Hi all,
A quick aside- I am brand new to knots, but am already addicted! I’m not alone anymore! 🙂
Anyway … I am looking to purchase a premium — circa $175.00 — dado set whose main reason-for-being (in my shop) will be to cut finger/box joints on my table saw. On the short list of requirements for this VERY visable joint are, obviously, (i) flat bottoms and (ii) minimal “rabbit ears” (I think that is what I have heard them called- the little higher-than-the-rest-of-the-dado points on the edge and bottom of the cut). I understand that ALL dado sets’ outside saw blades leave some rabbit ears as a result of the ATB grind on their teeth.
I am probably going to get an 8″ set as opposed to the 6″ because I will be using a 3/4″ sled and also want to be able to make deeper cuts if need be (though I don’t forsee this happening much if at all). I’m not that concerned about ‘micro’ adjustability as most of the dado widths — finger widths — will be 1/4″, 5/16″, 3/8″, and 1/2″ … SO- what set do people recommend? Systi Matic? Jesada? Freud (???) I am concerned about the number of people complaining about Freud’s recent drop in quality, so I am tempted to knot (pun intended) purchase their set.
Many thanks in advance. Peter T.
Replies
Whatever you do, don't decide to settle and get the Delta stacked dado. I blew that one. Don't know what to reccomend as I'm stuck with that dog until I can justify new one. Be interested to know what other posters say though.
ditto on the delta stacked dado set -horrendous-.... forrest is on the to do list next month......bear
Pelham,
I bought the Systi Matic a few months ago and immediately made some box doors with finger/box joints. They came out fine..but, it was my first dado set..and my first finger joints so not much to compare against. I do remember , however, thinking this is a lot easier than the router...but the quality was not quite as good. As I'm sure your aware there is a higher priced version ...the super fine cut. Mine was on sale at Woodcraft..around $150 I think...
Peter
I have the Freud Super dado. I love it as it has the same quality as other Freud blades I have been using exclusively for 3 years. No dado set will cut prefectly flat. The way they're designed makes it difficult. IMO. I just purchased a SCMS blade and it cuts slick as a babies hinny. The laminate blade I bought for a special project is the same. I have a 24 flat tooth rip blade and I couldn't ask for a better blade at that price.
I'm not sure what quality drop you've heard about, but I use the Freud because it is a geat blade at a reasonable price and they have the largest selection of blades for various purposes on the market. IMO.
Charles, the president of Freud post here also. Hopefully he will see this post and respond to your concerns as he is very helpful, knowledgeable and fair to the competitors.
Good luck...
sarge..jt
Hmmmmm, I think we might have just given Charles a pretty big promotion. ROFL!forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
Jamie
Opps... Are you saying he is not president of the company. I thought he was. Oh well. at least he's on the payroll. That's close enough. Hopefully my kick-back check is in the mail.
BTW, add another Freud blade to your list of it's a hit. I bought the LU91R010 60 tooth, 5 degree negative hook for my new Hitachi SCMS. Smooth as silk cuts, but requires a blindfold as the red and Hitachi green will get your attention. ha..ha..
Get well soon...
sarge..jt
I just finished a set of box jointed drawers using the Craftsman Excalibur variable dado set. I don't recommend using a variable set for finger joints. This is not a very forgiving joint, and the amout of time spent trying to set the blades to the same width each time the blade is used is painful, even if you have a micrometer. The blades tend to shift and wobble when you remove them, and invariably the setting jumps a few clicks each time. The only way to work with the blade productively is to do all of your cuts from one setup. If I could get my $170 back on the blade, I would definitely go with a stacked set from Systematic.
Jed
I have a 6" Delta carbite tipped set that works very well for me, but I've had it for 15 years, so the quality may have changed.
I also have an 8" Freud set, needed it to cut a special situation, still use the 6" set most of the time.
Definitely get the 8" set if you are planning to cut finger joints. The 6" set cannot cut finger joints in 5/4 wood even though I have a 1/4" sled. I have not found rabbit ears to be the problem, tear out is more of a concern, I need to use a tight backer board for my cuts.
Pete,
I bought the Freud 8" set several years ago and immediately built a jig to make box joints. I have made quite a few since then, and they have been more than acceptable. (I will send a photo if I can find it!) Just make sure you use a fresh backer board for each project, as tear-out is the biggest issue with these wide joints.
BJ
Peter T.
I do a lot of spline/finger cutting and need a dead flat surface for the splines. Both Forrest and Jesada dados are very good. I prefer the Jesada because the end blade ATB teeth protrude only .005 above the flat and the Forrest are .015.
You can see what I use them for if you go to my web site, http://www.marklevin.com, then to the PHOTO GALLERY and then to either the LEAF TABLES SERIES1 or the BENCHES.
I usually buy a new dado set after every fifth or sixth use. I have found only one sharpening service in the U.S that can re-sharpen these dados and still get a dead flat bottom surface. They are Ridge Carbide in Lyndhurst, NJ. Phone 800-443-0992. It costs about $60 to $70.00 to have the dado set sharpened with shipping and all.
Hope this helps,
Mark Levin
[email protected]
Mark,
Beautiful website and even more important beautiful work! Seeing the work some of you people do certainly gives credence to your recommendations (and inspires us newbies to continue to grow).
Thank you for your time,
Jim
I saw one of your leaf tables on the back of the current issue of FW. It should have been on the front. Great work.
I use a CMT dado set. If it leaves rabbit ears they must be very small because I've never noticed them.
John O'Connell - JKO Handcrafted Woodworking
Life is tough. It's tougher if you're stupid - John Wayne
I have been using an Oldham 8" dado set for about a year and a half and have been very happy with it compared to other dado sets that I have owned or used. It seems to be well balanced and sharpened. I have experienced no problems with cross grain chipping. I have never experienced the "rabbit ears" that you mention on any dado set that I have used. I am surprised there are any dado sets that have an ATB grind. My Oldham set was relatively inexpensive compared to some others, I think it was around $130.
I believe that owning a premium dado set is more important than owning premium saw blades because cleaning up a dado or groove is often impractical. Cuts made by saw blades usually should be cleaned up with a plane or jointer and that can be done easily in most cases.
Edited 2/17/2003 9:52:37 PM ET by J_HERBEL
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