A few thoughts on dado sets

[Rick Potter]

For various reasons, I seem to be overstocked on dado sets...a couple old Sears HSS, several adjustable wobble sets (remember the Comet?). I don't know why I keep these, they haven't been used since Reagan was president.

On the other hand, I have had an 8" Forest Dado King for years, and it has been wonderful, cutting clean accurate dados on my table saw. A couple years ago I decided to put it on my RAS, as I had a lot of shelving cuts to do. We have all heard about how a RAS will self feed if you don't control it. A dado set makes this self feeding noticeably worse. I started checking around to see if any newer sets were made for RAS, and found the Freud Super Dado which has the nibs on the back of the teeth. (My Forest does not have any nibs). The advertising for it did not mention RAS use, so I called Freud and talked to a tech, who said this is the one to use.

I bought an 8" set, put it on the table saw, and it made great dados, flat bottom, no tear out. Nice set. I then put it on the RAS, and found that it pulled just as much as the Forest did. This was very disappointing, as that was the reason I bought it. It was still a great set, so I kept it as a spare. On the table saw, I would be hard pressed to recommend one set over the other.

A while back, at Sears, I found out they were dumping Freud saw blades and got several industrial rip blades for $18 each, and went into full tool junkie mode. They also had a Freud box joint blade set at half price, and it came home with me. That thing is awesome. I use it all the time, 1/4" grooves with the blades one way, reverse the position and 3/8" grooves. Right now it is on the RAS for making drawer joints, and partition slots, flat bottom, perfect slots. I would get another if I could find one on sale.

Later, at Lowes, still in tool junkie mode, I found a CMT (the orange one) 8" dado set on clearance for $49, and grabbed it. It also has the safety nibs, but I haven't put it on the RAS, because it does not make a smooth bottom, I think the chippers are slightly off, leaving a couple slight ridges on the bottom...enough that I sand them. In my opinion this set is definitely not in the same class as the Forest or Freud.

There you have it, my dado set story. Yours may vary.

[eugene thomas]

Year ago bought 12" delta ras and when got home and taking blade off found out it has 5/8" arbor. Kind of not happy with having to deal with spacer every time change blade. Then needed to cut some dados. Was nice to be able to use my 5/8" arbor forrest dado blade on the ras.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

I have on Freud stack dado set...and the other day when searching for some plumbing parts in our shed (not my shop) I discovered an old wobble set I had.

[Rod Sheridan]

When I upgraded my saw I had to replace my dado set as the old one was too large in diameter.

So I gave the old one to a friend and bought an FS Tools dado set.

Still only one dado set in my house.

The nice thing about my new set is it also fits the shaper............Rod.

[Dick Brown]

I'm a yard sale junkie among my many other faults. Have had a Freud 8" set for years that I bought new and loved them. Then several wobble sets and 6" Craftsman sets. Have managed to find homes for them mostly with saws I have refurbished.. (Why don't those guys come back to visit??) Last summer bought a near new 8" CMT set that are nearly identical to my Freud set, made in Italy for $10. Also a nice looking 8" carbide set, made in China along with a nail gun and a profile sander for near nothing. Gave the nail gun to our church for a major building project, sold the sander and have the dado set left for free. Now, can someone please tell me why I need three sets??

[Rod Sheridan]

. Now, can someone please tell me why I need three sets??

Tool hoarder...............Just saying, not like it's a bad thing among this group of people

Regards, Rod.

[Chris Padilla]

I have the CMT (Orange) dado set (paid a heckuva lot more than you fellas!). Mine cuts very smooth bottoms but it has gathered dust since the Domino arrived. With plywood thicknesses seemingly varying weekly, I got frustrated using a dado set so on its hook it hangs....

[Rick Potter]

That sure is odd, Chris. Wonder why your CMT set cuts smooth bottoms, and mine doesn't? It was brand new, not a return when I got it.

Eugene...as far as I know most all 12" RAS have a 5/8" arbor, probably so they can use a dado set. My 12" DeWalt 7790 has one, as did my 12" turret Delta.

[Jim Becker]

I only ever owned the Forrest set and was very, very pleased with it. But yea...you have an....um...well...addiction there! LOL

[Art Mann]

You seem to collect dado sets like I collect routers.

[Bruce Wrenn]

That sure is odd, Chris. Wonder why your CMT set cuts smooth bottoms, and mine doesn't? It was brand new, not a return when I got it.

CMT makes several grades of dado sets, just like Freud. I own a couple of the wobble ones, a Freud safety set, Freud SD-208, Freud dial a width set, a Forest Dado king, along with several steel Sears sets that came with saws I purchased. The 208 gets the most use, but my weapon of choice for dadoes in plywood is a reverse helix cutter mounted in a router.

[Bill Neely]

I've had several dado set, including a Freud - the best I've used is the Dewalt. I'll need to get a 10" set some time after the first of the year so I'm looking at the options.

[Rick Potter]

Curious Bill,

Why a 10" set? Maybe you are running a 14" or so saw? Timber framing?

[Peter Quinn]

I get by with a single forest 6" set. I really should have thought that one through, the price difference between 6" and 8" was maybe $40 at the time, I was spending a lot setting up the shop, it's used on a 5hp cabinet saw. Pound foolish for sure. But it's done nearly everything I've ever needed. Only once can I recall having wanted more blade projection for some large tenons. It does a fine job for shallow dados, drawer bottom slots, etc. I'd really like to get a box joint set, but I'm sort of committed to getting the job done with what I have until the kids are out of college.....and they are 5 and 7 now......so it may be a while before my next dado set.

[Jim Davenport]

I've had a 8" forrest dado king for many years. Mine has a negative rake, on both the blades, and chippers.
I works like a champ on my old Dewalt MBF RAS. I just have to feed carefully due to the limited horsepower available.