Dado Stack Set Up

[Cain]

I got the BT3100 (my first TS) a couple of weeks ago and last night I installed a 6" dado stack in the saw. I tried for a 1/2" width cut so I put the two outer 1/8" blades and two 1/8" chippers on the arbor. I removed the larger spacer from the arbor for the installation.

When making the dados, I noticed the bottom of the cut was not smooth - it had four ridges in it at different depths - one for each blade/chipper.

Should the bottom of the cut be relatively smooth or is some ridging normal? I used a Vermont American dado stack set which may just be a crappy dado set.

The instructions that came with the set weren't very good. They tried to explain how to set each chipper so that the teeth of the chipper essentially meshed in unison with the teeth of the outer blade. I did offset each of the two chippers 90 degrees from each other to maintain the correct balance. Maybe I didn't have the chippers set correctly, but one would think the radius of each blade and chipper would be the same since they are all relative to the same arbor.

Does anyone out there have better directions for correctly installing the chippers with the outer blades on the arbor?

Thanks,

Cain

[JR]

The bottom of the dado should be smooth. It sounds like you did everything correctly, so I don't know exactly what to suggest.

One of the usual causes of this problem is that one or more of the blades rests on the threads of the arbor. This doesn't seem likely, though, given the setup you describe, but you might check it out anyway.

You might also have a dado set with improperly cut arbor holes. If there is slop they'll get offset.

Sorry, that's all I got.

JR

[venkatbo]

Not a solution that addresses the cause, but assuming the dado blades did not remove more material than intended, you may be able to smoothen the ridges out with a router guided by a good fence. In a way, removing the bulk of the material on the saw may protect your router/bit in the long run, as it has to remove less material during the final step... :-)

/venkat

[AAJIII]

Dado Stack

In order to make sure that the dado stack rides fully on the smooth part of the arbor and not on the theads remove both spacers on the arbor, leaving the washer. If you need a spacer after the dado stack is installed, put the proper spacer on the outer part of the arbor after you install the outer washer.

Hope this helps.

al

[drumpriest]

Sorry that this isn't directly related to flat bottomness, but you should know that stacking the 2 outside 1/8" blades and 2 inside 1/8" blades won't give you a 1/2" cut. This is because the teeth overlap, you will get less than 1/2", that's why they include shims.

Now, to the flat bottomness, it's typical for the outer blades of a dado stack to cut very slightly deeper than the chippers (inner blades). if you use the shims, put them to the left hand side. You don't want them on the threaded part of the arbor. In fact, if you can avoid it, you don't want any of the blades on the threaded part of the arbor.

[paulstenlund]

I have a cheapo HF dado set that did that, I changed the sequence, "order" of the chippers, that is I moved the one that was on the right to the left and obtained an acceptable bottom. This may help or it may make it worse but it's worth a try.

Paul

[mschrank]

I think you've identified your problem with this statement:

I used a Vermont American dado stack set which may just be a crappy dado set.

Cain

I had a VA dado stack...used it once and now it sits in the bottom of a drawer. For a decent dado stack at a reasonable price, I recommend the Avenger 6" stack. It's on sale right now at Rockler for $60.00...seems I bought mine for a bit less.

[bigsteel15]

In order to make sure that the dado stack rides fully on the smooth part of the arbor and not on the theads remove both spacers on the arbor, leaving the washer. If you need a spacer after the dado stack is installed, put the proper spacer on the outer part of the arbor after you install the outer washer.

Hope this helps.

al

I would warn against removing the smallest spacer, as the blade washer isn't thick enough to keep the blade away from the housing. At least on my BT3100 it does just touch. This limits the thickness to the width of the large washer if you follow the rule about nothing on the threads.
Doesn't seem right to me, but that's what I found.

[Cain]

Thanks for the responses, folks. I'll try a few things tonight - if they don't work, I'll probably return the VA dado set and pick up a better dado set. It seems that I saw a post last week regarding the manufacturer of the Avenger is going out of business. I went to their website after reading the post and they had this blade on clearance for $40 or so. I just tried to go back to the website and it isn't available.

[RayintheUK]

Cain, forgive me for asking, but did you have the chippers facing the correct way? It's possible to put them on backwards, which would certainly give an uneven floor to the dado. Just a thought.

Ray.

[meika123]

I'm using a Delta HSS 6" dado set that I have used for years. It does a very nice job. I suggest, return the VA set, and get a better one.

Dave in NC

[bigsteel15]

Thanks for the responses, folks. I'll try a few things tonight - if they don't work, I'll probably return the VA dado set and pick up a better dado set. It seems that I saw a post last week regarding the manufacturer of the Avenger is going out of business. I went to their website after reading the post and they had this blade on clearance for $40 or so. I just tried to go back to the website and it isn't available.

Sears has a 6" set that sells for around $50 CDN on sale.
I bought it and really don't see the difference between it and the Freud costing a lot more.

[Cain]

Ray, I believe I have them facing the right way - my set up matches the pics in the directions.

Bigsteel, is this the Sears dado set you refer to?

http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?BV_UseBVCookie=Yes&vertical=TOOL&pid=00932175000

It looks hauntingly similiar to the VA set I bought.

[bigsteel15]

Bigsteel, is this the Sears dado set you refer to?

http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?BV_UseBVCookie=Yes&vertical=TOOL&pid=00932175000

It looks hauntingly similiar to the VA set I bought.

Not the one I have

http://www6.sears.ca/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?categoryId=32334&catalogId=10001&storeId=10001&langId=-1&productId=158485530

It doesn't look to me like they have it in the US......

I finally found something that we have that you don't. NANA NANA NANA!!

Sorry, got excited for a minute there.

[gmack5]

I bought an SD206 6" Dado set from Amazon several years ago and have never regretted getting it.

It was a little pricey, but it has never given me a minutes trouble.