Dado blade tooth count

>From the 15 Blade Test in FWW (comments are my summary - read the full
article for your own interpretation):

Amana 65804 - 46T - This is their Melamine blade but tests showed it
worked great overall

BC Saw & Tool 3008400 - 40T - Not a top performer

Everlast DS840 - 40T - Not a top performer

Systimatic 37160 - 42T - Not a top performer

By "Not a top performer" I mean there was at least one negative
performance aspect in the tests. Oddly enough, all the best blades,
except for the Amana, were all 24T. Negative hook seemed to work best.

Norm Dresner wrote:

> You haven't answered the question of why the edges of the dado are more
> important than the center.

The edge blades cut the sides of the groove as well as part of the
bottom. The sides meet the top surface and imperfections in them make
for a more visibly jagged-looking cut.

The middle blades are just cutting the bottom of the groove. If it's a
bit rough, it's not nearly as noticeable as rough sides.

More noticeable = more important.

Mark

Jim K wrote:
> Greetings all. This is my first post to the group, and my first post to a
> newsgroup!

Welcome.

> I am upgrading from a wobble dado to a set. I plan to use it for a variety
> of projects, hardwood, softwood, plywood and MDF. I am leaning towards a
> higher side blade tooth count, in the 20+ range on an 8" set. Does this
> sound reasonable?

That sounds like a regular tooth count for an 8" dado. "higher" counts
would be in the 40-tooth range.

Chris

Leon wrote:

> Can you actually tell me who makes a 8" dado blade set with the outer blades
> having 40 teeth?

I know of at least three--the third is actually 46 teeth.

http://freud-tools.com/freudsd8safd1.html
http://www.1blades.com/products.ecs/list/164/1584/0/5/
http://www.dimarcanada.com/products/product_details.php?familyIDVar=3&pLineIDVar=2&categoryIDVar=71&groupIDVar=250

Chris

eclipsme wrote:
> Ba r r y wrote:
>> Make that two of us that don't need to clean up the groove.


> And 2 of us that need a new dado blade!

If you have a sharpening service around you can get your dado blade
resharpened, If they know what they're doing, they'll make sure that
all the blades and chippers cut to the same depth.

The local guy hates doing dados because of this, but he does do them.

Chris

eclipsme wrote:

>> If you have a sharpening service around you can get your dado blade
>> resharpened, If they know what they're doing, they'll make sure that
>> all the blades and chippers cut to the same depth.

> This sounds like it would cost more than a decent set to begin with.

Around here sharpening is 25 cents a tooth. It's lots cheaper than a
new dado set.

Chris

"Jim K" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:tjL8g.3718$iH5.2558@trndny07...
| Greetings all. This is my first post to the group, and my first post to a
| newsgroup!
|
| I am upgrading from a wobble dado to a set. I plan to use it for a
variety
| of projects, hardwood, softwood, plywood and MDF. I am leaning towards a
| higher side blade tooth count, in the 20+ range on an 8" set. Does this
| sound reasonable?
|
| I am leaning toward the Freud SD308.

I've never understood the need for high tooth count in the outside blades
when the ones in the middle have two. Any explanations other than "tooth
count envy"? For the smoothest dados you need to clean out the groove with
a router anyway.

<[email protected]> wrote in message
>
> Here's one:
> http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=44566
>
> 42 tooth outer blades and 6 tooth chippers.

Not yet mentioned is the need, or lack of, for more teeth. In theory it
sounds like it would be better, but in practice, it may not make a
difference.

"Leon" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
|
| "Norm Dresner" <[email protected]> wrote in message
| news:[email protected]...
|
| > | The chippers only have to smooth the bottom of the dado. The out side
| > | blades need to make smooth cuts on the edge of the dado whether it be
| > with
| > | or across the grain, solid or plywood. The more teeth the smoother
that
| > cut
| > | is. A good dado blade does not require further clean up with a
router.
| > |
| >
| > You haven't answered the question of why the edges of the dado are more
| > important than the center.
| >
| > Norm
| >
|
| Sure I have. If the edges are rough and or splintered the joint looks
like
| crap. Not totally like cross cutting oak with a rip blade with few teeth.
| Basically you normally see much much more of the edge of a dado than the
end
| of a dado.
|

Only if it's at the edge of a piece. If it's a groove in the middle, then
the entire width is (potentially) equally exposed.

Norm

Ba r r y wrote:
> On Fri, 12 May 2006 23:03:19 GMT, "Edwin Pawlowski" <[email protected]>
> wrote:
>
>> "Norm Dresner" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>>> For the smoothest dados you need to clean out the groove with
>>> a router anyway.
>>>
>> Sounds like you need a better dado blade. Mine never need cleaning.
>>
>
> Make that two of us that don't need to clean up the groove.

And 2 of us that need a new dado blade!

Harvey

In article <[email protected]>,
Leon <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>"Chris Friesen" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>news:[email protected]...
>> Jim K wrote:
>>
>> That sounds like a regular tooth count for an 8" dado. "higher" counts
>> would be in the 40-tooth range.
>
>
>Can you actually tell me who makes a 8" dado blade set with the outer blades
>having 40 teeth? Seems it would be almost impossible to keep the chippers
>teeth from coming in contact with the outer blades teeth.
>
>

Here's one:
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=44566

42 tooth outer blades and 6 tooth chippers.

--

Larry Wasserman Baltimore, Maryland
[email protected]

"Norm Dresner" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> For the smoothest dados you need to clean out the groove with
> a router anyway.
>

Sounds like you need a better dado blade. Mine never need cleaning.

"Norm Dresner" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> "Jim K" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:tjL8g.3718$iH5.2558@trndny07...
> |
>
> I've never understood the need for high tooth count in the outside blades
> when the ones in the middle have two. Any explanations other than "tooth
> count envy"? For the smoothest dados you need to clean out the groove
> with
> a router anyway.
>

The chippers only have to smooth the bottom of the dado. The out side
blades need to make smooth cuts on the edge of the dado whether it be with
or across the grain, solid or plywood. The more teeth the smoother that cut
is. A good dado blade does not require further clean up with a router.

"Norm Dresner" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...

> | The chippers only have to smooth the bottom of the dado. The out side
> | blades need to make smooth cuts on the edge of the dado whether it be
> with
> | or across the grain, solid or plywood. The more teeth the smoother that
> cut
> | is. A good dado blade does not require further clean up with a router.
> |
>
> You haven't answered the question of why the edges of the dado are more
> important than the center.
>
> Norm
>

Sure I have. If the edges are rough and or splintered the joint looks like
crap. Not totally like cross cutting oak with a rip blade with few teeth.
Basically you normally see much much more of the edge of a dado than the end
of a dado.

On Fri, 12 May 2006 23:03:19 GMT, "Edwin Pawlowski" <[email protected]>
wrote:

>
>"Norm Dresner" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>> For the smoothest dados you need to clean out the groove with
>> a router anyway.
>>
>
>Sounds like you need a better dado blade. Mine never need cleaning.
>

Make that two of us that don't need to clean up the groove.

"Jim K" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> I am leaning towards a higher side blade tooth count, in the 20+ range
> on an 8" set. Does this sound reasonable?
>
> I am leaning toward the Freud SD308.
>
> Thanks for any input.

I think most are about 20T. Check out www.infinitytools.com for the
Dadonator and www.ridgecarbide.com for theirs, as well as the Forrest. All
are good performers. The Freud is good, but one of these may offer
something else for you.

"Norm Dresner" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>
> You haven't answered the question of why the edges of the dado are more
> important than the center.

More visible in the finished piece, IMO. The edge, not the inside portion.

"Norm Dresner" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> |
> | Sure I have. If the edges are rough and or splintered the joint looks
> like
> | crap. Not totally like cross cutting oak with a rip blade with few
> teeth.
> | Basically you normally see much much more of the edge of a dado than the
> end
> | of a dado.
> |
>
> Only if it's at the edge of a piece. If it's a groove in the middle, then
> the entire width is (potentially) equally exposed.
>
> Norm
>

I am referring to the edge of the dado, not the location of the dado. With
fewer teeth and cutting cross grain the intersection where the piece fits
into the dado will be more likely to have a rough or splintered edge at the
dado.

"Chris Friesen" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Jim K wrote:
>
> That sounds like a regular tooth count for an 8" dado. "higher" counts
> would be in the 40-tooth range.


Can you actually tell me who makes a 8" dado blade set with the outer blades
having 40 teeth? Seems it would be almost impossible to keep the chippers
teeth from coming in contact with the outer blades teeth.

"Chris Friesen" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> eclipsme wrote:
>
>>> If you have a sharpening service around you can get your dado blade
>>> resharpened, If they know what they're doing, they'll make sure that
>>> all the blades and chippers cut to the same depth.
>
>> This sounds like it would cost more than a decent set to begin with.
>
> Around here sharpening is 25 cents a tooth. It's lots cheaper than a new
> dado set.
>
> Chris

Depending on the set, $40 to $60 here
http://www.ridgecarbidetool.com/html/sharpening.htm They guarantee flat
bottoms.
--
Ed
http://pages.cthome.net/edhome/

"Leon" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
|
| "Norm Dresner" <[email protected]> wrote in message
| news:[email protected]...
| > "Jim K" <[email protected]> wrote in message
| > news:tjL8g.3718$iH5.2558@trndny07...
| > |
| >
| > I've never understood the need for high tooth count in the outside
blades
| > when the ones in the middle have two. Any explanations other than
"tooth
| > count envy"? For the smoothest dados you need to clean out the groove
| > with
| > a router anyway.
| >
|
| The chippers only have to smooth the bottom of the dado. The out side
| blades need to make smooth cuts on the edge of the dado whether it be with
| or across the grain, solid or plywood. The more teeth the smoother that
cut
| is. A good dado blade does not require further clean up with a router.
|

You haven't answered the question of why the edges of the dado are more
important than the center.

Norm

Chris Friesen wrote:
> eclipsme wrote:
>> Ba r r y wrote:
>>> Make that two of us that don't need to clean up the groove.
>
>
>> And 2 of us that need a new dado blade!
>
> If you have a sharpening service around you can get your dado blade
> resharpened, If they know what they're doing, they'll make sure that
> all the blades and chippers cut to the same depth.
>
> The local guy hates doing dados because of this, but he does do them.
>
> Chris

This sounds like it would cost more than a decent set to begin with.

Harvey