Just picked up a 36" 3hp SawStop PCS (which I'm super excited about), but I'm now on the hunt for the best Dado set money can buy to use with my new saw. Looking to buy a high quality set that will last for years and years, so I don't mind dropping a little coin to get the best blades available. Any suggestions?
w00dn00b1
Don't forget to get a dado cartridge and maybe another insert for the Saw Stop. I was also warned that not all dado stacks will work with saw stop. It seems that some have different dimensions in blade diameter and the error check on the saw stop gets triggered on some preventing the saw from turning on.
Sawstop recommends you skip the Dadonator, which many think is the finest on the market. It has 6 tooth chippers, and the extra weight of the stack can damage the saw if you trip the brake. Another good one to consider is the Forrest Dadp King, though I think it may be some time before they ship again (Covid problems, I think). There's always the Freud Super Dado, I have one that's maybe 20 years old, been sharpened 3 times, and still cuts as good as ever. Another thing to consider is Sawstop doesn't recommend anti kickback shoulders on the dado sets. It might retard the brake shoe action. I think Freud redesigned their sets to accomodate that. With mine, after the second sharpening the guy ground down those shoulders to where they are kind of non existent now.
Save a ton of $$$ and get dead flat dados with a router. No dado set, no cartridge and no special throat plate. Just a $20 router bit. Its faster and easier to set up than a dodo set (dodo was a typo but it may be a Freudian slip) too.
You can also do dados in larger pieces with a router since you can bring the tool to the work instead of having to bring the work to the tool.
Dadoing the middle shelf in an 8' case is tough on the saw since most of us don't have 52" fences.
I don't use a dado set for rabbets. I use my normal rip blade and make two cuts at 90° to quickly cut a rabbet.
Again it seems like a lot of expense for a limited use tool. When you factor in setup/reset time I find I can generally do without.
YMMV
You can also do dados in larger pieces with a router since you can bring the tool to the work instead of having to bring the work to the tool.
Dadoing the middle shelf in an 8' case is tough on the saw since most of us don't have 52" fences.
I don't use a dado set for rabbets. I use my normal rip blade and make two cuts at 90° to quickly cut a rabbet.
Again it seems like a lot of expense for a limited use tool. When you factor in setup/reset time I find I can generally do without.
YMMV
The 8" Freud Super Dado works well on my Sawstop. The base of the cut is flat and there is little or no tear-out.
As for cutting dados on the router it's true, you can. The advantage of the dado cutter is that it will do it cleanly and quickly in one pass. With the router, you have to sneak up on the depth of cut and, if the router bit wont cut the full width, sneak up on the width too for a second series of passes. I used to cut all my dados on the router table and still do sometimes. But I remain very happy I got the dado cutter. It comes down to how much you will use it and how limited or not your funds are.
As for cutting dados on the router it's true, you can. The advantage of the dado cutter is that it will do it cleanly and quickly in one pass. With the router, you have to sneak up on the depth of cut and, if the router bit wont cut the full width, sneak up on the width too for a second series of passes. I used to cut all my dados on the router table and still do sometimes. But I remain very happy I got the dado cutter. It comes down to how much you will use it and how limited or not your funds are.
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