How To Use A Dado Blade

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As whatever good woodworker knows, in that location are a lot of different cutting and joint types out at that place. Only amid these several joint types, few cuts are more essential to successful woodworking than the dado cutting.

On the surface, a dado may look uncomplicated plenty. Subsequently all, it looks simply like a squared-off trench cut perpendicularly through a work piece'due south surface. But in truth, a successful dado cutting cannot be made with any quondam woodworking tool.

Instead, yous ofttimes demand to phone call in the service of specialized woodworking equipment such as a dado bract.

If you've never used one before, that's perfectly okay. This guide will teach you the basics of this useful tool. With all of that information in heed, you'll be able to take the side by side footstep and learn how to use such a blade without further delay.

What Is a Dado Blade?

Before nosotros go too far, though, let's have a moment to understand dado blades at a basic level.

In essence, a "dado blade" is one or more circular blades used on a table saw for the purpose of cutting precise dado grooves.

Dado blades come up in two dissimilar types, stacked and wobble. As y'all'll see beneath, these blade types have their own benefits when it comes to cleanly cutting dados to encounter your project'southward specifications.

It's worth noting that not all tabular array saws are compatible with dado blades. This is a result of their construction too as their primary method of operation. Under no circumstances should yous ever utilise a dado blade or set on a tabular array that is not certifiably compatible.

Doing so tin can be significantly dangerous. Instead, yous may be able to achieve comparable dado grooves by utilizing a router and a dado chip.

The 2 Types to Know

Now that you know what these blades are in full general, let's take a closer expect at the two major types.

Stacked Dado Blade

First up is the stacked dado blade, which is also known as a "dado blade set."

This 2nd title is more descriptive of this kind of dado blade because, in reality, these "blades" are actually a unified set of private blades that work in tandem to create a clean dado cut. This makes them adequately different from nearly all other table saw blades, which usually accomplish their cuts with just a single cutting edge.

Ane way to think most a stacked dado set is to envision a sandwich made out of individual cutting components.

Though different woodworkers may modify this standard formula, these sandwiches almost e'er kickoff and stop with a single cutting blade. So, on top of that, a woodworker would add what is known every bit a chipper blade. These blades have 2 – 4 teeth that are used to clear debris out of a dado cut as it is being fabricated.

In practice, a woodworker may choose to add more than one chipper blade to their dado gear up "sandwich." As you might await, each added chipper bract makes the overall prepare only a trivial wider.

When information technology comes time to cutting, these wider sets are able to cut wider dados. And so, in that sense, the width of a dado cut made using a table saw is frequently dependent on the number of chipper blades used in the saw'south dado set.

Still, the addition or subtraction of chipper blades is not the simply manner to modify the width of your dado cuts when working with a dado set up. In fact, yous can besides add and so-called "spacers" that perform the aforementioned part without requiring the purchase of more expensive hardware.

These spacers are oft made of reinforced plastic and come in varying widths. As such, they are the best option for creating the precise dado width that your projection requires.

Wobble Dado Blade

Without a doubt, yous're more than probable to see a dado blade set used in either a professional or hobbyist workshop. All the same, some craftsmen prefer to apply the 2nd type of dado blade, known as a "wobble blade" or a "wobble dado."

This is a unique type of table saw blade that is fabricated upward of a single cutting edge mounted onto an adaptable heart. This centre allows the whole blade to "wobble" in a controlled manner while it rotates, which in turn tin can create a dado of just near any reasonable width.

That being said, information technology should exist clear that these blades practise non "wobble" in the style yous may exist expecting. Instead, a wobble dado sways back and forth in an "South" pattern while it spins. This swaying motility is controlled past two outer plates, which can be adjusted to determine the eventual width of the dado cut.

In practise, these plates make it far easier to adjust the width of your dado on the wing, rather than needing to take an entire gear up of blades apart (every bit you would with a dado gear up).

However, as you may have already guessed, wobble dados are less favored amid woodworkers. This is primarily because their performance is prone to introducing vibrations into a cut. This can lead to some imprecision, especially every bit the flexible center begins to age and dethrone.

Also, wobble dados tend to require more exercise to master properly (fifty-fifty though they nearly always cost less at the hardware store).

What Sizes Practice Dado Blades Come up In?

Dado blade sizing can vary depending on the type of dado blade you've decided to use.

For most folks, that means opting for a dado bract ready. So, when information technology comes time for sizing, you'll want to start by checking out the bachelor sizes for your set's outer blades. These typically come in 8-inch to 10-inch sizes that are just large enough to make a groove without making an unabridged through-cut (they are not intended for that purpose, after all).

After selecting your outer blade sizes, y'all'll adjacent want to find chipper blades of comparable diameter. But more importantly, you lot'll desire to cull chipper blades that are of advisable width to attain your desired dado groove size.

This tin be solitary or in conjunction with spacers. To that end, chipper blades usually come up in sizes such equally 1/viii-inch, 1/xvi-inch, and 3/32-inch. Meanwhile, spacers can come in those widths as well equally some that fifty-fifty smaller.

Selecting a wobble dado blade size is a fair chip easier, given that you're simply working with one piece of hardware.

In most cases, these wobble blades come in the same sizes as the outer blades of a dado gear up. Then, expect to see sizes from 8 inches to 10 inches on your local hardware store shelve.

You lot will need to pay close attending to the width range offered by each wobble blade, though. These tin determine how large or small of a dado you can cut with that item model.

What Are Dado Blades Used For?

As their name suggests, dado blades of all types are primarily used to make dado grooves in the perpendicular surface of wood workpieces.

However, with a little practice and finesse, these specialized table saw blades tin can as well exist used to brand a variety of groove cuts. For instance, a dado blade could be used to make precisely-sized rabbet cuts. In the same vein, these blades could also exist used to make a set of lap joints.

Across these kinds of direct-sided joinery, even so, a dado bract'south productivity may exist more than limited.

Since these blades cannot exist set up at an bending, they certainly cannot be used to make dovetail joinery. At the aforementioned time, all dado blades are sized exclusively for the purpose of cutting grooves. Every bit such, they are not appropriate for making rip cuts or any blazon of through-cuts, for that matter.

How to Apply Dado Blades Safely

It is well known that dado blades present some chance to the user, even when they are utilized in a properly compatible table saw. As such, it is important for you to keep a few key safe tips in mind before trying out a dado blade for the first fourth dimension:

Follow regular table saw safety tips: As e'er, follow all condom procedures appropriate to the utilize of a tabular array saw. This includes wearing eye protection and just running the blade when you lot are ready to make a cutting.
Utilize push button blocks: Information technology is essential that you lot keep your easily and fingers far from your dado blade. One fashion to exercise this is to brand push button blocks that permit y'all to slide your workpiece in and out of place safely.
Never piece of work with damaged hardware: Dado blades (especially sets) tin go dangerous if they suffer a sudden structural failure. As such, yous should regularly inspect your blades to check for wear or damage. If you find any faults, the blade should be put out of use immediately.

Summary

By now, y'all should have a pretty good understanding of what a dado bract is and how it operates. Should you exist considering buying 1, accept a look at my list of recommended dado blade sets.

In addition, you lot should understand the numerous ways you should (and should not) use these specialized tabular array saw blades – especially when information technology comes to taking safety into account.

In the end, you may decide that a dado bract is more trouble than it is worth. Only if you do cease up using one, be sure to practice with it a bunch of scrap wood before utilizing it full fourth dimension in your woodshop.