DADOs: Forrest, Freud, Harbor Freight

[Eric Anderson]

I used my Freud 208, 8" stacked dado to make a tongue on the end of some boards to fit in a groove for some dust panels I am making in my dresser. I found that it blew out the wood at the end of pass to make the tongue.

When I contacted Freud, they pointed out that their dados use a negative hook (which he indicated is why my 208 blew out the back of a board when making the dado without a sacrificial backer board). He pointed out that a positive hook (Forrest has positive hook) tends not do do that.

Now...

Has anyone used the higher end (44566) Harbor Freight blade? It appears to have a positive hook. I have seen a couple of very positive responses about it in a few messages on the newsgroups. Is there anyone else that has bought this blade and can expound on it? Here is a URL to that blade.

is not stocked in their retail stores, so I can't just go and look at it. I am about to chance the $50 and get one if I can't get more feedback from other people.

[Rumpty]

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

[Jim K]

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

[Bruce]

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.

[Edwin Pawlowski]

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 [e-mail]

[Eric Anderson]

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