7-inch dado set?

[BrianHSV]

I have read that using an 8-inch stack with the BT3000 is ill-advised. I was wondering if anyone has tried a 7-inch stack in their saw? I have a 7-inch set freely available, and was wondering if there are any width/clearance problems and if the motor's HP can handle it. Thanks in advance!

[Uncle Cracker]

The motor can handle it, I would think, but I've never seen a 7" dado. My 6" dado set cuts 'em deep enough for anything I need. I don't know if a 7" set would have the same problem as the 8", but if you've got one "freely available", you can determine this yourself. It is with the wider settings that the BT has problems with an 8".

[BrianHSV]

The motor can handle it, I would think, but I've never seen a 7" dado. My 6" dado set cuts 'em deep enough for anything I need. I don't know if a 7" set would have the same problem as the 8", but if you've got one "freely available", you can determine this yourself. It is with the wider settings that the BT has problems with an 8".

Here's a 7" dado set:
Craftsman 7" Dado
My only fear is that the wider setting will damage my saw.

[LCHIEN]

the 8" sets can't be set on the arbor with all the spacers removed. Because the inner blade hits some of the chassis that is just over 3" from the arbor.

Leaving the 1/4" spacer on makes any 8" stack over about 5/8" thick have blades sitting on the arbor threads with attendent off center left blade (causing uneven bottoms), and blade washer mounting issues.

if you have the 7" you can try it or just go with dadoes under 5/8".

[BrianHSV]

the 8" sets can't be set on the arbor with all the spacers removed. Because the inner blade hits some of the chassis that is just over 3" from the arbor.

Leaving the 1/4" spacer on makes any 8" stack over about 5/8" thick have blades sitting on the arbor threads with attendent off center left blade (causing uneven bottoms), and blade washer mounting issues.

if you have the 7" you can try it or just go with dadoes under 5/8".

Thank you, Loring. I now have a much better understanding of the issue with the width. So, I suppose the magic question is whether "just over 3" equates to more than 3.5" from the centerpoint of the arbor. If so, the 7" should work. If it's less than 3.5", then I'll have the same problem.

Thank you very much for the enlightening post.

[vaking]

I have used a Craftsman 8" adjustable dado in my BT3100.
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_1...ord=dado+blade
I call it double-wobble. Making it work with BT3100 is not easy. The dust-collestion shroud on BT3100 comes close to the end of the arbor so putting the thick center piece of this dado past the shroud onto the arbor is hard. However, it can be done and then dado works. I have made some 3/4" wide grooves with it.
One more thing to remember - original dado throat plate for BT3100 is made for 6" dado. If you use a blade bigger than 6" you cannot raise that blade fully or it will catch the metal on the throat plate. So if you need to make deep cuts using dado bigger than 6" - you must make your own throat plate.

[LCHIEN]

Thank you, Loring. I now have a much better understanding of the issue with the width. So, I suppose the magic question is whether "just over 3" equates to more than 3.5" from the centerpoint of the arbor. If so, the 7" should work. If it's less than 3.5", then I'll have the same problem.

Thank you very much for the enlightening post.

IIRC its less than 3.5"

VAKING, i have also tried the double wobble dado, its a real bear to get on, but you can do it. Since it has a one piece hub, you can leave the 1/4" spacer on and having part of the blade over the arbor threads does not cause a drop in cutting height. You will have a hard time putting the arbor nut and the Blade washer on, I recall i left the blade washer off but felt uncomfortable doing so.

[LCHIEN]

Thank you, Loring. I now have a much better understanding of the issue with the width. So, I suppose the magic question is whether "just over 3" equates to more than 3.5" from the centerpoint of the arbor. If so, the 7" should work. If it's less than 3.5", then I'll have the same problem.

Thank you very much for the enlightening post.

IIRC its less than 3.5". That and about 100 more questions are covered in detail in my BT3 FAQ (see sig line below). As a side note, i don't personally see any problem with the added weight of the bigger dado.

VAKING, i have also tried the double wobble dado, its a real bear to get on, but you can do it. Since it has a one piece hub, you can leave the 1/4" spacer on and having part of the blade over the arbor threads does not cause a drop in cutting height. You will have a hard time putting the arbor nut and the Blade washer on, I recall i left the blade washer off but felt uncomfortable doing so.

[Spuds]

I have also tried the double wobble dado, its a real bear to get on, but you can do it. Since it has a one piece hub, you can leave the 1/4" spacer on and having part of the blade over the arbor threads does not cause a drop in cutting height. You will have a hard time putting the arbor nut and the Blade washer on, I recall i left the blade washer off but felt uncomfortable doing so.

Make that 3 .... I have the same thing and you nailed it ... what a bear to put on and get adjusted just right. I had to leave the blade washer off to get the nut on as well. I've had that dado for over 15 years, it was a real workhorse for me on my old contractor saw but the BT3100 and it just don't really want to coexist.

Fortunately Santa was listening and I now have the Freud 6" stacked dado to use on the saw and I think that will give a depth a bit over 1" which for what I do will cover 99.9% of my dado cuts as I don't need to make many half laps on 4X stock.