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Dado shim placement?

2K views 5 replies 5 participants last post by  juniorjock 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
I bought a Freud dado set, which comes with a variety of thin shims for fine tuning the width.

Only problem is, for someone who has never used a dado, it doesn't say WHERE to put the shims-do I put them between the outer blade and the first chipper? In between the chippers? If I need to use more than one, do i put them all in the between the same two elements or distribute them evenly between several?

Thanks…
 
#2 ·
If you have to put more than one shim in, distribute them through the stack. Also, on some saws there is a valley between where the arbor shoulder ends and the threads start. A shim can be thin enough to drop into that "valley" and tweak the stack just a tad crooked. I try to put the shim on the smooth shoulder of the arbor if at all possible or else out on the threads themselves.
 
#3 ·
if you put them in the "wrong" spot or overload the shims between two chippers you'll develop little ridges at the bottom of your dado. If that happens, just take a chisel and slice it off, these ridges are usually thinner than a business card and slide easily. Make a few test/experimental cuts and you'll have your dado set up down pat.

One other thing that i have done with my set is to mark all my blades and chippers and shims by number (or letter I suppose). Then I've used them together to get the most used widths and made cuts in a single board. Then I marked on the board what combination of things got me to that thickness so when I need to repeat a cut of that width I know exactly what items I need and the order in which they are placed.

For example, to make a 1/2in width dado I use the following set up (from motor side out): blade1-chipper1-shim5-chipper3-blade2.

Anyway, just food for thought;)
 
#5 ·
I put the shims between the last chipper to go on and the last blade. Less to remove if you have to adjust the width. Never had a problem other than the last blade will begin to turn as you tighten the nut, so I have to make sure I do have any interference with the chipper tooth.

Caveat: My set has a 1/16th" chipper so I never have to go over that thickness. In fact, I cannot recall installing over .030" worth of shims. IF I had to go thicker, I would stagger them, with the thinnest ones on last (again for fine adjustment ease.

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