# Harbor Freight Dado Set



## yermom (Feb 16, 2009)

hi everybody!

i'm new here, and i have a quick question. i needed to get a dado set, and i didn't want to spend a ton on it. i've heard the harbor freight ones are actually pretty decent. i picked up the "Lifetime Carbide" 8" set the other day for $30, but i'm worried about the fine print. it says:

Caution: Never use this dado stack set on table top saws. These saws do not have adequate arbor shaft lengths, run at too high RPM speeds and lack the required horsepower to pull a dado stack set.

i bought the set specifically to use on my table saw (Bosch 4100-09). from what i can gather the rpms are around 3650. i haven't tried to fit the blade on the arbor yet.

is this safe to use?

also, how much arbor thread should be left at minimum after installing the blade?

what does everybody think?

thanks!


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## Dadoo (Jun 23, 2007)

You should be OK as it's a "stacked set". Wobble dado sets are pure danger in a box! I've bought an 8" Irwin stacked set and use it on a Craftsman TS with no problem. My saw comes with removable spacers on the arbor so I can accommodate a full set. If you have 1/4" threaded shaft remaining then you'll be able to get the nut on fully and should be OK. Just be sure to use push blocks and feather boards…and feed slowly. Dado's cause some of the worst TS accidents.

The warnings I've seen relate to Radial Arm saws (table top saws)...but hey! Norm does it! Why can't we?

Wood mag recently did an article on getting a real tight fitting Dado using the provided shims. Check it out!


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## CharlieM1958 (Nov 7, 2006)

I think you would be within the RPM limits they are talking about, and as long as the blade fits on the arbor with plenty enough threads exposed to secure the nut, I think you are okay there also.

Having said that, though, I personally would not use a $30 dado set out of fear that something might come flying off at high speed. I'm not against using cheap stuff from HF sometimes, but not when it is the kind of tool where a manufacturing defect could be downright dangerous.

Busting my knuckles because a cheap pipe wrench broke is one thing. Picking carbide tips out of my forehead is something else entirely.


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## juniorjock (Feb 3, 2008)

Charlie and Dadoo have some good advice. I've got a Grizzly 8" dado set that does great. I think I paid around $50 for it.
- JJ


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## bsherman (Sep 28, 2008)

I tried that HF and the bottoms were not smooth, so I returned it.


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## 8iowa (Feb 7, 2008)

I just purchased my second dado set for my "Workshop in the Woods"in the U.P. Once again I bought a 6" Oshlun carbide stacked set from Rockler for around $65 including shipping. They have 20% off one item thru 2/21.

This is a very high quality set that includes metal spacers. It is capable of being set to the "undersized" plywood dimensions. Not all dado sets are. I use it on my table saw without any problem.

Basically the choice between 6" and 8" boils down to the power of your saw, ie: the amount of cutting torque that can be produced at 6" and 8". If you have a saw that operates on a 120V 15 amp circuit you might be better served with the 6" set.

Take the HF set back for a refund.


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## Moai (Feb 9, 2009)

I have this S E T from Freud for sale…....$70 near new. shipping included.


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## yermom (Feb 16, 2009)

thanks everybody! i appreciate the input!


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## FEDSAWDAVE (Jan 1, 2009)

"Lifetime Carbide?" Whos lifetime?


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## Lenny101 (Dec 26, 2008)

HF hmmmm don't waste your money good rule of thumb if its too good to be true OR CHEAP than its most likely not worth it watch out those blades will throw teeth if they get too hot!!! buy a nice set of anything but HF..


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## pitchnsplinters (Dec 26, 2008)

Don't expect much. Nice that they sell a product that they disclaimer the crap out of. Sometimes you get what you pay for.


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## Lenny101 (Dec 26, 2008)

nice to se lemmy is here!!  good advice


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## pitchnsplinters (Dec 26, 2008)

And Lenny.


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## GaryC (Dec 31, 2008)

Pitchnsplinters is right. Sometimes you get what you pay for. Problem is, sometimes you pay for what you get.


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## yermom (Feb 16, 2009)

thanks again for the advice everybody!

so i ended up going with a mibro dado set:
http://www.amazon.com/Mibro-416371-8-Inch-Stacking-Blade/dp/B000HE87VI

$45 at lowes. sorry doubthead, i need to get started tomorrow. i think this will suit my needs, and it fits nicely in my budget. i can't quite justify the freud set…....yet….

in the end i didn't like even the possibility of carbide tips flying at my head. back to the store with the HF set!

quick question though -

if i'm only cutting out 1/4", do i need only one spacer between the blades?

thanks!


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## juniorjock (Feb 3, 2008)

I had the same Milbro set. You'll wish you got the Grizzly set (only 5 bucks more).
- JJ


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## motthunter (Dec 31, 2007)

spend a little more and you will get a set that actually makes a decent cut. HF is good for some things.. not this


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## Moai (Feb 9, 2009)

no worries, good luck with the set, looks good and well priced


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## brianinpa (Mar 16, 2008)

quick question though -

if i'm only cutting out 1/4", do i need only one spacer between the blades?

Not sure about this set, but stack whatever inserts you need to get the 1/4" thickness between the outer edges of the blades.


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## juniorjock (Feb 3, 2008)

Like Brian said, depends on your set. My set's inside and outside blades are 1/8" So that equals 1/4" when they're together.
- JJ


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## LSUWoodworker (Feb 12, 2009)

Lifetime Carbide? Thats funny…..... kinda, sad actually.


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## ewhitman (Jan 30, 2009)

"SystiMatic a really good Dado Set for a pretty fair price.


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## dalec (Oct 3, 2007)

If you haven't seen this as yet, I found that I had to remove the inside arbor washer and replace it with the outside arbor washer and use the nut against the outside dado blade to get max the width of the dado set to fit on the arbor and have enough thread to safely secure the dado set.

I am assuming the arbor length did not change from the 4000 to the 4100. If it has changed, disregard this bit of info.

Dalec


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## knothead (Aug 4, 2007)

Generally Speaking, I buy nearly all my disposable shop supplies at H.F. but as someone who makes his living with tools, I have adopted this policy on cheap tools

A) after buying cheap and then going out to buy quality the second time - buying cheap loses it's appeal pretty quickly

B) As for cheap tools in general - if the tool I am looking at can hurt me or has the potential to hurt me then I am inclined to leave it on the shelf and save for the safer, better quality version, I would be afraid that a cheap sawblade would be more likely than a quality blade to throw a tooth, which could ruin your day and possibly your eyesight rather quickly.

Just my .02 cents worth


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## Karson (May 9, 2006)

Lifetime Carbide is the brand name, that way they don't have to honor any problems.


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## Blake (Oct 17, 2007)

Not worth the risk. Save up for the real thing. TRUST ME you will not regret waiting.


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## b2rtch (Jan 20, 2010)

I have a HF dado set and I am very satisfied with it. 
It cuts a flat bottom and there is absolutely no tear out.
As for carbide flying off, I do not think that there is any more danger with this brand than with any another brand. Accident happen what ever the brand. 
I have used HF tools for over 25 years and I have always been very satisfied with them and with HF service.

The one thing I ma not happy with, is the shaft on my table saw being to short to accommodate the full set of blade on it, but that's another story.


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## SawdustJunky (Mar 18, 2010)

Works fine on my delta…...


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## dmoney (Dec 20, 2009)

this was my first dado set and I didn't really like it. It didn't cut flat bottoms, I had to do to much work to get it flat. 
I found a 6" delta dado set (new) on ebay for about $50. I like it much better, it cuts much flatter bottoms for me.


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## Ingjr (Feb 21, 2010)

I've had no problems with mine on a small Ryobi saw. BT3000.


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## davidmicraig (Nov 21, 2009)

The question is probably sufficiently answered but I would like to add that an 8 inch dado set might be a little much for a contractor style saw. I picked up a 6 inch Freud stacked set after reading a number of articles suggesting that size for the average contractor sized motor. Truthfully, a 6 inch set will have the depth of cut for almost any rabbet or dado you will probably make with much less strain on your motor. Arbor size varies, but I tend to stick to 3/4 inch stacks at max on my Ridgid. Make sure you look into zero clearance plates, either store bought or homemade to help with the cut quality.

On the 1/4 inch question, I am sure that every set varies, but on my Freud, no spacer is required. The two main blades make 1/4 and that is the smallest cut I can make using the set for a dado.

David


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## NBeener (Sep 16, 2009)

Yeah. I don't think the OP even cares any more. It's a fairly old thread.

I got the 6" Forrest Dado King for MY Bosch 4100.

It turns it just fine, and it makes beautiful dadoes, grooves, and rabbets.

I like the Forrest so much that I invested in the new WWII 40-tooth ATB blade for everyday use.

Forrest … makes some sweet, sweet blades.

If I can save my pennies long enough, I might buy their Chopmaster for my CMS, too !!!


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