Ask the Staff
Question:
Hi there,
I am interested in purchasing a
Forrest Dado King Set
from you, but I am trying to decide if I should get the 6" or 8" set. I have a Ridgid r4511 10" table saw w/ 1.5hp motor. I've read in places on the internet that under 2hp, I should go with a 6" dado set so as not to tax the motor as much.
As of right now, I won't need to cut anything more than 1" deep, and I'll more likely not be making cuts deeper than 3/4". At the same time, for a few extra dollars, if you think it won't be too much for my saw, I'd rather be ready for anything with the bigger blade.
Your thoughts are appreciated.
Sincerely,
Ted Goldstein
Answer:
Ted,
If you plan on cutting dados every day of the week, then you may want to worry about taxing the motor. We've never heard of any dado sized set running on a 1.5 hp saw being an issue. The amount of dado work most woodworkers perform is sparse compared to the amount of ripping and crosscuting work done on a table saw.
Buy the dado set size that will best fit your work dimension needs and budget. (This being said, a 6" diameter set of spinning fury is safer than an 8" set. If a 6" set meets all your depth needs, you may consider it over an 8" set because it is not as extreme.
However, if the day comes when your working with 2" thick stock and you want to do a deeper dado than what a 6" set can perform, you'll wish you had the 8".
Regards,
Highland Woodworking
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