Replies

1. 
   SARGEgrinder47 | Oct 15, 2009 08:11pm | #1

   I purchased one about a year ago Mike. The next day after using it I put my dado set up for sale and good ridance. If you want to get flat bottoms in a groove you must have a flat top tooth design. You can find that on a good rip blade if you only need 1/8" trenches or dadoes.

   This set has flat top teeth. It also has 20 teeth on each blade that are sharp... very sharp. So.. no gang cutters to punch out wood.. 40 flat topped teeth just sever it. The bottom is baby butt smooth and no corner clean up is required because of the flat top.

   Width.. ? I used a micrometer on both the 1/4" and 3/8". You face the writing on the blade when mated out for 1/4".. face it in for 3/8". Both are dead on 1/4" and 3/8".. every time. No shims.. no magic.. no miracles.. just dead on depending on how you face the blades.

   Simply put and IMO.. this set was like a gift from heaven for me. The last tool I got that made as large an impact in my shop and I am in there 6 days a week was a Bosch barrel grip jig-saw. I use my set about every 3-4 days for grooves.. box joints.. and cutting tenons on a tenon jig. I ain't giving it up.. trust me.

   BTW.. bottoms are smooth and I use hardwod.. sides are smooth and the only time you find tear is on the back exit if either you move the stock too rapidly through the cut or you aren't using a backer which you should!

   So.. hope that helps with your question..

   Sarge..

   Woodworkers' Guild of Georgia

   
   

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   Edited 10/15/2009 1:13 pm ET by SARGEgrinder47

1. 
   KiddervilleAcres | Oct 16, 2009 04:39am | #2

   Absolutely ditto!

   Regards,Bob @ Kidderville Acres

   A Woodworkers mind should be the sharpest tool in the shop!

2. 
   mike_berr | Oct 16, 2009 06:07pm | #4

   Sarge,

   Thanks for the review. From what I have seen, there aren't any complaints about this product. I just bought the Freud Fusion blade a few months ago and I was impressed with that as well.

   Have you cut many dados (cross grain) with this? It seems like I wouldn't be using it for it's intended purpose (ripping with the grain) but it may still be suited for the work.

   Either way, i think i might spring for this one. 

   Thanks,

   Mike

1. 
   SARGEgrinder47 | Oct 16, 2009 08:47pm | #6

   I'm in the shop 5-6 days a week Mike.. and every dado I cut as in a book-case I use it if the dado doesn't go over 3/8". You could make a double pass with 1/4" to get 1/2" or same with the 3/8" to get 3/4 but.. you lose the element of precision as it is very difficult to get the second pass dead on and not worth the effort to try.

   I did make a few attempts in scrap and went back to doing cross-cut dadoes with my router and the appropriate size bit. I use a home-built T jig with the router which also is very accurate as the dado in the T you cut gives you perfect alignment with the marks on your actual stock.

   But.. keep in mind that you can cut a 3/8" dado long grain or cross-grain and rabbet the male end of the stock to 3/8" as long as strength is not an issue. If you have a 3/4" piece of shelf for instance.. there is no rule stating you have to have a 3/4" dado to receive it. In that case I would cut a 1/2" dado on the female receiver and take 1/8' off each side of the male end of the shelf to fit the hole. That rabbet on each side creates a shoulder that will hide any dado line if the fit is not just right.

   So.. yeah, it works just as well in cross-cuts as rip cuts. You simply just need to slow the feed rate down as you are going against the grain. The only problem would be a slight splinter that looks like hanging thread on the exit side. They come off quickly with a vertical pass on the edge with a sharp 1/4" chisel or in my case I use an Exacta knife.

   But.. if you use a backer board as you should, I experience no hanging threads at all as I mentioned in the other post to you.

   Good luck...Sarge..

   Woodworkers' Guild of Georgia

2. 
   forestgirl | Oct 16, 2009 07:04am | #3

   Well, Sarge and Bob beat me to it, but yep, it's a gold-medal winner.  I've used it for both box joints and a dado or two, flawless!

   forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-) 
   
1. 
   mike_berr | Oct 16, 2009 06:09pm | #5

   Two gavel holders give it the thumbs up?

   It must be good. :)

    

   Thanks,

   Mike