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Getting The Best 6-inch Dado Set The First Time
Nobody likes having to buy anything twice, including me. Taking the time to make sure you properly inform yourself as a buyer is a key to being a frugal woodworker.
Especially when you’re talking to my tightwad butt. So throughout this article, we are going to make sure I point out the clear items you need to be looking out for when buying the best 6-inch dado set for your shop.
First, What Is Dado Blade Anyways
Somehow, you might have stumbled upon the article and are not even really sure what a dado blade is. That’s ok, we are to help educate you with all things woodworking including dado blades!
So a dado blade is a specialty blade that normally fights into a table saw or possibly maybe even a radial arm saw if you remember those things.
This specialty blade gives us the ability to create relief in our stock to accept another piece of stock.
Common joints these used for are dado joints obviously or even stop dados which stop short of going through the whole width of stock.
Not only can these joints be used to create a dado but also used in a rabbit joint.
Some other joints that you can achieve with a blade of this combination are box joints and the common tenon joint.
The Different Options Of Dado Blades
Like most things in life or items in woodworking especially there are a few different styles of everything. Dado blades fall in the category for sure.
There are wobble dado blades and various diameters available to choose from of wobble and stacked dado blades.
Wobble Dado Blade
As the wobble name implies the blade moves in a wobble motion set by the hub that rides next to the blade. Adjusting this hub either increases or decreases the pitch of the blade creating a groove in your stock while wobbling back and forth.
Some problems with this style of dado blade is the increased vibration that is created with the blade being kicked at such a severe angle.
In almost all cases I would steer clear of the wobble dado blades just because they can be so unsafe. Spend the few extra bucks and purchase a more modern stacked dado blade.
Just because you can normally find a good deal on a used wobble blade at weekend garage sale for under $10 bucks doesn’t mean it’s a good deal for your safety.
Stacked Dado Blades
A stacked dado blade is up next for our discussion and as we mentioned above this is the more modern solution for cutting dados in your woodworking projects. This is also a much safer option than the previous wobble blade we just discussed.
So what is a stacked dado blade? A stacked dado blade consists of two saw blades on the outer edges with chip breakers in between.
Hence where the name stacked dado blade set comes from. Using a stacked dado blade set results in a much more accurate dado that a wobble blade setup. Not only more precise but also the cove effect created by the saw blade is eliminated.
As for where a stacked dado blade will result in a flat bottom dado or rabbet. To understand saw blades a little better check out our saw blade guide here.
Enough Talk Let’s Get Into The Best 6-inch Dado Set
Now that we are a little more educated on dado’s and what they can do for us, let’s talk about the best dado set available for you.
However, for this article, we won’t be talking about wobble blades or larger 8-inch dado stacks. For this article, we will just be talking about 6-inch dado stacks.
Freud 6″ Dado Set
First up on our list of the best 6-inch dado set is the Freud SD206. I run Freud blades in all my woodworking equipment and I am always more than impressed with it.
This dado set is super affordable and Freud’s great craftsmanship shines through on this product. With this dado set, you have the ability to go from ¼ to ⅞”.
Which is more than enough for the hobbyist woodworker. So what all do you get with this set? you get to get 3 chip breakers, spacers, shim set, and a carrying case.
What Comes With It: 2 Blades, 3 Chippers. Shim Set, Spacers
Arbor Size: ⅝”
Blade Diameter: 6”
Teeth: 10
The value to price with this little dado set is outstanding. For under 80 bucks you can really turn your woodworking projects up a level by creating dados and rabbets like the professionals do.
I definitely wouldn’t let this dado set pass you by. It’s been a great asset to my shop.
Oshlun 6″ Dado Set
If you have never heard of Oshlun blades before and you’re a woodworker I’d be surprised. Oshlun is also known for its metal-cutting blade equipment.
They are not too expensive and they are not the cheapest ones you can get on the market either. The middle ground always seems to be everyone’s choice right?
So what do you get with this middle ground player? Well, you get the flexibility to get dados ranging in widths ¼-inch to 29/32-inch. The 30-tooth tungsten carbide tooth will cut smoothly through all your woodworking projects.
The thing I like about this Oshlun dado blade is there forward-thinking. They incorporated the nominal thickness for today’s weird plywoods.
What Comes With It: 2 Blades, 6 Chippers. Shim Set, Spacers
Arbor Size: ⅝”
Blade Diameter: 6”
Teeth: 30
Dado Cut Range: ¼” to 29/32”
The Oshlun blade is by far the best bang for the buck on our list. Quality to price is truly a woodworker’s dream.
Skil 6″ Dado Set
I’m sure at some point in your woodworking or maker life, you have used a Skil product. Skil has been around since 1926 so definitely not a new player on the block by no means.
So obviously Skil has provided the marketplace a dado blade. This dado blade comes on our list of the best 6-inch dado set as the most affordable.
What does Skil have to offer us? The ability cut dado’s ranging from ⅛” to 13/16”. Unlike the previous Oshlun we just discussed, the Skil has high-speed steel teeth over the tungsten carbide. HSS (high-speed steel) can be sharpened by the hobbyist woodworker fairly easy with a file
Where tungsten carbide needs to be sharpened with a diamond sharpener and is best to be done professionally.
What Comes With It: 2 Blades, (4) ⅛” chipper blades, (1) 1/16” chipper blade
Arbor Size: ⅝”
Blade Diameter: 6”
Teeth: 36
Dado Cut Range: 1/8” to 13/16”
This dado blade might the top-rated in our book but if you’re on a tight budget and want a blade that’s serviceable by you to have to look no further than Skil. The cheaper price of this product looks to be a Menards which can be found here.
Forrest DK06244 Dado King 6-Inch
If you don’t already know Forrest saw blades are the absolute cat’s meow when it comes to woodworking. Top of the line, the Royal Royce, the Bentley, I think you get the idea.
If you have never had the luxury of using Forrest saw blade it’s probably a good thing. I say that because soon after you use one all your saw blades in your shop will be garage compared to a Forrest blade.
I got the chance to use a friends Forrest saw blade one time and it has completely ruined me. However, for me, I don’t do the volume of woodworking he does to justify the cost of a Forrest saw blade yet.
Enough rambling about the blade let’s get into it. What really makes a Forrest blade so highly sought after? It’s the attention to detail that goes into the high precision blades. The quality of steel and tungsten carbide are no match for your hardwoods. So all the detail shows up in your woodworking.
What Comes With It: 2 Blades, (4) ⅛” chipper blades, (1) 1/16” chipper blade, (1) 3/32” chipper blade
Arbor Size: ⅝”
Blade Diameter: 6”
Teeth: 24
Dado Cut Range: 1/4” to 29/32”
When purchasing a Forrest saw you have the ability to try it for 30 days and for whatever reason if you’re not satisfied it can be returned. Click the link to purchase yours here. Forrest dado blade is by far the best 6-inch dado set on our list if money is no object or just wanting top quality.
CMT 6-inch Dado Set
CMT Orange Tools hires skilled engineers and purchase top of the line CNC equipment to manufacture quality cutting equipment. CMT has been around for quite some time and it shows throughout their product.
So what about this dado stack? Like most of the dado blades we have discussed thus far CMT gives us a range to dado with to cut between ¼ to 29/32” which is very versatile. Each of the main outer blades has a 20-tooth count with a -5 degree hook angle.
What Comes With It: 2 Blades, (4) ⅛” chipper blades, (1) 3/32” chipper blade
Arbor Size: ⅝”
Blade Diameter: 6”
Teeth: 20
Dado Cut Range: 1/4” to 29/32”
There’s no arguing that CMT does produce a high-quality product for us woodworkers. I wouldn’t hesitate to tell any of my friends to purchase one.
However, here is where my 2 cents come into play. I would look at the cost to value. There have been a few other mentions in this article that have a much better ratio of cost to value. As I stated this is just our option and take it with a grain of sawdust.
Final Thoughts
There are a lot of things that go into buying the right dado set as you can probably see now after reading through this article. From the different thickness of chip breakers to different teeth styles available on the outer blades.
I highly recommend you check our article on the different saw blade teeth before making a purchase on a dado blade.
So it comes down to know what is the best 6-inch dado set? Well, that’s for you to decide on your needs and budget.
However, for our needs and budget, the Olson dado blade is our true winner. If money was no object it would obviously be the Forrest woodworking blade.
So what is your choice? Comment and let us know.
We hope your able to get something from this article and if you did be sure to share this information with your friends.
Thank you for reading!!
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