch, just tells you that it will handle up to a 13/16" dado. Read some other threads and it appears 6 inch seems to be the norm for a 10 inch contractors saw. It is a 1 1/2 HP saw so the smaller size seems to make sense to.
John, thanks again, yes, the Frued would have to be considered for sure. I know that a 100 blade isn't going to cut like a 200. blade but I am looking for an acceptable alternative, the Frued may be it!

Corey

[Bruce Page]

Corey, the Frued S206 should give you excellent results. My last set was a Frued and it worked great until i droped it.

[Jack Norfleet]

I bought the SD208 with the intention of upgrading when I had the money. A year and a half later, and I haven't had a need to upgrade. It has cut smoth dados in both solid wood and various grades of sheet goods. It does, however, leave tiny "eared" grooves in the corners. I expect that the SD206 would do the same.

[Hal Flynt]

Another Freud Super 8 VOTE!(6 would be fine too).

As mentioned above, the Super has 4 chipper blades and will cut a clean sided, flat bottom dado even in plywood. I almost bought the Freud Set at the Borg with the 2 chipper blade, but decided to go with the 4 chipper set. Tools are personal.

Super 6 http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...&s=hi&n=552348

SD 206 http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...&s=hi&n=552348

And the rest: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...926825-5364035

[Jim Dunn]

Avenger!! Best customer service of any company I've ever dealt with. Had a tooth chip off and they sent me a complete set. No questions asked! So now I have 2 sets of dado blades. If I ever need a third set I'll buy them again.

[Corey Hallagan]

Avenger!! Best customer service of any company I've ever dealt with. Had a tooth chip off and they sent me a complete set. No questions asked! So now I have 2 sets of dado blades. If I ever need a third set I'll buy them again.

Thanks Jim, with the Avenger, do you get a good smooth flat bottomed dado in plywood and hardwood? What do these typically run?

Thanks,
Corey

[David Tiell]

Corey,

I gotta agree with Jack on his choice. I bought the SD208 about 2 years ago, and I don't see a need to upgrade anytime soon. It won't give you quite as clean or flat-bottomed a cut as the more expensive ones, but for under $100, it's really tough to beat. One of the woodworking magazines did a review on dado blades a year or so ago, and they rated it as a Best Value, and in a lot of areas, the cut rated almost as high as the more expensive blades. I bought mine at Lowes, about $85 at the time, but I think they are a little more now. Amazon has them for $95. Here's a link.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...?v=glance&s=hi

Dave

[Ellen Benkin]

I have a Freud "inexpensive" 6" set that I got at a show for under $100. It works just fine for grooves, dados, and making rabbets and tenons. Not a perfect cut, but good for my kind of work. I understand from friends that the Forrest set makes dead on accurate, flat bottomed, cuts but, of course, you have to pay for it.

[Alan Mikkelsen]

Another vote for the lower cost Freud dado sets. You will just about need a magnifying glass to see if they really do cut less smoothly than the expensive sets.