DADOs: Forrest, Freud, Harbor Freight

The HF blade you are looking at uses a C2 carbide, the Forrest uses a C4 for longer sharp life.

I bought one on sale for $20 last year. I've used it for several months with no problems. I've used it mostly on pine 2x4s. I used it today on some particle board cutting dadoes for a drill press table. It cuts nice sharp, flat dados. I've got no complaints with it. I've used for some shelves, washer and dried pads (keep 'em off the basement floor), and a toychest as well some other odds and ends.

Bear >I used my Freud 208, 8" stacked dado to make a tongue on the end of

I think the problem with the HF dados is quality control. If you have the time to do it, buy about 10 of them and find one that cuts flat and you'll be ok. Return the rest. Or mix and match till you get a flat bottom. OTOH, there is a nice Freud at Lowess for around $80.

One factor that has not come up in the comparison is the number of chippers. The $20 set has five, the $50 set has only four, but many of the other brands have six. All have four 1/8", the cheap HF has a 1/16", but my Ridge Carbide also has a 3/32". You can get more combinations that way. The 3/32 is used for undersized plywood to get 23/32". or for 15/32" for the 1/2" nominal. Ed snipped-for-privacy@snet.net

I got that one--the 208. It is great, but that is the one I have that blows out the end.