Dados! What are they good for?.. absolutely *******?

[Sgian Dubh]

Interesting Noel. I haven't seen any UK based woodworking supplier offering the fixed length Biesemeyer fences or their similar imitators for sale here. Who's selling them, and on which saw brand? Slainte.

 

[Noel]

Hi Sgian (are we talking Scots or Irish Gaelic (black knife?)?),

Anyway, enough culture...
My point concerned long , short and combo fences rather than the Biesemeyer type in particular. Examples of the combo are on the Jet SS, DW 746 etc, short fences on most site saws and high end production models and long fences on a lot of bench top models as well as the likes of the higher end Xcalibur saws, various Fox and Record models. There's alot of variation out there. As far as I'm aware there are no specific regulations governing fence lenght, although I'm sure there are best practice suggestions etc. Personally I've no problem with a Biesemeyer rip fence.

Noel

 

[Sgian Dubh]

Tony, I lived and worked in US workshops for ten years. The 'hypothetical' cut as you described it is more than common enough there. And it does result in a fair few accidents too. It's a risk that working north american furniture makers and amateurs alike take on a regular basis.

I agree, it's not a safe cut, and I won't do it. The example I gave was rather extreme I agree, but it's a common enough cut. If you ever get to be around north american saw users as long as I have you'll find out just how common such an operation is.

One way US table saw users try to reduce the danger is to construct a cross cut sled running in the mitre slots as (I think) Frank in Canada described. The better home made sleds come with hold downs and the like.

I believe your position on the risks posed by the exposed rising rear teeth of a dado blade is incorrect and heavily understated. I've come to this conclusion by studying the physics of the action (like you), through personal observation of the process and through trying to discover the cause of accidents when they've occurred in workshops I've worked in. Exposed rear rising teeth in any sort of blade always pose a real and ever present threat no matter how shallow the cut. Slainte.

 

[Midnight]

Sgian....

I believe these are Delta copies.. you're in a better position to know than I...

http://www.woodfordwm.co.uk/acatalog/Table_Saws1.html

nice post about Jon btw..

 

[Noel]

Or like this, the 36-730

Noel

 

[Sgian Dubh]

Noel and Midnight, that's the first time I've been made aware that US style contractor and cabinet saws are available in the UK. The Excalibur saw you linked me to Midnight is (as far as I can tell) pretty much the same as models I recall seeing for sale in the US, including the fixed long rip fence.

This would seem to indicate that if you want to use a dado blade in your woodworking then one option would be to buy an Excalibur saw with its dado friendly long arbor and capability as shown at the link provided by Midnight. Slainte.

 

[Philly]

Noely,
I believe HTC sell a Biese type fence in the UK.
Available from Rutlands.
Philly

 

[Noel]

Philly,

Yup, saw that, but happy with my Biesemeyer.

Noel

 

[Anonymous]

HI Sgian

In case my point hasn't come across properly, I am saying that when used correctly dado head cutters are no more dangerous than other powered cutters. I am not saying that they are not dangerous as clearly they (and all other power tools) can be