Dado stacks

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Jason.p

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At the risk of opening a Hornet's nest, I get the distinct impression that the use of Dado stacks is frowned upon over here. The Americans seem to use them quite a lot (according to YouTube🙄). I assume it's a safety issue, (or several safety issues).
 
Yes.

I am generally a non-combatant in these threads, so I'll do my best to present things without upsetting either side.

You can't use a riving knife with a dado stack.
You can't therefore use the safest type of crown guard.
The stack can exert a significant force on the workpiece, so the consequences of kickback are severe.

The UK way is to cut housings with a router. It is safer, generally just as quick, more precise, and doesn't cause arguments on the inferwebz.
 
I understand from a US friend with a BIG table saw - that the use of a dado stack in the UK/Europe (back then) isn't illegal - but, that table saws in the region are required to stop the blade spinning within a certain time and have a some sort of brake . . . the forces with a dado stack set of blades would require a much more powerful mechanism and the manufacturers didn't see the volume of sales warranting the development.

I have to agree that a router is a rather safer way to cut dados/housings/rebates or whatever you want to call them.
 
I'm a fan of dado stacks tbh. but only for certain cuts.hogging off tenons accurate through grooves. housings. not excessively wide stacks ( 1/2 INCH)
not rebates as they are poor for that(spindle and rebate block much better) for cutting joints I find dados very controllable.( on the right saw)they are not free cutting hogging joinery rebates are have poor accuracy tending to push the wood away.
 
There is a 9-minute video on YouTube by Steve Maskery which explains why dado sets are not illegal in the U.K./Europe but why they are not common. See if you want his explanation. 😏

Thanks Eric. Excellent video, answers all my questions. I have got a Dado stack set that came with a used RA saw I bought, but I don't think I'll ever use it👍🏻
 
it's like so many things....it depends. for say hogging tenon cheeks it's safer than a spindle and rebate as unless the timber is well anchored(like a tenoner) it tends to be pulled in. routers are spinning in the wrong direction for grooves tending to chew there own waste. its physics really. Americans tend to do stuff like dado/house cabinet sides so often have to press down hard to cut an even depth joint as the timbers bowed. also they use dados inappropriately.
 
It’s not illegal for hobbyists to use as they don’t have to comply to Health and Safety laws.

It is if you’re a business/establishment in the UK, but not something I’ve ever used or seen except on Youtube and The New Yankee Workshop many years ago.
 
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I imagine very few saws in the UK can now take a dado stack. I have an American saw that can and I have to say it is a useful tool. The great advantage over a router table is the distance available between the blade and the fence. In practice however I only use it for cutting clean rebates and trenches. The days of milling multiple dadoes for a cabinet ( like Norm Abraham ) have been replaced by more efficient K/D fittings. If you can buy a cheap saw with the U.S. 5/8" arbour it would be worth a punt as there are other speciality blades available from the US like Andy Klein's miter fold dado set.
 

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