Dado Blades – A must-have in Every Woodworking Shop
This post contains Affiliate Links. As an Amazon Associate, Real Tool Talk may receive a commission from qualifying purchases. There’s one accessory every woodworker needs if they plan on creating strong but simple cabinetry joints, without a lot of hassle. That’s what you get with a quality dado blade and the absolute best way to use any dado blade or set is to do so on a table saw while using the fence to help maintain a straight and even cut wherever you want to make a joint. Having a capable table saw as something you can always turn to in your shop is a beautiful thing. It opens up unlimited possibilities as to what you can build. We’re talking about bookshelves, kitchen cabinets, dining room furniture – you name it – and a table saw makes it more convenient and easy. Of course, that’s assuming you have a good-quality saw blade – or three. The next thing you absolutely must have is a dado blade. It’s as important as a regular saw blade if you’re planning to do any serious woodworking. But don’t just settle for any old dado blade set. Opt for a good quality, well-made dado blade with carbide-tipped edges. These last ten times longer than regular steel blades and can be sharpened over and over again by the same shop you take your saw blades, planner blades, and jointer knives to. What Exactly is a Dado Blade? Essentially, a dado blade is a circular saw blade that cuts perfectly even grooves into solid wood, plywood, and low-pressure laminate material. These grooves are cut wider than a traditional saw blade but not nearly as deep. While a standard blade cuts through the material entirely (in most cases), dadoes are designed to only make partial cuts in the form of wider grooves. These are used to create Interlocking joints that are common when making bookshelves, drawers, jewelry boxes, door panels, and cabinets of all kinds. Can’t Those Grooves Be Made Another Way? Other methods of achieving a wide cut without using a dado blade include using a router and a clamped straight edge. Another option is to use a miter saw. Both those alternate ways are less effective and notably more difficult to pull off perfectly. Dado blades on the other hand cut perfect joints and grooves. And it’s so much quicker and easier than other methods. If you’re planning on creating multiple joints for your project, often one setup with dado blades on a table saw will do for everything. But if you’re cutting those joints by using a router and straight edge – you’ll have to change your setup for each and every groove. And then, if you’re measurement is off even slightly, it can cause major problems. The Best Type of Saw To Use With Your Dado Blade Dado blades are made to be used on table saws. You can adjust the dado blade to control the width by adjusting the blade or changing the number of cutters you are using. Not all table saws are compatible with all dado blades. For example, you’ll need a saw with a long enough … Read more