Dado for Dad's Day?

[Mark J]

I am looking at buying an Infinity TS blade and came across their dado set which looks interesting:

https://www.infinitytools.com/saw-blades-accessories/table-saw/table-saw-blades/dado-saw-blades/dadonator-stacked-dado-blade-set-with-5-8-bore

An thoughts on or experience with this product?  I'm sure there are other good dado sets out there, but I like the six teeth in the chippers in this unit.  I have also heard that Freud has a dial a thickness dado set, but I wasn't really shopping for dado's, so I haven't been thurough.

[wtnhighlander]

@Mark J, is that an 8" set? Sorry, I just glanced at the linked page. Should make a smooth cut, but the extra mass might strain a lower-powered saw a bit, on startup.

As for the dial to width sets, I don't see the need. I have a relatively inexpensive Irwin set, and have so far never even needed shims to hit exact width for any plywood I've cut dadoes for. That being just 1/2" or 3/4" though.

[Coop]

4 minutes ago, wtnhighlander said:

As for the dial to width sets, I don't see the need. I have a relatively inexpensive Irwin set, and have so far never even needed shims to hit exact width for any plywood I've cut dadoes for. That being just 1/2" or 3/4" though.

Totally agree.

[Mark J]

My saw is 3 HP, so I'm assuming that's enough oomph.  Thay do make both 6" and 8" versions.

[Chip Sawdust]

I have no experience with that set. I have the Freud setup - not the dial-a-width one but the traditional shim set. Seems six chipper teeth might make for a smoother cut but the Freud set makes pretty nice cuts. I think it was $80-100 for the set when I bought it.
 

When I was using my DeWalt job site saw it wouldn’t take a dado set but would take the box joint set so I used that as a pseudo-dado set, which iirc was about the same price. Very clean cuts with that set as well, and square edges for 1/4” and 3/8” dadoes.

[pkinneb]

I had the Freud set and was very happy with it for many years. When I got my Sawstop I switched to to the Forrest Woodworking set becuase Sawstop advised against dado sets with full plates. Now issues with the forrest set either.

On a side note I cannot remember the last time I cut a dado without using shims unless the cutter was buried in the fence.

[Chip Sawdust]

1 hour ago, pkinneb said:

On a side note I cannot remember the last time I cut a dado without using shims unless the cutter was buried in the fence.

Yeah they always need shims unless you're cutting something really simple. The blades aren't always as thick/thin as the mfg seems to think they are.

[Mark J]

Having never used a dado set, or for that matter examined one particularly carefully I can't say I entirely understand. 

Looking at the description, the Dadonator does have shims along with the chippers so I gather that's a good thing.  I also see from yhe reviews that the 6" Jr. model will not work on my SawStop.  

 

1 hour ago, pkinneb said:

Sawstop advised against dado sets with full plates.

What is SawStop's issue, and what is a "full plate"?

[curlyoak]

I have a very old and well used Frued 8" carbide. I bought shims a long time ago. When I realized that plywood thickness is subject to the maker. So when building boxes for cabinets I make   dados 1/16" smaller  and tool the ends to fit the dado.

[pkinneb]

1 hour ago, Mark J said:

what is SawStop's issue, and what is a "full plate"?

As I understand it the gullets are substantially deeper meaning if you trip one the brake is stopping less material. I switched well becuase I thought why have the brake and then do something the Mfg suggests is not appropriate. Having said that I have to believe setting off the brake during a dado cut would be pretty rare but thought I should call it out.

Here's some pics

this

vs this

[Mark J]

So I dropped over to SawStop's site to see if they sold a dado stack or had more info., and that annoying chat box popped up.  Ususally I hate those things and usually they're connected to someone useless, but I figured what the heck I'd give it a try.  Here's the conversation, but in a nut shell a dado stack with full plates has too much mass for the brake mechanism.   Go figure.  So thanks for saying something, pkinneb.  

 

Does SawStop have any recommendations or warnings concerning dado stacks? I have a 3 HP ICS.

 

Trent 13:15

Hi. I can answer your question...

 

There are some good dado stacks out there, but there are definitely some that I wouldn't recommend.

Trent 13:16

Short answer, this is what I personally recommend: https://amzn.to/3h7LEKK  [it's a DeWalt]

Client 13:17

I'll check that out in a second. The question raised by a friend was whether or not I could use a dado stack with "full plate" chippers?

Trent 13:18

They are not recommended. If you have a brake activation with the blade going at full speed, you're pretty much guaranteed to bend the arbor shaft.

Client 13:19

I am looking at the Infinity Dadonator and the Freud Dial a Width.

 

These may have too much mass, then?

Trent 13:20

I've heard a lot of complaints about the Dial-A-Width.

 

The Dadonator definitely has too much mass.

 

The Dial-A-Width works great on most 10" saws as long as you don't need anything over 1/2" wide dadoes or grooves. If you need any wider, you'll find that the extra hub on the Dial-A-Width won't allow you to tighten the arbor nut on the end of the shaft.

Client 13:23

I'm looking at your suggestion. I see that has 4 tooth chippers with much less mass. Do you particularly like the DeWalt, or should I just look for something with a similar form?

Trent 13:24

I ran some tests involving 33 different dado stacks when we first came out with the JobSite Saw. The two that came out on top were the DeWalt and the Forrest, both in compatibility and in cut quality.

 

I was reluctant to use the DeWalt because I'm not a fan of their 10" blades at all. It's mainly because they don't make their own blades.

Client 13:25

Trent 13:25

I reluctantly bought that one for myself and I have absolutely no regrets. I've been using it for over 5 years now. It's awesome.

 

 

[Mick S]

I have no direct experience with the Freud Dial A Width, but plenty with other adjustable, or wobble dados. Every one I've ever used makes a concave bottom due to the wobble. They're also harder on the arbor bearings than a stack set.

I have a Ridge Carbide 8" stack and am happy with it, thought the Infinity looks like a very nice setup. I've had good luck with the router bits.

[gee-dub]

As mentioned, the Dadonator has full plates and can get quite heavy when a lot of plates are used.  The Dail-a-Width has an arbor length requirement for wider dados.  Just check these characteristics aginst your saw's capabilities and you will avoid a bad choice between these two.  If neither can be used, good news; there are a lot of others.

[Mark J]

Thanks, turns out neither is a good fit for the SawStop.  And I have no pressing need for a dado stack either (Infinity had a combo deal), so I'll buy the blades I originally went shopping for and keep an eye out for a (DeWalt or Forrest) dado stack.  

[Robby W]

I've used the Forrest Dado King set for a bunch of years now. It makes really clean cuts in almost everything I have used it for. There is only thing that bugs me: the two outside blades leave tiny "bat ears" on the outside of the cuts. This is fine for most things - you can't even see them most of the time - but if you are cutting the cheeks of a tenon, it leaves a rough surface. A couple swipes with a plane, cleans them up. That gets to be a pain on a large project. 

I don't know how most other Dado sets do about this, but otherwise, it is a perfect set. Part of it could be that the arbor on my saw may be worn - heck, I bought the saw 40 years ago. 

[Coop]

Robby,  I shouldn’t even be asking this but your are putting the outside blades with the side marked outside, on the outside, right. Reason fo asking, I just checked my Freud blades and if they were reversed, they would create the effect you speak of. 

[Mark J]

I was reading somewhere that "bat ears" on some dado sets are intentional, they provide a glue channel for tight fitting dado joints.  

[Robby W]

On 6/12/2020 at 8:00 PM, Coop said:

Robby,  I shouldn’t even be asking this but your are putting the outside blades with the side marked outside, on the outside, right. Reason fo asking, I just checked my Freud blades and if they were reversed, they would create the effect you speak of. 

Hi, Coop - yep. I am installing them correctly. Forrest made the tips on the outside of the outside blade very slightly higher to they score the surface of the wood being cut. This results in a very clean cut when cutting across the grain, in plywood and melamine. They do however, make small score marks when cutting tenons.