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Back in October last year, I mentioned a Dado in a circular saw that I wanted, and at that time I did not know that such a machine was available. I began to formulate a plan in my mind and came up with a Metabo with a dado set. So I bought a Metabo, could not find my 6 inch Dado set (Son in law has it I think) and bought another stack set off of eBay. I also bought a reasonably priced wobble, but after fooling with it for several hours, decided that was not going to work the way I wanted it to work. Then I began to take the saw apart (specifically blade housing) and looking at which parts I would have to change or make. All I really needed was a special made spacer, a longer bolt, and a back side washer to move the blade away from the housing. The original washer was almost 3/16 in thick and moved the blade too far out.
I have worked on it off and on since Christmas. The hardest part was the spacer and I sure could have made a better one if I had had a metal lathe . . . but I made one that worked without a metal lathe out of aluminum. I should have taken a picture of the part, but once I had it on and it was working, I am not taking it off for a while!
The Spacer: I started off with a 5/8" aluminum spacer, 5/16 hole. Pictures 3 & 4 below show some spacers, but not the ones I used. Those are 1/4" hole, I had a pack of 5/16 hole, which is what I used. I had to guesstimate the length needed, cut it off and file the shoulders to match the shape of the shoulder washer that clamps the blade on. the Spacer took me about 2 1/2 hours of work, with trial and adjust, trial and adjust.
Picts below of the first and cut that was about 1/32 too small for 3/4" boards. I took it apart, made a spacer adjustment and it was about 1/64th too small. Apart a third time and then I clamped a straight edge across and made a cut. Perfect! Next cut, Perfect!
No Guard, so I have to keep full presence of mind at ALL times to not set it down until it 100% stops. This saw has its own bag. Not for loan.
BELOW: Dado not perfectly clean but very acceptable for shelf dado. That is an old barn board and it had dado tear out on the end. I will try tomorrow on a good board to see how well I can cut without tearout.
I have worked on it off and on since Christmas. The hardest part was the spacer and I sure could have made a better one if I had had a metal lathe . . . but I made one that worked without a metal lathe out of aluminum. I should have taken a picture of the part, but once I had it on and it was working, I am not taking it off for a while!
The Spacer: I started off with a 5/8" aluminum spacer, 5/16 hole. Pictures 3 & 4 below show some spacers, but not the ones I used. Those are 1/4" hole, I had a pack of 5/16 hole, which is what I used. I had to guesstimate the length needed, cut it off and file the shoulders to match the shape of the shoulder washer that clamps the blade on. the Spacer took me about 2 1/2 hours of work, with trial and adjust, trial and adjust.
Picts below of the first and cut that was about 1/32 too small for 3/4" boards. I took it apart, made a spacer adjustment and it was about 1/64th too small. Apart a third time and then I clamped a straight edge across and made a cut. Perfect! Next cut, Perfect!
No Guard, so I have to keep full presence of mind at ALL times to not set it down until it 100% stops. This saw has its own bag. Not for loan.
BELOW: Dado not perfectly clean but very acceptable for shelf dado. That is an old barn board and it had dado tear out on the end. I will try tomorrow on a good board to see how well I can cut without tearout.
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