# Is it possible to add a dado blade to a Ryobi 10" table saw?



## WWilder

I recently bought a starter table saw. It is the $100 Ryobi from Home Depot one. I am not sure but i seem to recall somewhere reading that they will not accept dado blades. Does anyone know if it is or is not possible to utilize one on this table saw?


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## Dusty56

Did it come with an owners manual ??? Does Ryobi make an insert for a Dado for this saw ? Google is a wonderful knowledge base that I use often.


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## WWilder

It did come with a manual. I read it and it says not to use dado blade  Really cramps my options for joints now. Ty for the help Dusty


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## tooldad

more than likely, the contractor and/or benchtop saws don't have the arbor length for a dado. Other saws don't have the mass to withstand the vibration. Another reason would be the amount of power required to cut that much material at once.


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## CharlieM1958

I have that saw, and I've done it. That being said, I don't reecommend it. I used a stack dado and limited my width to what would work with the stock insert.


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## Dusty56

Do you have a router and a straight edge ? You can make all of your dadoes and rabbets very easily with a router : )


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## Rustic

what type is it on mine I can add one but there is a 6 inch limit on the size of the blade and you need to buy a dado throat plate. Also you can only go to a certain width. Call Ryobi and they will help you with it. I did and they are very helpful.


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## WWilder

I do have a router but no table. Is it still possible to do without a table? I read an article on subing a dado with 3 blades. Sounds unsafe to me.... I just found this site tonight and i am impressed with the quick assistance and support. I am just starting out with woodworking and i am having a great time. Just finished up a countertop vegetable bin for my mother today.


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## WWilder

it is a Ryobi 10" Table Saw model # BTS10S. Will work for me for now until i get more fundage for better tools


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## Rustic

mine is a bts15 I believe. You can use a router without a table as long as you have a straight edge. Just insert a straight cut bit that fits your dado and adjust depth to the size that you want or need.


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## WWilder

Very cool thanks! I am really liking this site! Awesome tips and alot of advice. Great for us woodcrafters in training…he he. Thanks all for the help. Much appreciated


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## scottb

I have a cheap delta portable saw, which is essentially the same saw. My dad has the Ryobi, which we've wore out and replaced with a pricier (and awesome) DeWalt… neither of those can accept a stacked Dado set. The arbor is too small to accept one safely, but you could get away with (dare I say it) a wobble dado.
Then again, you can go the router route, or make your dado or rabbet in multiple passes with a regular saw blade (and a little bit of clean up with a chisel)


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## Richforever

I have the same saw, and I've opted to do dados with the router. It's relatively easy to make a jig for cutting dados; however, a router table is a very good investment. Rockler owns Benchdog and is showing a new line of router tables, tops, and kits with a wide price range and lots of new attachments.


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## RussellInMaryland

I also have the $100 Ryobi tablesaw from Home Depot. Mine is a BTS10-don't know if it is the same as your BTS10S. My instructions address using dado blades. I bought a set and installed and used them yesterday with no problem. It worked with the original throat plate but they recommend getting the optional dado throat plate. I plan to make my own.

On a related topic-in general this saw needs a lot of adjusting before getting decent cuts. There appears to be no source for zero clearance plates so you must make them yourself which is a real pain because the throat opening is an odd shape with narrow beveled ledges. I don't think they had zero clearance plates in mind when they designed this opening. I cut and filed to fit (with beveled edges) a thin piece of plexiglass and then glued on a thicker wood backing for stiffening. I used plexiglass so I could see where I needed to file more. The guide slots appear to be a non-standard size so aftermarket miter gauges and other accessories are not an option. The included miter gauge has an unusable amount of slop so I made a sled. I make my own runners for jigs. The table surface was not flat so had to spend about an hour running a flat file back and forth to make it so. On the other hand I have a very portable saw. I can easily lift it and the stand and carry it around in the garage or put the saw in the trunk of my car.

Since putting on the dado set to make the back ledge for some picture frames I noticed that it is inconvenient to change back and forth with a regular blade to make the cross and miter cuts. I could plan my cuts but I am thinking of getting a better saw table and then I can have one dedicated for dado cuts.


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## NBeener

I have to second everything that Russell said.

Mine is/was the BT12S, but … those limitations got to me verrrry quickly. I wound up buying a Bosch 4100, and-so far-am very glad I did. The non-standard miter slot thing was the last straw, for me.

Watch your alignment for all of your cuts. Measure from fence to blade at the front and the back. Don't count on the fence not to deflect, either.

'Twas a good saw for the money, but ….


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## crank49

I have the same question as the OP but with a different brand saw. I'm thinking of purchasing a Dewalt DW745 because my Home Depot has one of last year's display models on clearance; almost half price. I have the same issue of wanting to use a dado set, but I don't think this saw is designed for it. At $400 the saw has too many limitations for me to consider, but at $200 I think I might be able to justify a few work-arounds. Eventually I will get me a 3HP cabinet saw with a cast iron table that would cut anything without a concern, but that's going to have to wait a year or two. Right now I was wondering if anybody out there has tried a partial set of 6" dado blades on the Dewalt. Maybe limited to 3/8" to 1/2" wide or something.


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## Bayrat

I allso have the Ryobi 10 saw.How do you go about putting in a wobble?and out of what should it be made?


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## rconn1000

I know this was originally a very old post, since the last post was December 2018, I will chime in. I have the cheap Ryobi RTS10. It is serviceable (barely), but the lack of a standard miter gauge slot, crappy miter gauge and lack of ability to use a true dado are serious limitations (among a few others). However, I was able to successfully use 2 8" circular saw blades with some cheap Dado spacers that allow me to do about a 3/8" dado with the stock plate. You could probably safely get up MAYBE 7/16" with a homeade Dado plate. However, you are limited by the length of the arbor and if you go wider than 1/4", you might want to use 3 blades to avoid having to clean up the interior of the cut too much afterward. The critical point is, no matter how you set it up, you want to make sure that you use the washer and arbor nut together (for stability) and ensure that there is ALWAYS some of the arbor shaft on the outside of the arbor nut. if there is not, you run the risk of it flying off.. not good. The other consideration, especially if you are not using much of a shim between the blades, is to ensure that the teeth of each blade will not come in contact with the other blade. Carbide hitting carbide = high speed shrapnel! Hope this helps someone.


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## LittleShaver

I really dislike dado cutters. I make two straight cuts to establish the width then clear the waste with a chisel and/or router plane. But that's just me.


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## BlasterStumps

^ +1 
Some good advice there! Sneak up on the final width.


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## Bayrat

Hey thanks for your information!I have call Ryobi and they looked up the spc s Owens manual and yes a dato blade will work!I have taken my bts10 apart cleaned and tuned it up.still looks beat up.i have it adjusted and squared it up new saw blades and a new dado blade both more expensive the the saw.mad a slead ,fence,miter with rails.lm very happy with it and how it works.Now I can do most anything I need to. Thanks to all for there input /helped info.I have a saw that's cheep and cuts square


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