Delta 36-650 tablesaw Dado size limit?

[Denny]

I'm looking at buying a new dado set, I read suggestions that an 8" set can burn out a motor, should I stick with a 6" set? Thanks, Denny

[Edwin Pawlowski]

When I was at the Springfield show, the owner of Ridge Carbide Tools was hakinghis wares. They offered the 6" and 8" at the same price that day. I asked about what to buy. He said that any 1 1/2 hp contractor saw can handle the 8". The 6" were mostly for smaller benchtop saws. He was, in fact, doing demos with the 8" on a contractor saw.

FWIW, the Ridge dado sems to be a very nice set. I've not had time to do much with it yet as the shop is too cold when the outdoor temps are single digits.

[patriarch]

"Edwin Pawlowski" wrote in news:E6iVb.4423$ [e-mail]:

I was able to sucessfully use the Freud SD208 8" dado set on my !@#$@%ing Shopsmith. That is, once I ordered the non-standard arbor set, and custom throat plate, and managed to set the ~#$%%^ing thing up so that all of the !@#$%ing adjustments didn't randomly 'self-adjust'. But there was enough power to cut reasonable depth and width dados & rabbets.

(A Unisaw changed my woodworking life. And the Shopsmith is now in my son's garage. We're both happier.)

If you want to cut 1.5" deep, 3/4" wide dados in 12/4 white oak, in a single pass, you may be disappointed. If you select your battles, a well- tuned contractor's saw should be just fine with a reasonable quality stacked set. Keep it cleaned up and sharp.

And enjoy the process!

Patriarch

[JohnT.]

I have the Delta 36-650, and the freud 8" dado set. This past summer, I made some tongue and groove floorboards for my porch (7'x25') with this combination. Granted, this was only 1/4" tongues and grooves, but it did them just fine. I have some upcoming projects that will use 3/4" dado blade, but note anywhere as "intense" as the floorboards.

John

[Joseph Smith]

I own the 36-650 and use a Frued dado set. Works just fine. Delta recommends an 8 inch set. The limitation is on the width of the dado (or length of arbor). But it can handle 3/4 just fine an that is all one should need.