Replies

1. 
   BossHog | May 17, 2012 06:35pm | #1

   I think it's pretty typical to buy a set that's 2" smaller in diameter than your saw blades.  Obviously 8" in your case.

   If you want rough dados, but a wobble setup. They're cheap.  If you want high quality, get something like Freud.

2. 
   DanH | May 17, 2012 07:56pm | #2

   Seems odd -- a 10" TS should

   Seems odd -- a 10" TS should be able to cut in excess of 3 inches.  So an 8" dado blade would be able to do a 2" deep dado.  What "won't work"??

   (I see Craftsman recommends 6" dado sets for some of their 10" table saws -- would still get you a 1" deep dado.  And the smaller set would probably cut cleaner.)

   You do of course need to be sure of is that the arbor and blade opening can handle the thickness of the set you want to use.

1. 
   Scott | May 17, 2012 11:55pm | #4

   IIRC an important issue with portable table saws is the brake, which is not often found on full sized TS and cabinet saws. The manufacturers are worried about the brake causing larger dado blades to spin off the arbor and grenade everything in sight.

   So, to the OP: Does this saw have an electric brake?

3. 
   Snort | May 17, 2012 08:00pm | #3

   Depends on what you want to do...

   I like to use the smallest one that will get the job done. If it's only shallow grooves, a 4-6" will work, and your saw will work a lot less, too.

   If you don't care about the cuts, I'll bet Harbor Freight has something that won't cost even one of your appendages. I don't think Freud is the best, but I've had a set of theirs for 25 years, been used a lot, never been sharpened, and still cuts cleanly.

   I'd get the best I could afford.

1. 
   Hokuto | May 18, 2012 12:52pm | #5

   Depends on what you want to do...

   . . . and upon the power and other specs of your tablesaw (and recommendations of its manufacturer). If you have a 3HP cabinet tablesaw, it will probably handle a large-diameter dado set.  On the other hand, consider in reality how deep you actually need to cut dadoes/grooves. In most cases, a 6" set will do the job in a fine manner, and place substantially less burden on your TS' motor. I have a Freud 6" set, and it's done everything I need it to do. Needless to say, YMMV.

4. 
   Piffin | May 18, 2012 10:45pm | #6

   I have never used or needed a dado larger then a 6" on my 10" TSs

5. 
   jimmiem | May 21, 2012 08:28am | #7

   Dado blade for 10 inch TS

   8 inch dado blades are not recommended for table saws with less than 3 HP.  I have an 8 inch dado set on my 1 HP saw and can cut 1/4 inch dados in oak with no problem.  I believe the maximum depth of cut with a 6 inch dado is an inch or so.  Check out the Oshlun dado blades....under $100.

6. 
   [email protected] | May 21, 2012 06:59pm | #8

   Depends on your saw.

   Look in the owners manual.  If you don't still have the manual go online and find one. 

   Not all saws can be sued with dado blades.  As others have said, the electric braking can cause the arbor nut to loosen, which cold let the blade come loose and go bouncing around the shop.  Most of these saws, (at least the ones I have seen), have short arbors, so that you can't fit a dado blade, and tighten the nut. 

   Once you determine that your saw can handle the dado blade here are a few guidelines.  

   Generally a 10-inch saw has about a 3.5-inch depth of cut.  An 8-inch dado blade will be one inch less or about a 2.5-inch depth of cut.  A 6-inch dado blade will have about a 1.5-inch depth of cut. 

   So you need to decide what you will be doing with the blade, if you will be using it for grooves and dados, then a 6-inch is more than adequate.  It is consderably less expensive and lots easier on the saw. 

   If you will be using to cut bridle joints, and tennons you might need the extra depth of cut provided by the 8-inch. 

   I personally have both a 6-inch and an 8-inch set.  The 6-inch is used for grooves and dados.  The 8-inch used to get quite a bit of use for cutting tennons and bridle joints.  I now do most of that on the router table, or using the Frued box joint set for the female part of the bridle joint.  I have tried using the box joint set and the 8-inch dado set with hardened washers as spacers instead of chippers to cut tennons in a single pass.  But, I went back to doing them either on the router table or with a single blade and the tennoning jig.  It was too hard to get the tennon centered.  And for off center tennons it is easier to adjust the height on the router table accurately, than adjust the offset on the tablesaw fence. 

   Whatever the size, buy the best you can afford, even if you have to scrimp on other things for a while to do it.  The chipper teeth take quite a bit of load, and it is important that they are solidly brazed to the blade.  On a higher end name brand blade you can be highly confident that it is done right and has been inspected.  No Name blades don't have the same level of risk to the manufacturer if they shed a tooth, as the name brands, and are frequently not as well made. 

   And, if you can avoid using the 1/16th chipper.  Depending on your saw, the width is small enough to get into the threads on the arbor and end up a bit out of true.  Not a huge amount but enough to keep you from getting a good clean cut. 

   One of the shops I used to work in had a Powermatic 66 that had a damaged arbor because someone got the 1/16th chipper down in the thread and then really reefed on the wrench.  Bending the chipper, and dinging the threads.