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Thread: Problem with Dado Blade

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Oct 2005
    Location
    Hartford, WI
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    Problem with Dado Blade

    I installed my Freud 6" dado blade in my table saw in order to cut some box joints for recipe boxes I am building. When I did my test cuts (see photo below), I noticed a very poor cut with uneven bottom of cut. I thought maybe I had a bad blade set, but on investigation I noticed that the blade against the arbor fence fit snugly on the arbor. But the second blade has some play on the arbor, which allowed the blade to dip below the inside blade directly below the arbor, thus the outside blade cut deeper than the inside blade. If I held the blade so that the arbor was more or less centered in the blade hole, then tightened the arbor nut. This produced a much better bottom to the cut.

    So, my question is: Do I have a bad/cheap arbor? and is there a standard solution for this? such as a ring or shim or something, or do I have to fudge this when ever I use it?

    Thanks for any help, and I hope I was clear enough.

    Mike
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  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2004
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    Zanesville, Ohio
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    Mike,

    I'm certainly no expert, but I would get calipers on the arbor and the hole in the blade to see which is the culprit. Did you try and switch blades on the outside?

    Ron

  3. #3
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    Dec 2004
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    Herndon, VA
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    Mike - are you using the SD506 or the other 6"? I have the 506 and it cuts a fairly even bottom with only slight ridges (1/128th) that are due to the spacing of the blades. Charles from Freud is on SMC so I'd PM him. If the arbor holes are not the same diameter then they should replace the set.

    Mike

  4. #4
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    Mike, I'm totally in agreement with Rob on this one. You need to determine if it's the arbor on your saw if varying hole diameters on the dado set. Keep us posted on what you find!
    Cheers,
    John K. Miliunas

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  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jun 2004
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    Cape Cod, Ma
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    Mike,

    The Ridgid TS3650 saw has a similar problem on some of their saws. The arbor has an undercut on the last thread. Ridgid made good by sending replacement arbors.

    Lou
    Procrastination.......

    Maybe I'll think about that tomorrow

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
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    SE PA - Central Bucks County
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    There are a few saws that have this problem with stacked dado sets...it used to be just some Craftsman models, but may be others as Lou mentions. This is unfortunately a known issue and the only solution is a new arbor or somehow filling the gap that the chipper is dropping into, if that is at all possible.
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  7. #7
    This is my response to an eartlier thread concerning the same problem.

    I owned a Craftsman TS and a Forrest Dato King 8" set. As Jim Becker pointed out, you can't get there from here.... I did fix the flat bottom problem by using J&B Weld epoxy. I cleaned the arbor and used a popsicle stick to apply the weld, getting it as close to smooth as possible (tough to do in such a confined space). Allowed it to cure for 24 hours. I used emery cloth wrapped around the shaft and turned on the saw. I kept sanding it until the blade passed over "the fix". Result? flat bottoms. It used that fix for over three years without having to do it again. Bought a Delta in the mean time.
    If sawdust were gold, I'd be rich!

    Byron Trantham
    Fredericksburg, VA
    WUD WKR1

  8. #8
    Mike,

    As others have stated there are some arbors that contribute to this problem but you can easily check the blades to be sure they aren't the cause. Leave the inside blade off and try the fit of the outside blade on the arbor to see if it is tight. If it is still sloppy then the blade was bored incorrectly. If both blades are tight on the innermost part of the arbor then the arbor is at fault. In that case I recommend that you contact the saw manufacturer to see if they have a fix.
    Charles M
    Freud America, Inc.

  9. #9
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    The JB Weld fix was the original one suggested when the TS3650 problem showed up and worked fine for many saws until Ridgid started shipping new arbors.

    Lou
    Procrastination.......

    Maybe I'll think about that tomorrow

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Oct 2005
    Location
    Hartford, WI
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    Thanks for all the help guys,

    I am almost positive the arbor is the culprit, as I can remember the dado blade tightening up as it went against the arbor wall, however I will check the blade bores and arbor tonight with the calipers.

    Byron and Jim, it is a craftsman contractors saw, so that adds more weight to the bad arbor.

    Any chance Sears will replace the arbor? If not, I guess I will be using Byron's solution.

    Thanks again. I will post my final results tonight.

    Mike

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Jul 2005
    Location
    West Chester, PA
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    Doubt if Sears will replace for free, but when I ordered a replacement arbor/bearings for a 30 YO Craftsman, the new one did not have the problem.

    And I used the Liquid Steel fix for years, until the original arbor bearings just completely wore out. Didn't want to fiddle with installing the new bearings, so bought a new arbor with bearings in place. As it turned out, the complete arbor/housing assembly was the same price so that is what I got ($68).

  12. #12
    Mike, I did buy a new arbor for my Crafstman TS and it was the SAME arbor - no fix! JB Weld costs little and it works.
    If sawdust were gold, I'd be rich!

    Byron Trantham
    Fredericksburg, VA
    WUD WKR1

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Oct 2005
    Location
    Hartford, WI
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    It is in fact the arbor. Against cowl 5/8th, off the cowl anywhere between 1/64 and 1/32 less than 5/8ths. The Freud dado blade holes were right on at 5/8ths.

    Thanks for the warning on the new arbor Byron. I will stay away from that. When you applied the weld did you just stay close to the flat of the arbor, otherwise you might clog the threading for the nut, right?

    Mike

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