Thread: Best Dado set to buy

Freud Dial'a'dado are good but the most expensive, the only disadvantage is they lose about 2mm of maximum cut width over a standard shim type set but thats easy to get around. I still can cut 18mm wide in one pass on my saw(tsc10hb).

Adjustment is easy, just turn the dial much easier than mucking about with shims!

I am happy with a DeWalt set I bought in from US a couple of years ago, but it does use shims to get exact widths.

One thing to keep an eye on is the flatness of the dado once cut. Variations in chipper diameter, and the angle of the teeth on the end blades can cause points and steps in the cut which are visible once the joints are assembled. Single blade dados (wobble blades) actually produce a curved surface rather than a flat one.

This is a thread of interest as I've been on the lookout for a dado set for a while now. I'm amazed at how expensive they are and I'm nearly ready to buy a set from the US considering the AU dollar is now at parity.

I'd like to know why it's cheaper to buy from the US than buy locally here in Australia? Dado sets here are insanely expensive.

For example, the Freud SD208 8" Dado set:

From Freud Tools, $94.97 with postage $35 to $75 depending on how fast you want to get it here (prices quoted in USD).

From Major Wood Working, $343.97.

I have been thinking about a Freud Dado set my self, with the link supplied by Sjt you could buy a couple other saw blade and still be out front.

Well, I have the Infinity set (as well as three other Infinity blades) and they are very fine indeed. I'm very happy. I like the dial-a-dado idea from Freud because shims are a total PITA when setting up a dado.

I don't know about "best", but I picked up this set from Amazon:

[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Oshlun-SDS-0842-8-Inch-42-tooth-Stack/dp/B0012YF25Q/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=1293904107&sr=8-1]Amazon.com: Oshlun SDS-0842 8-Inch 42-tooth Stack Dado Set with 5/8-Inch Arbor: Home Improvement[/ame]

and have been very happy with it.

I was all set to buy the Carbatec economy set, and then they discontinued it on me.

No complaints, though, as I picked up a couple of Freud saw blades in the same order that have been fantastic additions to the table saw armoury, and only added fractionally to the shipping. The two blades, dado set and an incra measuring gauge cost $31 to ship, and arrived within a week, total about $220.

Only problem with Amazon is that they won't ship a lot of the products internationally - you have to add and remove things to and from your cart until you find the products they will ship. If there was something specific, you might be better off going through Freud or other manufacturers' sites direct.

Mark , that dial-a-width dado set does look great, although I'm guessing it only dials fractional widths with specific blade and chipper sets? Pretty pricey normally, but Freud have an excellent price on them at the moment, especially with the AUD over USD 1.02 the other day.

De Ja Vu Beeroll, I ordered the same Dado set from Amazon myself, yesterday. Shipping around $25 compared to $75 quoted by Rockler.

Originally Posted by sjt

De Ja Vu Beeroll, I ordered the same Dado set from Amazon myself, yesterday. Shipping around $25 compared to $75 quoted by Rockler.

It seems to do the job - it's my first dado blade, so I'm no expert, but what it's cut so far has been accurate and clean. Don't know how Amazon can ship so cheaply - perhaps they just used some of their petty cash to buy USPS one day...

Originally Posted by beeroll

Don't know how Amazon can ship so cheaply - perhaps they just used some of their petty cash to buy USPS one day...

From what I gather and been told Amazon bulk transport rather than ship individual items, which is why they quote 14 days to transport.

Thanks for the mini review on the Dado stack, has reassured me that I've bought the right thing!

Originally Posted by beeroll

I was all set to buy the Carbatec economy set, and then they discontinued it on me.

Glad I bought mine when I did then! I noticed that the Adelaide store still had 3 left when I bought mine, maybe give them a call to see if there are any left if anyone else is chasing a set?