Harbor Freight Dado Set - Woodworking Talk

tino86 · 12-30-2008, 07:43 PM

I went to check out a local harbor freight store last week and they had an 8" stack dado set on sale for $20 bucks

First thing i noticed aside from the comically cheap packaging is warnings on the outer blades to not exceed 4500 RPM. My saw spins at 5000 rpm and so far so good.

Aside from 2 outer blades the set comes with 2 1/8" chippers, 2 1/16" chippers and some various copper shims

I ran a couple test pieces and it looks like the carbide on the outer blades cuts a bit deeper than the chippers in the middle resulting in a dado that dosn't have a perfectly flat bottom. The shoulders came out clean however

This set is a poor solution if your looking to do any kind of fine precision work where you would see any exposed dado joints.

...but if you need to cut some dados in some crap wood that you wouldnt want your good blade to touch then

sweensdv · 12-30-2008, 08:13 PM

If your saw spins at 5000 RPM you're asking for trouble if you continue to use this set if its maximum recommended speed is rated at 4500 RPM. I hope you work alone cause I wouldn't want anyone else to get hurt when you're using that dado set on your saw.

Terry Beeson · 12-30-2008, 08:25 PM

I have that same dado set and you are spot on with your review. I didn't get quite the variations in the center that you did, but similar.

Dvoigt · 12-30-2008, 11:07 PM

I have the same set and posted a picture of a fit. It wasn't too bad but I save it mostly for MDF work.

opinions on this dado cut

knotscott · 12-31-2008, 10:59 AM

If an inexpensive dado is the objective, a $5 router bit will leave flat bottoms....assuming you have a router.

tino86 · 12-31-2008, 11:49 AM

anyone else running this set above 4500 rpm?

BHOFM · 12-31-2008, 12:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tino86

anyone else running this set above 4500 rpm?

The rpm thing is a "cover your butt" lawyer thing.

I managed an equipment rental store for several years
and we sold cutting wheels and saw blades.

If the limit on the item says 4500 rpm, it is most likely
safe to about 9000 rpm and will come apart around
18,000!

This was told to me by the engineers that design the
things.

Terry Beeson · 12-31-2008, 04:18 PM

I use to be a quality engineer for a company that made commutators for electric motor armatures. Requirements were exactly like that, BHOFM... Our testing was done at 4 times the rated RPM. Then the destrctive test would actally go sometimes up to FIVE times the rated rpm. It was fun "blowin' up" those comms... LOL

BHOFM · 01-06-2009, 05:28 PM

teno86;

Take it back and get another set, I bought one today
and it is near perfect. Just one tiny line in the cut.

And I mean tiny.

Sure beats the old non carbide Vermont American.