Articles By Syndicated Columnist
Dan Thomas
© Copyright Home
Improvement Inside And Out
Table
Saw Dado
Blades
One of the most favored tools for dado cutting is the
table saw. When
correctly fitted with an adjusted dado blade, a table saw can continually cut
precise dados.
There are two different kinds of table saw dado blades. These are the
stacked dado blade sets and the wobble type. Out of the two different designs,
the stacked dado design is largely favored since it creates a flat-bottomed
groove. The stack design is made up of set of outer blades with a number of
chippers in between them to adjust the cutting width. You can also place thin
shims in the stack to fine-tune the cutting width.
The wobble type is made up of a single blade that is positioned at an angle
that wobbles as it rotates. Since these blades do not in reality wobble while
in use, they have a tendency to create a bit of a rounded bottom in the groove
and are probable to produce splintering along the sides of the groove.
The majority of contractor and cabinet style saws made for ten inch
diameter blades, and can use stacked dado sets in both six and eight inch
diameters. Bench top saws might need special dado blades, because the arbor on
a bench top saw is shorter. Read the instructions that came with your saw, or
check with the manufacturer, to make certain that you purchases a dado set
that is compatible with your saw. Cutting with the wrong dado set can be very
dangerous.
Table saws have an advantage when it comes to creating dado cuts along the
axis of larger work pieces. Using your rip fence as a guide is less work than
trying to precisely clamp a lengthy guide for a router into position, or
employing an edge guide to cut a dado that is inches from the edge of your
material.
