DADO! Blades :P

[thomaskennedy]

Hi,

I know its a VERY controversial issue so what are the real dangers of a dado/wobble blade??

I mean how dangerous can it really be? i think they look a great addition to the workshop, easy box joints, easy dado's, easy tennon's...the list just goes on! :shock:

So I'd like to hear your views before i save up for one (cant wait till i get a job :lol: )

Ta

Tom

 

[Philly]

Easy Thom,
Better get you're safety glasses ready for this one! :roll:
Dado's raise the temperature very quickly on this forum so all I will say is search on previous threads for a taster. Also, I will be posting my exploits with my new saw/dado combo.
heads up,
Philly

 

[thomaskennedy]

lol :lol: thanks for the warning...Got my Full Visor at the ready!

Ta

Tom

 

[Midnight]

Got my Full Visor at the ready

best ass Kevlar gloves too... not to mention havin the phone book stuffed down the back o yer jeans...

<winces... remembering last time..

 

[Anonymous]

TK you wanna put another layer of sandbags round ure bunker and retreat like a frenchman

 

[DaveL]

LOL

 

[Noel]

Personally I can't see alot wrong with a stacked dado, providing the tablesaw was designed to use one and relevant guarding (shaw / overhead etc) is in place. Certainly faster than a router but not always better. Why the controversy? Firstly, most saws cannot take a dado due to arbor lenght, which, rightly or wrongly, may or may not be an infringement of EU regs. If the buck stops with the HSE I seem to recall that they don't exactly say a big no to dado blades but that suitable guarding must be in place as with all through cuts. David Free on his H & L site has one interpretation on the issue.
Why does the subject seem to get up people's nostrils? No idea really, maybe since NYW appeared every Tom, Dick, Harry and his dog wrote to every WW comic wanting to be like Norm and asking why can't we have such a wonderful tool? Considering I see so many instances of unguarded saws in pictures on this site and the magazines I'm not sure what all the fuss is about.
Since we haven't had a "discussion" on Dado blades for ages now's the time. So, I hand the stage over to Philly, who will shortly give his views on being a Newbie Stacked Dado Head........ user.

Rgds

Noel, who used to be Philly's mate.......

 

[Midnight]

As I recall... having had my ass near chewed off for daring talk about it last time... the "issue" was related to the braking inside 10 secs rule.. Oh. and umm... preventing the blades (chip bbreakers) from free-wheeling on the shaft after the arbor has been brought to a stand still...

My piece of junk saw isn't dado capable... I've always had to use a router to make them, and that's ok... (glossing over the annoyingly high rate of consumption of straight bits), last time I was simply suggesting that it wouldn't take too much thought, effort or cost to make a dado capable saw that still complied with the 10 sec rule...

This time... I think I'll keep my mouth shut.. I still have the teeth marks from last time.... :roll:

 

[Philly]

The 10 Second Rule......
Was thinking about this last night as, whilst using my new saw (no, not gloating 8) ) I noticed that the sawcame to a standstill pretty quickly. In fact, easily within 10 seconds..... Now the saw is definitely not braked, but is probably due to the resistance from the huge motor when it is switched off. The man at Woodford said that the majority of the saws are going to joinerys,etc, not sad woodworking Norm-alikes (who? Me? :roll: ). So, obviously these saws must be "legal" in the H+s sense. And yes, they come with dado capable shaft.
So, in me humble opinion, I think it boils down to this-
If the saw is designed to take a stacked dado and suitable guarding is used then dado's are "legal" to use in the workplace (and obviously in the home, as HSE does not have such a stranglehold on private individuals).
Guess David Free did know what he was talking about....
Anyway, there's a few morsels to get the dogs excited......
It was nice knowing you all,
Philly
(Special thanks to my old mate Noely, safely on the other side of the water :roll: )

 

[devonwoody]

The adverse comment I have heard about dado blades is that an injury to the body is more serious because there is a large piece missing and makes it difficult to rejoin body parts :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll:

 

[Guest]

I use a dado on my saw and find it very useful. Mine is an old saw so it has no brake but as an amateur woodworker I realise that I must take great care when using any machinery. I don't think a dado is any more dangerous than most other spinning blades, they can all remove a digit before any brake will stop a blade, except possibly the "Sawstop" gadget I have heard of but not seen. Measure the length of your saw arbour,remembering the nut and washer must screw down completely before you dash off to buy a dado set.

 

[Noel]

The braking issue is a good point. When I got my TS I put a stop watch on it with the dado mounted - about 7 secs and my motor is not braked. Mike, if the chippers are loose are become loose then it's not mounted properly, once all is bolted up, the chippers are as solid as a single blade.

Rgds

Noel

 

[Alf]

<sticks fingers in ears and goes "la la la" for the duration>

Cheers, Alf :roll:

 

[Anonymous]

OK

I used a stacked dado on my old Record table saw for well over a year. I am careful and do not take stupid risks (as far as I am aware) and still have all appendages undamaged. Use the tools correctly, with care and respect, and you will be OK.

I do not believe a dado head cutter to be any more dangerous than a straight saw blade once the guards are removed - only difference is that a dado is unsighted as it does not cut through the board BUT you shoud not have fingers anywhere near the blade in the first place. Push sticks and finger boards!!!

However, a dado will not kickback in the way a straight cut blade can.

All tools are dangerous if you use them incorrectly or without respect.

I don't use a dado at present as my kity will not accept one. That is the only reason.

BTW, I have a spare Freud stacked dado up for grabs 5/8" shaft if anyone is interested then pm me.

 

[Offcut]

I had a think about this a while back and couldn't, mechanically, see what the problem was. The spinning mass will be larger moving the COG further away from the bearings meaning they will see more force. Not a major issue.

The only major issue I could see, mechanically, is that the brake mechanism is designed to stop a certain mass. If the mass is increased then more force is applied to the shaft and may cause the blade nut to come loose over time. It will also take more time to stop

Also you invariably want to use it to complete a plough cut therefore the guards are almost always removed.


Andy

 

[thomaskennedy]

AH! Good Job i didnt rush out and buy one,

I dont have a clue whether my table saw will accept it (crappy b&q one so i guess not :? )

So what table saws do accept them? I dont want to spend £100 on a blade then another £500 on a saw :shock: that would be pointless !!


Thanks for the help so far...

Ta

Tom

 

[Anonymous]

Not only is is nearly impossible to buy a budget table saw that will accept a dado head, it's almost impossible to find one where you can remove the throat plate.

I eventually bought a Charnwood because of the induction motor and the fact that I could remove the throat plate & guard easily & quickly.

I use my TS to cut slots & rebates very often, betas the hell out of a router.

Bearing in mind the workpiece is between you and the blade, I think its as safe as houses.

Dave

 

[Midnight]

Mike, if the chippers are loose are become loose then it's not mounted properly, once all is bolted up, the chippers are as solid as a single blade.

Yupp... I knew that.. I just got tired of gettin shot at for daring to suggest that manufacturers were lame...

 

[Midnight]

Bearing in mind the workpiece is between you and the blade, I think its as safe as houses

ummmmmm... not exactly Dave...

Kickback can transmut the workpiece into a missile coming straight back atchya at a vast rate of knots... never take any cut for granted...

 

[Anonymous]

Kickback can transmut the workpiece into a missile coming straight back atchya at a vast rate of knots... never take any cut for granted...

Hiya

But surely kick back is generated by the power of the revolving blade projecting an offcut backwards? With a simple slot there is no offcut?

Even with a rebate, kickback can be easily avoided. My Charnwood TS came with and auxilliary fence which can be fitted to the main fence.

Provided you adjust the auxilary fence so it doesn't project past the centre of the blade, kickback isn't possible.

Dave