I know I've been very naughty . . . BUT ~

[Timberfreak]

. . . BUT ~ ~ ~ I've gone ahead and done it anyway!

NO -- I haven't given up woodworking, nor sold the shed or anything serious like that . . . . .

. . . . . for the longest time I've wanted a Stacked Dado Head cutter, so I've done gone an' got myself one a couple of months back.
It seems that most sources say it's a big NO-NO here in the U.K. and that most lower-end and mid-range table saws can't be fitted with an SDH - and I believed them. Yes, I know that there are plenty saws on the market that won't accept one and I even thought that my own one couldn't be adapted when I first checked --- there just didn't appear to be any room on the spindle for much more than the regular blade.
BUT it turned out to be a simple adaptation to be able to get a stack of 3/4" on there. You don't have to read all these words about it -- you can watch it here.

Now, if you'll excuse me . . . I'll be off to hide behind the settee while all the H & S posts come flooding in !

 

[Lons]

. Now, if you'll excuse me . . . I'll be off to hide behind the settee while all the H & S posts come flooding in !

#-o I think I'd be buying a remote control and hiding behind the settee to switch it on :shock: :lol:

just count all your body parts each time - there are less painfull ways to self-harm :wink:

Bob

 

[cambournepete]

That looks fine to me and given its just for you and presumably only occasional use and the saw can cope it seems pretty safe too.
I'm also surprised that the saw stops so quickly with it fitted.

 

[gwr]

That looks fine to me (Ive never used 1 though) are you making a guard for it ? And i thought i read somewhere they were not to be used on braked machines? I have been known to be wrong mind lol.

 

[Racers]

Hi, Timberfreak

Keep checking the tightness of the nut, it will be inclined to work loose under braking.

You did scare me with that little bit of oak, I wouldn't get my fingers that close.

Pete

 

[Dodge]

Well my main concern, other obviously apart from the lack of guards is the motor braking stopping the blade which can be clearly seen after the cutting of the small piece of oak.

The main reason for us not having stacked dado blades in this country is out requirement for blades to stop quickly using motor brakes, the forces exerted on stopping a single blade are high and increasing this effectively three-fold put strains on the arbour that it is not designed to handle. It also appears that the arbour on the saw in question is significantly smaller than the standard 30mm diameter as bushes are being applied.

I would not wish to be present, nor would any operator when the arbour fails and snaps allowing the unguarded dado blade to fly free.

So please, please take extreme care using this set up it is far from safe!!!!

 

[Timberfreak]

That looks fine to me (Ive never used 1 though) are you making a guard for it ? And i thought i read somewhere they were not to be used on braked machines? I have been known to be wrong mind lol.

Yes, I'm aware that they're not supposed to be used on braked machines. The brake on my saw seems to have a reduced efficiency since several months before I got the dado head and the dado head doesn't seem to have any effect on the brake ~ and vice versa.

As for a guard --- I have no plans for fitting a guard. To be honest, I wouldn't know how to configure a guard for it. Anyone I've ever seen using a dado head has never had a guard fitted and it looks to me like it would be awkward to fit and awkward to work with in place.
I hear the big TV presenters telling us that their guard "has been removed so that you can see what's happening" while I really believe it's so that that they can get on with their operations unhindered, especially some operations that would be nigh on impossible with a guard fitted.

Ooohh ! . . . I think I can hear several woodworkers banging on my front door !!!

 

[Timberfreak]

Hi, Timberfreak

You did scare me with that little bit of oak, I wouldn't get my fingers that close.

Pete

Pete, I don't normally use workpieces that small and the camera angle probably made it look like my left hand was near or even over the blade -- it wasn't. I had the push stick over the timber and off to the left of where the cut was, and my left hand was holding sideways towards the rip fence --- effectively using that hand as a featherboard.

 

[ColeyS1]

Nice clear video, and if it works for you then alls good. That small piece of oak did scare me- think id make another push stick for pushing through small stuff

 

[Chems]

I've got to say, I think your bonkers! Kudos for getting on and doing it though. But man that looks like it takes ages to setup. I resent just changing my blade and that only takes me around 40 seconds. Then you have to have a whole new table top for it? So each time you want to switch between roles on your table saw you have to do all that? I've not seen anyone put on a glove for table saw changing before, isn't there a tool provided to stop keep the arbour still? On my sip its a hole in the arbour that you put a bar in. I've always been keen on getting one for my table saw, but after seeing a truthful setup time vs Norms magical switches its made my mind up to stick to the router.

What have you done to your finger? I hope it wasn't woodwork related?

Don't take this the wrong way I think its great you've given it a go and if your happy with it that is all that really matters!

 

[Woodmatt]

For me thats just to risky,I value my limbs to much.I know both operations were only for demonstration but they could both be done in my view more safely on a spindle.Also I would never use a machine with my shirt sleeves rolled down.
I hope you dont need it but good luck.

 

[Tom K]

Never understood the irrational fear of Dado heads or RAS's as I understand it the reasons for not using them in pro shops are
a, Braked machines are mandatory
b, Dado heads can become loose under braking
c, Set up time is unacceptable compared to spindle

 

[Dangermouse]

I have a got a dado set for my Wadkin AGS10 and I can tell you its a fantastic bit of kit. Dado's, rebates, and tenons to name a few jobs. Now we come to the question of guards, my grandfather worked in mining here in cornwall in the 1930's up to the end of the forties and he told me many a time nothing was guarded and you knew it so you treated machinery with respect and 99% of the time all was well. Now we are told to have guards on pocket knifes nearly, so people get lazy and when an accident does happen its mainly though being careless, just like it was in my grandads time, 99% of the time its ok, but with a guard instead of without. what i'm saying is that if you know what your doing and are careful and you know if you make a wrong move, your finger will be off, you take a lot more care. Or at least you should, some people will just get their finers cut off with or without a guard.
I don't use a guard for a lot of things and after 40 odd years i still have all my bits intact. After all you can do a lot of damage with a sharp chisel , including killing yourself by tripping over onto one, which I know one guy did years ago. So we cant guard everything or we would be wearing chain mail armour all over. So let common sense be our guards as well as the real thing when really needed.

 

[Timberfreak]

I've got to say, I think your bonkers! Kudos for getting on and doing it though. But man that looks like it takes ages to setup. I resent just changing my blade and that only takes me around 40 seconds. Then you have to have a whole new table top for it? So each time you want to switch between roles on your table saw you have to do all that? I've not seen anyone put on a glove for table saw changing before, isn't there a tool provided to stop keep the arbour still? On my sip its a hole in the arbour that you put a bar in. I've always been keen on getting one for my table saw, but after seeing a truthful setup time vs Norms magical switches its made my mind up to stick to the router.

What have you done to your finger? I hope it wasn't woodwork related?

Don't take this the wrong way I think its great you've given it a go and if your happy with it that is all that really matters!

Chems ~ I haven't timed it, but it probably takes 4 - 5 minutes from removing the table top insert (6 screws) stacking the dado, flopping and securing the MDF top on, to being able to switch on the saw. It never seems very long when Norm just walks over to his saw and proceeds to make the cuts he wants --- but I've seen how long it takes him to set it up !!!

Anyway, this woodworking pursuit for me is purely a pastime (albeit a passionate one) and now that I'm retired I've never got that much of a rush on. Switching between the saw blade and the dado head won't be something that I'll be doing with much frequency and just like a lot of members on here, I also do a fair amount of dadoes/grooves etc with either my hand-held or table mounted routers.

I wondered if anyone would notice the finger !!! ~ that little incident was performed with a kitchen knife, and all done in the safety of my own kitchen!

. . . and just to say to all the other posters who have voiced concerns -- thanks for your mentions and I'm listening and paying heed to all that's been said.

 

[Togalosh]

Watchin' that video makes the scar across my eyebrow tingle...

 

[Tom K]

Watchin' that video makes the scar across my eyebrow tingle...

Did you obtain the scar from a flying dado head?
Has always seemed to me the most likely outcome if it comes undone is for the blades and chippers to fall under the saw. If the accident involved a dado head please expand for us.

 

[Noel]

. . . BUT ~ ~ ~ I've gone ahead and done it anyway!

NO -- I haven't given up woodworking, nor sold the shed or anything serious like that . . . . .

. . . . . for the longest time I've wanted a Stacked Dado Head cutter, so I've done gone an' got myself one a couple of months back.
It seems that most sources say it's a big NO-NO here in the U.K. and that most lower-end and mid-range table saws can't be fitted with an SDH - and I believed them. Yes, I know that there are plenty saws on the market that won't accept one and I even thought that my own one couldn't be adapted when I first checked --- there just didn't appear to be any room on the spindle for much more than the regular blade.
BUT it turned out to be a simple adaptation to be able to get a stack of 3/4" on there. You don't have to read all these words about it -- you can watch it here.

Now, if you'll excuse me . . . I'll be off to hide behind the settee while all the H & S posts come flooding in !

Well done, you're a happy man I suspect. As said, respect the spinning bits and all will be ok.
Couple of things: take more care loading the blades and chippers, try and ensure that the carbide teeth do not touch and arrange the chippers in a balanced/symmetrical fashion as much as you can. Get a Sharpie and mark the size on each shim and chipper (assuming you have various thickness's of chipper). That way takes very little time, often quicker that setting up a handheld router, to set up for a cut. Lastly if ever the arbour nut does become loose you'll hear the blades rattling before they start to leave the arbour so close attention is helpful.

 

[ColeyS1]

When we use to use the spindle in reverse at my old work, there use to be a second nut to act as a ' lock nut'. Seeing as youve got spare thread, perhaps it might be worth trying to find another nut.....

 

[Graham Orm]

I have often marveled at how easy it looks to make a housing using a dado set. However the palarvor changing them...and then back to make an ordinary cut has put me off. If it came with a blade changing person to do it while I spent time on something else I might be tempted.

I did a little research a while ago when contemplating the idea, and read that it's not the possibility of the nut becoming loose, but the fact that the extra weight means that the brake will not stop the saw within the 10 second limit. (If I caught my fingers in the saw I think 10 milliseconds would pretty much do terminal damage so why 10 seconds is a safe period is beyond me).

Yours, it would appear still stops within 10 seconds so is it safe....or not?
I would be tempted to get a torque wrench and test the nut after 10 cuts, then 20 cuts and so on maybe up to 100 cuts. This will give you a very clear indication whether the nut is loosening, and maybe if you posted the results on here, or on your video it would answer many peoples questions. As previously stated, a second nut would surely do the job if required.
It also struck me that the bush you removed from the saw was possibly an addition to the saw for the UK market so that dado sets could not be used, indicating that this particular saw is used elsewhere with dado's.
Somebody mentioned the possibility of the arbor snapping :shock: Behave! :lol: :lol:
Great video, and a very desirable result. Good luck with it. =D>
PS...tidy up! :lol:

 

[powertools]

I have got no problem with what you have done and I am sure you understand your machine.
I have to say that your other video on the 4 wheel drive car has made my day and is superb