Hello-
Has anyone seen or had a table saw blade made to cut grooves for 1/4 plywood bottoms on drawers. I could definitly use a dato set or a router bit but I am interested in installing it into an old saw and make a dedicated station. Thanks-Kimberly
Replies
Wouldn't some combination of blades and shims work? Maybe one regular kerf and one thin kerf blade, shimmed to the right width?
You're fortunate to have both enough space and enough work to dedicate a machine to that job.
Well, if it is going into an old saw, you could use a "wobble" type dado blade. I wouldn't run one on a good saw as I've heard that they can cause bearing problems, and certainly are not in the category of a Dado with proper rakers.
I've seen them in 8" and are fairly inexpessive, simply dial your thickness an start sawing.
Greg
There is a type of blade known as a groover. Because they are built one at a time they carry a hefty price tag. Because of their straight up and down sides where all the relief is in the front to back you need to make your sharpener aware he can never face grind the blade or it will change thickness.
Scott's Sharpening Service
Glendale, Az.
You can buy 1/4" wide cutters from the big companies but it's still more cost effective to just use a dado for your application.
Ask your local blade sharpening service as they can make one for you. It is expensive but you will get what you want.
kimberly
If you have two old 1/8 standard blades with the same tooth count you could stack them with the teeth alternating and leave them dedicated, Might want Scott to sharpen them before you do. ha..ha..
I never heard of this and just made it up about two seconds after I read the post, but I can't think of why it wouldn't work.
Time for another nap...
sarge..jt
I have an old woodworking equipment book. 1970's, they show lots of instances of using multiple blades to do something. Both w/ spacers to leave uncut space, and w/o to cut a solid groove.
Don't most dadoe sets come with 2 1/8" blades. Can't you just buy a dadoe set and use the outside blades. If you want it slightly narrower then 1/4" can't you have a sharpening service narrow the teeth some.
Though, 2 regular blades would probably be cheaper then a dadoe set. So that is probably the best idea.
Billy
Correct on the fact that the outside blades on a dado are 1/8". But also correct on the price. Remember, I said if you happen to have two old blades not in use. What's the cheapest price of a dado set you are aware of. The set would be more vesatile, except that it has become a permanent set-up and the rest has become useless.
Good thinking...
sarge..jt
This works, but you have to put a shim between the blades. The plate is thinner than the teeth.
Jamie
Correct me if I'm wrong, but the inner thickness of the plate would not be affected if you alternate the teeth as I suggested. The plates would be flat together as the teeth are alternated so the tips do not touch as on a dado. The tips make the contact with the wood at 1/8" even though the plates combined are narrower. They could not be placed together flat without alternating in this scenario.
Please correct me if I'm wrong, it certainly won't be the first time. I just try not to make the same mistake twice. ha..ha..
Have a great day...
sarge..jt
Sarge --
On a typical cabinet saw, the carbide teeth are .125" wide, and the steel plate they're mounted to is .090" thick. If you put two blades together on the arbor, you can align them so the teeth on one blade bear against the teeth on the other blade, or sometimes you can align them so that the teeth from one blade fit into the gullets on the other.
In the teeth-to-teeth configuration, the the kerf is .250" wide. However, at the arbor there would be a gap of .070" between the plates. You can tighten down the arbor nut until the plates bend to close that gap, but bending the blades can't be good for them. Furthermore -- I've tried this -- the arbor nut doesn't tighten right. Normally, you can tighten it and it feels like it has really caught the blade. If it is bending the blades, it doesn't feel like it has tightened up correctly. If you put a .070" shim between the blades, everything comes out right.
In the teeth-in-gullet configuration, the arbor nut tightens up well without the shim, but the kerf width is .215". Adding a .035" shim between the blades gets you back out to exactly .250".
Jamie
Thanks, great info. You really know your blades.
Of course if you're cutting a dadoe for 1/4" plywood, isn't it actually 7/32" thick (.219"). So, your .215" is close, almost like using an undersized plywood router bit. I'd try it, if it's too tight then I'd add some .010 shims until I got the dadoe size I wanted.
I'd assume the original poster can get some shim stock from a local machine shop. Or McMaster or MSC.
Jamie
Was not aware of that. I thought the teeth were exactly 1/8". I will put my mic on a standard blade and discover my error. This is good info.
I would not even consider the 1st method of bending the plates in. Not healthy for machinery when things are less than flat and slightly out of balance. Especially turning at 3450 rpm. Couldn't see any long term benefits from that. ha..ha..
Thanks for the useful information, Who said they couldn't teach an ole dog new tricks.
Good evening...
sarge..jt
Hi Kim,
Ridge Carbide in New Jersey sells just what you're lookin for. They make blades that compete very well w/ Farrest and may be just as good. Saw the 1/4 blade at a WW show for several years now. Ridge Carbide has a wbsite........ Mike Stadulis
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