I have a 10" Delta Shopmaster table saw, model TS-220 (or something
like that), but would like to upgrade to a contractor/cabinet saw in
the not-too-distant future. In the meantime, I'd like to get a
dado-blade I can use on the bench saw, but don't want to waste money.

Can I get a decent stacked dado (Freud, etc) and only use what will fit
on the shorter arbor? Will the saw be able to spin that much metal, or
am I stuck getting a smaller 6".

Also, I've seen the $100 Freud in stores, and have read that it's
decent (not great, but good). A woodworking class I took had an Oldham
stacked dado, and it seemed to cut clean dado's. Any difference in
quality between the two?

Rob

Rob, I doubt that would be a good Idea. You may get by using the smaller
dado on the bigger saw, but not the larger blade on the smaller saw. It is
a question of safety, and I would not recommend it. When you raise the
blade you may end up running aground on the saws table, or just have a
clearance that is unsafe. Sorry.
"RobW" wrote in message
ups.com...
I have a 10" Delta Shopmaster table saw, model TS-220 (or something
like that), but would like to upgrade to a contractor/cabinet saw in
the not-too-distant future. In the meantime, I'd like to get a
dado-blade I can use on the bench saw, but don't want to waste money.

Can I get a decent stacked dado (Freud, etc) and only use what will fit
on the shorter arbor? Will the saw be able to spin that much metal, or
am I stuck getting a smaller 6".

Also, I've seen the $100 Freud in stores, and have read that it's
decent (not great, but good). A woodworking class I took had an Oldham
stacked dado, and it seemed to cut clean dado's. Any difference in
quality between the two?

Rob

"RobW" wrote in message
ups.com...
I have a 10" Delta Shopmaster table saw, model TS-220 (or something
like that), but would like to upgrade to a contractor/cabinet saw in
the not-too-distant future. In the meantime, I'd like to get a
dado-blade I can use on the bench saw, but don't want to waste money.

You have unanswered questions about a dado set working correctly with your
current saw, how could you possibly make an educated decision about buying a
dado set for a saw you have not even chosen yet? If you do not want to
waste money, wait until you get the saw you want to upgrade to.

The new (April 05) Fine woodworking has a review of several dado blades.

Enjoy

Andrew V
"RobW" wrote in message
ups.com...
I have a 10" Delta Shopmaster table saw, model TS-220 (or something
like that), but would like to upgrade to a contractor/cabinet saw in
the not-too-distant future. In the meantime, I'd like to get a
dado-blade I can use on the bench saw, but don't want to waste money.

Can I get a decent stacked dado (Freud, etc) and only use what will fit
on the shorter arbor? Will the saw be able to spin that much metal, or
am I stuck getting a smaller 6".

Also, I've seen the $100 Freud in stores, and have read that it's
decent (not great, but good). A woodworking class I took had an Oldham
stacked dado, and it seemed to cut clean dado's. Any difference in
quality between the two?

Rob

"Art Lindquist" wrote in message
...
Rob, I doubt that would be a good Idea. You may get by using the smaller
dado on the bigger saw, but not the larger blade on the smaller saw. It
is
a question of safety, and I would not recommend it. When you raise the
blade you may end up running aground on the saws table, or just have a
clearance that is unsafe. Sorry.

I disagree. He has a 10" saw now. Most likely, anything he upgrades to
will also be 10". There is no difference in table clearance from one 10"
saw to another. Maybe you missed the point that he is currently running a
10" saw.

--

-Mike-




"RobW" wrote in message
ups.com...
I have a 10" Delta Shopmaster table saw, model TS-220 (or something
like that), but would like to upgrade to a contractor/cabinet saw in
the not-too-distant future. In the meantime, I'd like to get a
dado-blade I can use on the bench saw, but don't want to waste money.

Can I get a decent stacked dado (Freud, etc) and only use what will fit
on the shorter arbor? Will the saw be able to spin that much metal, or
am I stuck getting a smaller 6".

Also, I've seen the $100 Freud in stores, and have read that it's
decent (not great, but good). A woodworking class I took had an Oldham
stacked dado, and it seemed to cut clean dado's. Any difference in
quality between the two?

Rob

"Mike Marlow" wrote in message
...
..

I disagree. He has a 10" saw now. Most likely, anything he upgrades to
will also be 10". There is no difference in table clearance from one 10"
saw to another. Maybe you missed the point that he is currently running a
10" saw.


Can you assure us that although his upgrade saw will be a 10" saw that the
clearance in blade Width will be adequate? IIRC some saw manufacturers
suggest smaller diameter dado blades so that there will be adequate Width
clearance if the dado blade is tilted.

"Leon" wrote in message
om...

"RobW" wrote in message
ups.com...
I have a 10" Delta Shopmaster table saw, model TS-220 (or something
like that), but would like to upgrade to a contractor/cabinet saw in
the not-too-distant future. In the meantime, I'd like to get a
dado-blade I can use on the bench saw, but don't want to waste money.

You have unanswered questions about a dado set working correctly with your
current saw, how could you possibly make an educated decision about buying
a
dado set for a saw you have not even chosen yet? If you do not want to
waste money, wait until you get the saw you want to upgrade to.



Well, according to Delta he can use anything with a 5/8" arbor that does not
stack beyond 1/2". That's something of a limitation, but not one that
should be a show stopper. If he upgrades as he plans, just about any better
saw will only give him more capability with just about any dado head. If he
never upgrades, well then he's stuck with a 1/2" limitation, but at least he
has a few spare cutters at his disposal.
--

-Mike-

"Mike Marlow" wrote in message
...



Well, according to Delta he can use anything with a 5/8" arbor that does
not
stack beyond 1/2". That's something of a limitation, but not one that
should be a show stopper. If he upgrades as he plans, just about any
better
saw will only give him more capability with just about any dado head. If
he
never upgrades, well then he's stuck with a 1/2" limitation, but at least
he
has a few spare cutters at his disposal.

BUT, not all saws have adequate clearance under the table for a 8" tall and
wide dado blade when tilted. IIRC a few years ago Jet recommended a 6"
dado set for proper clearance under the table. Most likely he will be OK
but I would still wait to see what I end up with before buying the dado set.

"Leon" wrote in message
om...

"Mike Marlow" wrote in message
...
.

I disagree. He has a 10" saw now. Most likely, anything he upgrades to
will also be 10". There is no difference in table clearance from one
10"
saw to another. Maybe you missed the point that he is currently running
a
10" saw.


Can you assure us that although his upgrade saw will be a 10" saw that the
clearance in blade Width will be adequate? IIRC some saw manufacturers
suggest smaller diameter dado blades so that there will be adequate Width
clearance if the dado blade is tilted.



Nope - I sure can't, but like I said in another reply, he has one of the
smallest arbors out there already. Any upgrade - especially to the level of
saw he specified, is *almost* assured to only gain him arbor capacity.
Worst case, he doesn't really upgrade and ends up with another saw of the
same class - so he continues to use his dado up to the 1/2" limit that he's
bound to today. Like I said in another reply - he ends up with spare
cutters. It's a no risk investment as I see it.
--

-Mike-

"Leon" wrote in message
. com...

"Mike Marlow" wrote in message
...



Well, according to Delta he can use anything with a 5/8" arbor that does
not
stack beyond 1/2". That's something of a limitation, but not one that
should be a show stopper. If he upgrades as he plans, just about any
better
saw will only give him more capability with just about any dado head.
If
he
never upgrades, well then he's stuck with a 1/2" limitation, but at
least
he
has a few spare cutters at his disposal.

BUT, not all saws have adequate clearance under the table for a 8" tall
and
wide dado blade when tilted. IIRC a few years ago Jet recommended a 6"
dado set for proper clearance under the table. Most likely he will be OK
but I would still wait to see what I end up with before buying the dado
set.



You might have a point there - I really don't know. I was always under the
impression that you were not supposed to operate a dado head cutter on a
bevel. I don't use a dado head cutter so there are aspects of their use
that I'm not certain of.

We all look at things differently. If I were the OP and I felt I needed a
dado, I'd go out and buy what my saw will support. If I upgraded my saw
down the road and decided I needed a different one, I'd sell mine and go buy
a new one. Personally, I don't like waiting until I get something that I'm
only planning on getting "down the road sometime". If I need it today, I go
buy what I need. Again - worst case scenario - most likely, if his saw will
only support a 6" dado, I'm guessing that a 6" dado will probably do 99% of
what he will ever require of a dado cutter. Those who use dado cutters
instead of routers could probably speak with greater authority to that
assumption. Assuming it's true though, that purchase of the 6" dado cutter
today will likely serve him extremely well, no matter what saw he ultimately
ends up with.
--

-Mike-

Buy a router and the bit you need for the dado.
Upgrade the saw later.
No wasted money and best of all, you'll have more tools!

Dave


"RobW" wrote in message
ups.com...
I have a 10" Delta Shopmaster table saw, model TS-220 (or something
like that), but would like to upgrade to a contractor/cabinet saw in
the not-too-distant future. In the meantime, I'd like to get a
dado-blade I can use on the bench saw, but don't want to waste money.

Can I get a decent stacked dado (Freud, etc) and only use what will fit
on the shorter arbor? Will the saw be able to spin that much metal, or
am I stuck getting a smaller 6".

Also, I've seen the $100 Freud in stores, and have read that it's
decent (not great, but good). A woodworking class I took had an Oldham
stacked dado, and it seemed to cut clean dado's. Any difference in
quality between the two?

Rob




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The latest Fine Woodworking has a review of about 15 dado blades, might
want to check it out, though most of the one's they reviewed are more
high end $100-200 range

Also, I've seen the $100 Freud in stores, and have read that it's
decent (not great, but good). A woodworking class I took had an Oldham
stacked dado, and it seemed to cut clean dado's. Any difference in
quality between the two?

I'm no expert on dado's, but I bought the Freud set you are referring to
last spring for a project made from maple. The results were less than
stellar and I wound up using my table saw crosscut blade to cut both edges
of the dado, using the dado to hog it out, and then using the router to
clean up the bottom. The edges weren't that crisp with the dado set and the
bottom of the cut was far from flat.

So...why didn't I just switch to the router once I realized that the dado
set was not great? Because I spent a hundred bucks on blade set, of course!
;-)

Bob B.