Another woodworking thread

I have a cheap Craftsman 10" table saw. I also picked up a dado stack at a yard sale awhile back for cheap--barely used.

I'm trying to cut a 3/4" dado in some boards for a bookshelf. When I put on 3/4" of stacked dado, I'm about out of shaft on the saw motor. I am smart enough to recognize the fact that it would be bad for sharp whirling blades running at a bazillion RPM to suddenly come loose.

Is my dado cutting width limited by the length of my shaft? Do better saws have longer shafts? Any way to work around other than simply making two passes?

Use a router to make dados?

My Craftsman saw just barely has enough shaft to secure the wobble-type dado blade I have.

Yes, better/more powerful saws have longer shafts.

does your saw have a spacer between motor and blade?

i can run my stack dado set on my $200 ryobi folding saw and make 3/4" cuts.

patgizz wrote: does your saw have a spacer between motor and blade? i can run my stack dado set on my $200 ryobi folding saw and make 3/4" cuts.

Nope. Just a flange integral with the shaft and a short threaded section. I just finished making the cuts. I got my 3/4", but just barely. Still have all my fingers too!

I have nothing to add but Be Careful. My friend, a professional carpenter for like, 40 years, bought some fancy table saw or attachment or blade set or something. He put it all together and wasn't too sure it was safe, so he stood outside the shop and plugged it in from there, turning it on. I think the pieces landed in the ceiling.

Dr. Hess wrote: I have nothing to add but Be Careful. My friend, a professional carpenter for like, 40 years, bought some fancy table saw or attachment or blade set or something. He put it all together and wasn't too sure it was safe, so he stood outside the shop and plugged it in from there, turning it on. I think the pieces landed in the ceiling.

The first thing I was taught in Metals I in high school in my freshman year is to always stand to the side when turning the bench grinder on. If the wheel explodes, you are clear.

Every time I turn on my bench grinder I think of that day I was taught this. I think we even watched a movie of "The day the grinder exploded"????

Thank you gentlemen, for your interest and sage advice.

I was packing up and putting my regular carbide blade back on, and I came across some instructions. Maximum dado width is 9/16". Riddle is solved.

One of these days I'm going to get myself a nice table saw.

pete240z wrote: The first thing I was taught in Metals I in high school in my freshman year is to always stand to the side when turning the bench grinder on. If the wheel explodes, you are clear. Every time I turn on my bench grinder I think of that day I was taught this. I think we even watched a movie of "The day the grinder exploded"????

I do the same thing when using the bench grinder or wire wheel. Likewise, when I'm operating my table saw, I always try to stand out of line with blade rotation, in case there is a severe kick-back.