help for new woodworker


hd03king

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I'm just started getting started in woodworking and have been trying to read a lot and watching a lot of videos.  I have build the odds and ends thing around the house and I would call myself above average for general knowledge of DYI, but very low knowledge or ability at woodworking.  

A few months ago I go a new Delta 36-725 and have been just using the blade that came with it.  Well a week or so ago I decided to buy a new blade and a dado set.  For the blade I got a Forrest WWII and for the dado set I went with the 6" Oshlun Dado set.  I also ordered the dado throat plate for my saw at the same time.

So tonight I decided to make some shelves and wanted to put a dado in the side and back of the plywood pieces to accept a solid shelf in the middle.  Because I'm new it took me 2-3 times longer than most people to figure everything out and get the dado set to the correct width for my pieces.  So I'm finally ready to start dadoing my pieces and I do the first (the sides) and it didn't look good.  I thought I was going to fast so I decide to do the back piece and slow down a little.  That didn't help either.  

Any ideas on what I'm doing wrong.  I'm guessing I ruined both pieces and will need to go get some more plywood.   I'm attaching  a picture of both pieces.  

thanks in advance for the help

side.jpg

back.jpg

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When I dado plywood I cover the cut lines with painters tape before making the cut.. This will usually eliminate tear out.

 

I don't know about eliminate, but it can certainly help.

I'm not familiar with Oshlun dado sets, but when I see tearout like that on ply, I have to assume the set you're using doesn't have high ATB teeth on the outer blades.  Look closely at your blades, then compare them to something like the Forrest Dado King.  Without a high ATB set you're gonna have a hard time getting clean cross-grain cuts on plywood.

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My dado set is a house brand from a local sharpening brick and mortor location. It makes perfectly flat bottom clean cuts with no tearout in plywood. If the outer blades are not reversed causing that issue then you need to bring that set back and buy a real dado set. 

In other words....I don't need blue tape or magic tricks to get a quality cut, nor should you.

Edited by Janello
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thanks for all the tips and help.  I'm second guessing myselft about having the blades installed correctly too.  With new blades it just seemed like a lot of tearout.  Of course I took it off and did not take a picture.  I will be more careful next when installing the blades and follow the tips you all gave to me. 

thanks again!

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