Replies

1. 
   forestgirl | Dec 11, 2004 03:32am | #1

   I'm not sure exactly what you mean by mid-range, but I'll vote for Freud, either their Super-Dado (6") or, if you can afford it, the dial-a-width stacked dado.  I have the Super Dado.  Got it a few years ago on sale at Amazon for around $139 I think(?), it's selling at $179 at the moment.

   forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
   Another proud member of the  "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>) 

2. 
   Dave45 | Dec 11, 2004 03:46am | #2

   I really like my Systi-Matic 8" stackable set.  Got it for $129 and spent another $10 for the magnetic shims.  Worth every penny.

1. 
   highfigh | Dec 13, 2004 05:35am | #3

   I bought the Freud 8" a couple of years ago for about $90 on sale specifically because I was going to cut dados in particle board with melamine coating. This set has negative hook angle and that cuts through the melamine before getting to the substrate. Leaves a better edge that way. With positive hook angle, it kind of scoops the material out and would chip the surface. Not that the guy at Rockler had any clue about this, but I really think he should have. On solid wood and plywood, this set works fine. Nice cut and bottom, clean edges and it comes with enough shims that I can get the dado to fit the material pretty easily. The carbide may have been a bit too hard on the original set, though. After I finished the cutting, I checked the teeth and most were chipped. The guy at Rockler (different guy) said that particle board has a lot of metal in it so that's the reason they chipped and that this set is really not made for particle board or MDF. I think that's a crock. I don't remember seeing metal in eitherMDF or PB in the whole time i have used them. There's also nothing in the instructions about what can and can't be cut with them, in fact, I think it shows that it's OK for this.

   For fine cuts on solid wood, my goal is the Forrest Dado King set. After buying their 10" 40T Woodworker II, I'm sold on their blades.
   "I cut this piece four times and it's still too short."

1. 
   tcbaldmtn | Dec 13, 2004 04:50pm | #4

   Thanks for the info.  That's what I needed to hear.  I want to buy the Dado King in the future too.  I also needed a cheap set so I could use the 8" blade to make my first cuts into all of the zero clearance plates I made.

1. 
   derekb | Dec 13, 2004 04:58pm | #5

   I also needed a cheap set so I could use the 8" blade to make my first cuts into all of the zero clearance plates I made.

    

   Or you could just use a $5 circular saw blade.  Maybe it would be cheaper than a cheap dado set.

    

   Derek

1. 
   JohnWW | Dec 14, 2004 01:45am | #9

   No need to buy a dado set for just grooving zero clearance inserts.  Just stack up a couple of cheap carpenter's saw blades as a poor man's dado set. 

   You could also groove the entire length of the underside of the plates on the table saw with a single blade, widening the groove as needed by shifting the rip fence and taking repeated passes.  You could also create a clearance slot with a router.

   John W.

2. 
   bones | Dec 13, 2004 06:05pm | #6

   You won't regret the Dado king. I bit the bullet an purchased a set recently. It is very nice. Looks like a router cut. I like the magnetic shims as well. Prior to that set (please don't say I told you so) I had two craftsman sets and was not pleased with either. The dado king is not cheap, but I figure, I'll never need another one. I have the WW I and WWII love the cuts Forrest blades make. 

1. 
   tcbaldmtn | Dec 14, 2004 12:10am | #7

   I thought about the circular saw blade, but I can't find one in full kerf only thin kerf.  I've been looking about 3 mths now for that solution.

   I just received a 25% off coupon from Rockler and will get a Freud set after christmas.  Hopefully I'll get a gift card or two by then.

2. 
   batorok | Dec 14, 2004 12:58am | #8

   any chance you'd share the coupon code?  I saw one online that was supposed to expire 12/31 but they pulled it early (yesterday) as I was about to buy a forrest woodworker II.  Doh!

   thanks

   Brad

   Edited 12/13/2004 5:15 pm ET by batorok

3. 
   TomFerreira | Dec 14, 2004 02:34am | #10

   Firewood,My first dado blade, which I only replaced two years ago after 5 or 6 years of use, was a Craftsman carbide tipped wooble dado. In fact I still have the wooble dado and use it when I'm dadoing plywood or softwoods. It really worked, and still works great. I paid $40 for it. Now some will tell you that you won't get flat bottomed dados with a wooble but so what. This has never been a problem and is hardly noticable. I replaced it with a Systimatic Super Fine dado. For this I paid $269. Yes, it does flat bottomed dados but it is also not a quick setup and I still fail to see the value. If you are new to woodworking and haven't got an extravigant budget, or could put your money to better use on a machine you need, look for am inexpensive dado.TDF

4. 
   bones | Dec 14, 2004 03:08am | #11

   I have the 7 1/4  in my PC and it is 3/32 not 1/8 kerf. Cuts through ply like butter and leaves a smooth finish.  Love it. 

3. 
   larrmartin | Dec 14, 2004 07:02am | #12

   Anybody have any experience with an inexpensive dado set from Avenger?

1. 
   highfigh | Dec 14, 2004 07:31am | #13

   I have the same card from Rockler and is says you can go to http://www.rockler.com/25off
   "I cut this piece four times and it's still too short."

1. 
   forestgirl | Dec 14, 2004 10:03am | #14

   That one expired on December 12th.forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)Another proud member of the  "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>) 

2. 
   Kell | Dec 14, 2004 04:13pm | #15

   I bought this set at Woodcraft last summer, on sale for $49 I believe.  I think it's terrific.  Good clean cuts, different thicknesses of center cutters allows me to cut nice tight dados for plywood; 3/32 cutter is just right for this.   The bottoms are nice and square, very clean.

   Kell

1. 
   highfigh | Dec 14, 2004 05:53pm | #16

   My card says it expires Jan 1, 2005. I just got it a couple of days ago. They may do these regionally, but this is a 50th anniversary sale.
   "I cut this piece four times and it's still too short."

1. 
   forestgirl | Dec 14, 2004 08:02pm | #17

   Sounds like a different coupon.  Unfortunately, I tossed my Rockler stuff -- have go into the teeth of Seattle traffic to get there (after the ferry ride) and this time of the year, there's no place I'd rather not be, LOL!forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)Another proud member of the  "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>) 

1. 
   bladeburner | Dec 15, 2004 05:37pm | #18

   I've got a 25 year old wobbler that is my first choice in softwood as it cuts deeper on the edges and thus provides a deeper glue pocket. A friend bought one at a garage sale last summer for $1.00. But the true price of anything should be weighed against how many times you'll have to buy it.

2. 
   highfigh | Dec 15, 2004 07:11pm | #19

   How can it cut deeper at the edges when the blade wobbles and causes an arc at the outside circumference? This would mean that the center of the cut is deepest.
   "I cut this piece four times and it's still too short."

3. 
   Ribeye | Dec 15, 2004 09:37pm | #20

   FWIW, I'll cast in a vote for the Freud dado sets.

   I have the Freud 8" Super Dado Set -- that's the one that normally retails for $199.99 or so at Rockler. 

   I found mine on the "clearance" rack at a local Sears store a while back; it was marked $59.95 and just sort of jumped into my outstretched arms.

   All in all, though, I think I'd just as soon have a 6" dado set rather than the 8" set.  I doubt that I'll ever dig a dado deep enough to need the extra inch of diameter and all that extra weight doesn't seem to offer any benefit either.--Steve

   http://www.ApacheTrail.com/ww/

   Penury is the Mother of Invention

4. 
   forestgirl | Dec 16, 2004 07:18am | #24

   $59.95 ?!?!?!?!  Oooooo, I'm gonna throw darts at your picture.  What  a steal!forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)Another proud member of the  "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>) 

2. 
   larrmartin | Dec 16, 2004 01:10am | #22

   Thanks for the info. I reveived it as a gift and now I'm even more pleased!

1. 
   highfigh | Dec 16, 2004 04:05am | #23

   $59.95? That's a smokin' deal! You switched the tags, didn't you? LOL I need to go to Sears more often, I guess.The 8" would cut a bit cleaner than the 6" because the blade is moving faster farther out from the center (more ft/min).
   "I cut this piece four times and it's still too short."

4. 
   Mutinyguy | Dec 15, 2004 10:00pm | #21

   The Everlast DS840, Freud SD508 are two excellent stacked dado sets that will run you ~$185. Of course there is the Forrest Dado King at ~$249. These were rated the top 3 by WWJ in their 6/04 issue.

    

   Jim