# Best Dado Blade for Saw Stop?



## cmillsrun (Feb 19, 2014)

Hi all,

I recently purchased a Saw Stop Professional 3hp saw (first big table saw- yay!). I was in the process of choosing which dado stack I wanted to purchase and had come the conclusion that I wanted the Dadonator.

My issue is that when I purchased the new dado saw stop brake cartridge there were explicit instructions not to use dado stacks that had full blades for the chippers as this would add too much weight and could bend the arbor if the brake is activated. Now, of course I don't ever plan to activate the brake but at the same token a bent arbor is way worse to fix then a blade/cartridge.

Does anyone have experience with dado's on the Saw Stop? Would something like the Forrest King Dado be a better choice since it's chippers aren't as bulky? Any other dado blades that you'd recommend or am I just irrationally worrying?

Thanks!!


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## ChrisK (Dec 18, 2009)

This is I found on the saw stop web site:

Do not use dado sets with solid-plate interior chippers or blades with molding heads, as neither brake cartridge is designed to stop those blade types.

The Dadonator seems to fit that bill. Call Saw Stop and get right fro their mouths.


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## knotscott (Feb 27, 2009)

I'd definitely call Saw Stop and ask if the Dadonator is compatible, because in my view it doesn't really a have full plate chippers….it's more like 75%. A set like the Oshlun or Systimatic are closer to full plate. I'm sure it boils down to mass.

















*vs:*


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## knotscott (Feb 27, 2009)

If the issue really does come down to mass, I wonder if you could use any set as long as you didn't load it to quite full width? Less width, less mass.


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## cmillsrun (Feb 19, 2014)

I ended up going with the Forrest Dado King and love it! Thanks for the help and opinions!


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## Woodbum (Jan 3, 2010)

Chris: I too have an 8" Dado king, but do not use it on a sawstop. Very high quality cuts. I am very happy with it too.


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## PatrickT (May 10, 2016)

Ran across this thread when doing some research on dado blades for my PCS 31320 and thought I'd add some info -

The salesman at Acme tools showed me an e-mail he received from their Sawstop. They cautioned against blades that have shoulders (Like these) because the blade takes longer to stop.

Specifically, the rep recommended against 'all current' Freud dado blades and the Oldham 12T dado set. The Forrest DK08244 and DeWalt DW7670 8" stacks were listed as being OK.

Interestingly, this is not on their web site, although they do reference shoulders in the manual.

I was planning on getting a Freud SD308 but now am torn. I can't really justify $300 for a dado stack and I really liked the Freud set I had on my old saw, but since the entire reason I purchased the Saswtop was for increased safety, it doesn't make sense to defeat that with an incompatible blade. I'll probably end up getting the DeWalt stack - people seem to be happy with it and it's got a nice case!


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## knotscott (Feb 27, 2009)

The DeWalt/Delta 7670 set is a very good set and a great value in the $120 range. It has a similar design as the Forrest, and should work well with a Saw Stop saw. It doesn't have full plate chippers, and doesn't have the anti-kickback shoulders.


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## TarHeelz (Sep 13, 2012)

I have a Forrest that I like with my SawStop. Regular chipper interior rather than plates. (I originally bought the Oshlun before reading the instructions. Fortunately a fellow NC Woodworking member swapped with me.)


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## zake1000 (Mar 10, 2013)

Hi, I just purchased a SawStop and I'm in the market for an approved dado set, so I thought I'd add a comment on this. I've been communicating with SawStop about dado sets and the following is what I got in an email:

Any 8" standard-tooth steel stacked dado set (max width: 13/16") with steel or carbide teeth can be used. For best results, purchase a zero-clearance insert for your dado set.

Do not use dado sets with solid-plate interior chippers, blades with molding heads, or "wobble" dado sets as the brake cartridge is not designed to stop those blade types. Also do not use blades with tooth "shoulders" (often called depth-limiting or anti-kickback shoulders), as these blades will take longer to stop in the event of an accident.

here are examples of popular Dado Stack SKUs that meet the qualifications and can be used on all SawStop saws:

· Forrest Dado King DK0824XXX (5/8" arbor)
· DeWalt DW7670
· Tenryu GMD-20340
· King Canada KSC-8000
· Amana 658040

The dado sets above are the only ones that so far meet SawStop criteria to be used with their dado brake. The question is not what dado sets fit the SawStop, because a dado set that is 8" will fit it, but rather as someone else stated earlier, is an issue of the brake being able to stop the blade in the least amount of time.

Hope that helps


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## PatrickT (May 10, 2016)

Thanks for adding to the list, Zake.

I purchased the DeWalt dado set and am very impressed, especially for the price. Very Clean, flat dados with no chip out. Of the dado sets that meet the Sawstop criteria, I think the DeWalt is the best value. I've heard nothing but good things about the Forrest Dado King, but I can't see it doing that much better than the DeWalt.


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## clin (Sep 3, 2015)

FYI, Just decided to pop for the Dewalt DW7670 set (I have SawStop PCS). Just bought it off Amazon. And was confused by a $20 off discount at the end. It was listed at about $115, and was $95 at checkout.

Went back and looked and Amazon has a $20 off of $100 for select Dewalt items sold by Amazon from now through June 19th. I noticed they listed some other popular Dewault tools like the DWP611 router.

Anyway, a pleasant surprise.


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## ptbIII (Nov 24, 2016)

Sharing an on topic experience - I own a PCS and started using a Freud SD508 a few projects ago. Every thing has been fine, both using a sled and buried in a sacrificial fence. Today, doing a test cut on the sled for some cabinet wall dados, the brake tripped. THUNK!

I am not positive what happened. The SD508 is actually 8-1/8" in diameter, and I have to crank the brake distance adjustment to the stop to get close to the requisite clearance. During setup I did not measure the gap, I just adjusted to the stop and made sure the stack would rotate freely by hand a couple of full turns. I set the blade height for the cut, plugged in, turned on, and started the blade. I made the test cut and was bringing the sled back to the front. About half way through the test piece on the return the brake activated. My best guess is that blade and brake made contact triggering the brake. I ruled out the test piece, it is bone dry with no evidence of conductive material and the brake didn't trip on the first pass. I am wondering if I didn't really adjust all the way to the stop during the setup?

Anyway, there goes the better portion of three bills. I am going to replace the stack with one that is closer to 8" diameter and doesn't have the anti-kickback shoulders. I am hoping the DW7670 meets the diameter spec as it sounds like the best value.

On the bright side I think I now have a really good start on making a shop clock


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## RogerM (Oct 31, 2011)

The Dadonator dado set performs well and is hard to beat.


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## knotscott (Feb 27, 2009)

> The Dadonator dado set performs well and is hard to beat.
> 
> - RogerM


Are the sets that have anti-kickback shoulders an obstacle for Saw Stop?


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## Sunstealer73 (Sep 2, 2012)

I bought the Craftsman one that is identical to the Dewalt/Delta 7670 for my PCS. It cuts very clean and flat dadoes. I used points to buy it, so it was a great value, for me at least.


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## wapakfred (Jul 29, 2011)

> Are the sets that have anti-kickback shoulders an obstacle for Saw Stop?
> 
> - knotscott


They recommend you not use blades that have the anti kickback shoulders since it restricts the blade penetration into the cartridge shoe if it fires (or some other words like that). I'm pretty sure there is a more eloquent way to say that, but I'm having a brain fart at the moment.


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## knotscott (Feb 27, 2009)

> Are the sets that have anti-kickback shoulders an obstacle for Saw Stop?
> 
> - knotscott
> 
> ...


No worries…."brain fart" is a very elegant phrase! :-D


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## PatrickT (May 10, 2016)

I had a Freud set that I already owned and was using and ended up verifying the brake function when I didn't notice the nail in the scrap piece I was using.  ) I ended up getting the DeWalt set from Rockler and have been very impressed with it, especially for the price.

Paul - sorry to hear you trashed a nice dado set. I think you're probably right; it was just a bit to close to the brake and ended up triggering it. There's not a ton of clearance between the blade and brake so I could definitely see it happening. You could talk to SawStop, but they would most likely point out that you were using an oversized blade that didn't meet their specs.

If you're using a shouldered set, I think the brake would likely stop it ok, just not as quickly and effectively as it is designed to do. The arbor will still drop down as well, so that piece of the safety mechanism is intact. If you are getting a new dado stack, then it just makes sense to get one on the 'approved' list. If you already have a non-solid plate set like the Freud, then you need to make the decision for yourself as to whether the reduced safety margin is worth the price for you.


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## clin (Sep 3, 2015)

> Sharing an on topic experience - I own a PCS and started using a Freud SD508 a few projects ago. Every thing has been fine, both using a sled and buried in a sacrificial fence. Today, doing a test cut on the sled for some cabinet wall dados, the brake tripped. THUNK!
> 
> I am not positive what happened. The SD508 is actually 8-1/8" in diameter, and I have to crank the brake distance adjustment to the stop to get close to the requisite clearance. During setup I did not measure the gap, I just adjusted to the stop and made sure the stack would rotate freely by hand a couple of full turns. I set the blade height for the cut, plugged in, turned on, and started the blade. I made the test cut and was bringing the sled back to the front. About half way through the test piece on the return the brake activated. My best guess is that blade and brake made contact triggering the brake. I ruled out the test piece, it is bone dry with no evidence of conductive material and the brake didn t trip on the first pass. I am wondering if I didn t really adjust all the way to the stop during the setup?
> 
> ...


The SawStop brakes have what looks like a foil sticker on the brake. I've noticed these can get damaged. Probably by chips. I don't know if this sticker is conductive, but if the blade where very close, and this sticker had become damaged, maybe it made contact. Unfortunately, the evidence of this is now obliterated by the brake firing. But, I think it's a possibility.


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## WelshDog (Jul 17, 2015)

I'm considering a PCS 175 for my main table saw. I've been using my Dad's DeWalt contractor saw and have discovered it's numerous shortcomings - mostly the really small table. Anyway, I already have a Freud Box Joint Cutter Set SBOX8 that I use with the Incra Ibox jig. My feeling is this blade set would not meet SawStop requirements even with the Dado brake. Too much mass and anti-kickback shoulders. However, since I only use it with the box jig I figure this would be a situation where bypassing the safety system makes sense. The jig keeps my fingers well away from the blade and seems very safe to use.

It's too bad the Sawstop system can't tolerate a wider range of dado sets. I had my eye on the Dadonator and wrote Sawstop asking about it. All I got was boiler plate from their manual, not a specific yes or no vote on the dado set. I even gave them a link to the Dadonator web page. I will take their non-commital statement as a no recommendation I guess.


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## knotscott (Feb 27, 2009)

If you're going to bypass the safety brake, nearly any of the sets should be ok, including the Dadonator, which is the best set I've used to date. The saw will spin the sets just fine….their concern is the ability to stop them from spinning in 5 milliseconds or less.


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## PatrickT (May 10, 2016)

+1 to what knotscott said.

Looking at the dadonator, it has a solid plate design for the chippers, which Sawstop specifically says won't work.
I wouldn't recommend using the dadonator blade without the saw in bypass mode, though. The solid chipper plates mean the blades will have significantly more rotational inertia and more than the brake cartridge was designed to tolerate, so there's a chance that not only will the brake not stop the blade but that something else unexpected and/or unintended may happen if the mechanism is triggered.

From personal experience with a Freud set, I can say that the Sawstop can stop a shouldered dado blade. I can't say whether it can do so as reliably or as quickly as it would a non-shouldered blade, but it it can stop the blade. Keep in mind that the mechanism to drop the blade down still works, so while the blade may not stop as quickly, it will still drop down, away from your hand.

Ultimately, you have to make your own decision balancing safety. I'm happy with the DeWalt set, but if I already had a set like the freud with shoulders on it, I'd probably continue to use that since I don't think the compromise is safety is that great. The dadonator is by all reports an excellent dado set and if you feel the quality of the set trumps the safety of having the brake mechanism then go ahead and get it and use it with the saw in bypass mode. For me, there are other good sets out there that allow me to use the brake and I'd rather have the safety.


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