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Do you have a project coming up that requires you to make joints or grooves? If so, then a dado blade is what you need to perform the task accurately.
Many people have never used a dado blade before and don’t know what to do. Therefore, it’s important to discover the basics, such as the types and how they work. Once you’re finished here, you can make joints or grooves on cupboards, shelves, and other projects!
What Is a Dado Blade?
A dado blade is a subcategory of the circular saw blades, and it’s designed to do specific tasks. In fact, it’s used to cut joints and grooves into wooden applications. That way, the units are highly versatile. You can use them when making slots so that the parts come together effortlessly.
If you need to use a dado blade, you must have a table saw. However, the compatibility factor depends on the saw and blade specifications. Therefore, you should compare the blade and saw to make sure that they work together.
Are All of These Blades Similar?
There are two types of dado blades: wobble and stacked. With that, they come in various sizes, with the standard being 6 to 7 inches in diameter.
A stacked dado blade has many blades packed together into one large blade. It features many layers, with a central chipper blade that can be removed. You can also adjust the teeth from four to more, depending on your specific task. The outer sections are then stacked.
Spacers are often used if you want more precision for the job. These units are often included with the saw blade and come in plastic or metal materials. Generally, metal is better.
The wobble blade isn’t standard, and they use an offset rotation. While there aren’t many blades, you can get similar results with them.
Generally, the name of the blade comes because of how they sway while you use them. Some people feel that the blade wobbles, which is why they’re called that.
With this blade, you can adjust your cut by setting the sides. However, it’s not easy to operate such a blade because of the vibrations it causes.
What’s the Purpose of a Dado Blade?
When you set up a drawer, you may have to connect to components. To put those pieces together, you need woodworking joints, and dado blades are perfect for this.
Typically, people use dado blades for cabinets, bookshelves, dividers, cupboards, and other projects that require grooves. Professionals can get by without using a dado unit because a miter saw or clamp guide could do the same thing. Still, most people appreciate how easy it is to use dado blades.
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Mibro Group 416381 8-Inch Carbide Stacking Dado Set – Best Budget Option Best Budget Option
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Freud SD208S 8-Inch Stacked Dado Combo Smooth Cuts
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IRWIN Blade Set, Stacked, 8-Inch (1811865)
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Amana Tool – 658060 Carbide Tipped Prestige Dado Best Values
How Do They Work?
If you’re using a stacked blade, pay attention to the outer blades. You notice that there are many more teeth outside than inside.
Standard table saw blades have an outer blade with the stacked sides. With a dado blade, one faces outside, and the other must be turned to the inside.
The central blade now has fewer teeth. You can adjust the blade count in the middle, which affects the width of the cut. Once you’re ready, you can turn on the tool and begin cutting.
How to Use a Dado Blade?
If this is your first time using one, you should follow these steps:
Before mounting the dado blade, turn off your saw.
Disconnect it from the power supply.
Put the blade on the highest adjustment.
Remove your arbor nut and washer and the throat plate. Now, you can disconnect the blade and replace it with the dado unit.
Make sure that you insert the outer blade first.
Put the right chippers and spacers into the middle for the best setup. Then, put the outer blade on your other side.
Put back the throat plate and washer/nut and lower the blade.
Put back the throat plate and washer/nut and lower the blade.
Check the flange, nut, and washer to ensure that they’re mounted correctly.
Then, tighten the arbor and expand it so that it goes past the nut.
Make sure you have the right configuration.
The teeth on the outer blades and central chippers must be staggered.
Summary
Now that you know what a dado blade is, you can think about using them for your next project. However, they are not available in European stores and are banned. This is because they don’t meet the right standards.
Those living elsewhere should have no trouble finding dado blades. Understanding what they are and how to use them can make it easier to cut joints and grooves in the future.
