I am new to woodworking. I bought a Forrest Blade, Woodworker II. Even I
( a true novice) can tell the difference between my blade the one that came
with my delta unisaw vs. the Forrest Blade. I also have the entry level
Freud stacked dado blade (90-100) dollars.
QS
Is the Forrest Dado blade worth buying. The bottom of my dados are not real
smooth. Is it worth the 250 bucks. I realize this may come down to
personal preference, but I was just curious what the opinions of other well
experienced woodworkers may be.
Thanks
Scott
"mp" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>> The Dado King leaves small batwings, not a flat bottom. I have the DK,
>> and the batwings don't bother me as I'm actually concerned with the
>> quality of the edge of the dado.
>>
>> If I really needed a perfectly flat bottom, I'd go with Leon's
>> suggestion.
>
> Now if there only was such a thing as an adjustable-width router bit....
I have the next best thing. A jig that adjusts to the exact width of the
board that will go in to the slot and produces perfect fits with a top
bearing straight cutting router bit. I can send you a PDF file of the plans
if you wish.
"Never Enough Money" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> New to woodworking and you have a Delta Unisaw. Wow!
And.. Some buy a Mercedes as a first car. I suspect that some may even
choose a Northfield as a first TS. LOL
> The Dado King leaves small batwings, not a flat bottom. I have the DK,
> and the batwings don't bother me as I'm actually concerned with the
> quality of the edge of the dado.
>
> If I really needed a perfectly flat bottom, I'd go with Leon's suggestion.
Now if there only was such a thing as an adjustable-width router bit....
> I have the next best thing. A jig that adjusts to the exact width of the
> board that will go in to the slot and produces perfect fits with a top
> bearing straight cutting router bit. I can send you a PDF file of the
> plans if you wish.
Is your's similar to a pair of adjustable L brackets? I've been using
something similar to that, but these days I prefer to do most of the dados
with a sled on the table saw. For my way of working the results I get are
more consistent and repeatable. Thanks for the offer though.
i started with the freud dado stack. it's a good stack - perfectly fine
to use for a year or two until you improve your skills. i would
recommend not buying the forrest dado stack yet, and taking the funds
and getting a good hand plane (check out lee valley) or another tool.
your freud dado stack will treat you well, and when you're ready to
upgrade, you'll appreciate the difference.
my $0.02.
--- dz
Scott Willett wrote:
> I am new to woodworking. I bought a Forrest Blade, Woodworker II. Even I
> ( a true novice) can tell the difference between my blade the one that came
> with my delta unisaw vs. the Forrest Blade. I also have the entry level
> Freud stacked dado blade (90-100) dollars.
>
> QS
> Is the Forrest Dado blade worth buying. The bottom of my dados are not real
> smooth. Is it worth the 250 bucks. I realize this may come down to
> personal preference, but I was just curious what the opinions of other well
> experienced woodworkers may be.
>
> Thanks
> Scott
>
>
<snip>
> I have the next best thing. A jig that adjusts to the exact width of the
> board that will go in to the slot and produces perfect fits with a top
> bearing straight cutting router bit. I can send you a PDF file of the
> plans if you wish.
>
I'd like a copy, please...
Always seeking better ways of doing things!
Thanks,
Tom
I had an old contractor Makita saw, I am so in awe of how accurate the cuts
are. I picked this up as a "referb" from a large delta distributor in
Atlanta. 1400 for the saw , a 52 inch table and biesemeyre fence. The saw
was actually brand new, but it was technically a referb.
Scott Woodstock GA
"Steven and Gail Peterson" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> When you get ready to sell that Unisaw, at a good discount, let me know!
>
> Steve
>
> "Scott Willett" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>>I turned 40. I decided that instead of a car I would buy some tools. I
>>purposely and admittedly went well beyond my skill level. It was not real
>>hard. Worst case is I sell them all.
>>
>> Thanks
>>
>>
>> "Never Enough Money" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>> news:[email protected]...
>>> New to woodworking and you have a Delta Unisaw. Wow!
>>>
>>
>>
>
>
Your comments make me wonder about their blades. I am a long-time
user of Forrest but I am becoming increasingly disenchanted and am
looking for a substitute (see my post below). Are you using thier
blades as well, or just the dado?
Joe
>Not in my opinion. The North Woods dado set from Ridge Carbide
><http://www.ridgecarbidetool.com/html/dado_northwoods.htm>
>makes dados that are IMO every bit as smooth as what the Forrest can do (if
>not slightly better) for about two-thirds the price. I was all set to buy the
>Forrest Dado King at the Indianapolis woodworking show two years ago, until I
>saw the North Woods. The cut quality is almost identical, and if there's any
>difference between them at all I'd have to give a slight nod to the North
>Woods. And it's hard to argue with the price being a _hundred_dollars_ less.
>
>(I have no connection whatever to Ridge Carbide except as a *very* satisfied
>customer.)
"Scott Willett" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>I am new to woodworking. I bought a Forrest Blade, Woodworker II. Even I
>( a true novice) can tell the difference between my blade the one that came
>with my delta unisaw vs. the Forrest Blade. I also have the entry level
>Freud stacked dado blade (90-100) dollars.
>
> QS
> Is the Forrest Dado blade worth buying. The bottom of my dados are not
> real smooth. Is it worth the 250 bucks. I realize this may come down to
> personal preference, but I was just curious what the opinions of other
> well experienced woodworkers may be.
Only you can answer that question. Is it worth $250 to you to have smooth
bottom dado's? I am not a novice and have been seriously woodworking since
1978. I too own a cabinet saw but cut dado's that matter with $15 router
bit.
I hate to be difficult but if you post it to abpw I won't be able to get it,
my ISP does not carry binary groups. Would you be willing to e-mail it to
me?
SteveP.
"Leon" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> "mp" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>>> I have the next best thing. A jig that adjusts to the exact width of
>>> the board that will go in to the slot and produces perfect fits with a
>>> top bearing straight cutting router bit. I can send you a PDF file of
>>> the plans if you wish.
>>
>> Is your's similar to a pair of adjustable L brackets? I've been using
>> something similar to that, but these days I prefer to do most of the
>> dados with a sled on the table saw. For my way of working the results I
>> get are more consistent and repeatable. Thanks for the offer though.
>
>
> Yes, actually a pair of T's
> My dislike of dado blades is that I have to adjust the cutters with shims
> to match my stock. With my jig, that takes no time at all so to speak and
> the first try is dead on.
>
In article <[email protected]>, mp <[email protected]> wrote:
>> The Dado King leaves small batwings, not a flat bottom. I have the DK,
>> and the batwings don't bother me as I'm actually concerned with the
>> quality of the edge of the dado.
>>
>> If I really needed a perfectly flat bottom, I'd go with Leon's suggestion.
>
>Now if there only was such a thing as an adjustable-width router bit....
>
>
Didn't Amana recently advertise one?
--
Larry Wasserman Baltimore, Maryland
[email protected]
"Doug Miller" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> Not in my opinion. The North Woods dado set from Ridge Carbide
> <http://www.ridgecarbidetool.com/html/dado_northwoods.htm>
> makes dados that are IMO every bit as smooth as what the Forrest can do
> (if
> not slightly better) for about two-thirds the price. I was all set to buy
> the
> Forrest Dado King at the Indianapolis woodworking show two years ago,
> until I
> saw the North Woods.
I did the same at the Springfield MA show last spring. I also bought their
40T combo blade and I'm very happy with it. It was a good package deal,
like $229 for both at the show.
--
Ed
http://pages.cthome.net/edhome/
In article <[email protected]>, [email protected] wrote:
>The Dado King leaves small batwings, not a flat bottom. I have the DK,
>and the batwings don't bother me as I'm actually concerned with the
>quality of the edge of the dado.
>
FWIW, having seen the two side-by-side, and having compared both of them to
inferior dado sets as well, I'd describe the batwings left by the Dado King
as very tiny (not merely "small"), and those left by the North Woods as nearly
invisible. Both leave an edge that's pretty close to perfect.
--
Regards,
Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)
Nobody ever left footprints in the sands of time by sitting on his butt.
And who wants to leave buttprints in the sands of time?
Ditto on seeing the PDF. If you're open to it, stick it on ABPW. I enjoy
looking at the work you and others do there so it'd be fine to pull it down
myself to save you the trouble of emailing it to me and the 30 others who
will want it too. :-)
Thanks,
Mike
"Leon" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:%[email protected]...
>
> "mp" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>>> The Dado King leaves small batwings, not a flat bottom. I have the DK,
>>> and the batwings don't bother me as I'm actually concerned with the
>>> quality of the edge of the dado.
>>>
>>> If I really needed a perfectly flat bottom, I'd go with Leon's
>>> suggestion.
>>
>> Now if there only was such a thing as an adjustable-width router bit....
>
>
> I have the next best thing. A jig that adjusts to the exact width of the
> board that will go in to the slot and produces perfect fits with a top
> bearing straight cutting router bit. I can send you a PDF file of the
> plans if you wish.
>
Leon wrote:
> Only you can answer that question. Is it worth $250 to you to have smooth
> bottom dado's? I am not a novice and have been seriously woodworking since
> 1978. I too own a cabinet saw but cut dado's that matter with $15 router
> bit.
The Dado King leaves small batwings, not a flat bottom. I have the DK,
and the batwings don't bother me as I'm actually concerned with the
quality of the edge of the dado.
If I really needed a perfectly flat bottom, I'd go with Leon's suggestion.
Barry
I turned 40. I decided that instead of a car I would buy some tools. I
purposely and admittedly went well beyond my skill level. It was not real
hard. Worst case is I sell them all.
Thanks
"Never Enough Money" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> New to woodworking and you have a Delta Unisaw. Wow!
>
"mp" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>> I have the next best thing. A jig that adjusts to the exact width of the
>> board that will go in to the slot and produces perfect fits with a top
>> bearing straight cutting router bit. I can send you a PDF file of the
>> plans if you wish.
>
> Is your's similar to a pair of adjustable L brackets? I've been using
> something similar to that, but these days I prefer to do most of the dados
> with a sled on the table saw. For my way of working the results I get are
> more consistent and repeatable. Thanks for the offer though.
Yes, actually a pair of T's
My dislike of dado blades is that I have to adjust the cutters with shims to
match my stock. With my jig, that takes no time at all so to speak and the
first try is dead on.
In article <[email protected]>, "Scott Willett" <[email protected]> wrote:
>Is the Forrest Dado blade worth buying.
It would be, if there wasn't a cheaper competitor that does a better job. But
there is. So it isn't.
>The bottom of my dados are not real smooth.
Well, the Forrest Dado King *does* make pretty smooth dados, but the big
question is...
>Is it worth the 250 bucks.
Not in my opinion. The North Woods dado set from Ridge Carbide
<http://www.ridgecarbidetool.com/html/dado_northwoods.htm>
makes dados that are IMO every bit as smooth as what the Forrest can do (if
not slightly better) for about two-thirds the price. I was all set to buy the
Forrest Dado King at the Indianapolis woodworking show two years ago, until I
saw the North Woods. The cut quality is almost identical, and if there's any
difference between them at all I'd have to give a slight nod to the North
Woods. And it's hard to argue with the price being a _hundred_dollars_ less.
(I have no connection whatever to Ridge Carbide except as a *very* satisfied
customer.)
--
Regards,
Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)
Nobody ever left footprints in the sands of time by sitting on his butt.
And who wants to leave buttprints in the sands of time?
When you get ready to sell that Unisaw, at a good discount, let me know!
Steve
"Scott Willett" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>I turned 40. I decided that instead of a car I would buy some tools. I
>purposely and admittedly went well beyond my skill level. It was not real
>hard. Worst case is I sell them all.
>
> Thanks
>
>
> "Never Enough Money" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>> New to woodworking and you have a Delta Unisaw. Wow!
>>
>
>
In article <[email protected]>, Joe Bleau <[email protected]> wrote:
>Your comments make me wonder about their blades. I am a long-time
>user of Forrest but I am becoming increasingly disenchanted and am
>looking for a substitute (see my post below). Are you using thier
>blades as well, or just the dado?
At the same time I bought the North Woods dado set, I also bought Ridge's
5.5mm-kerf dado blade for undersize nominal 1/4" plywood. That has turned out
to be a *major* time saver when building plywood-bottomed drawers: no more
fiddlin around adjusting the fence to cut just the right width dado in two
passes with a standard blade. The cuts are just as smooth and sharp as with
the stacked dado set. I haven't used any of Ridge's other blades (having
bought a couple of Forrest blades a year or two before I even knew that Ridge
existed), but the next time I'm in the market for a high-quality blade they
will certainly be at the top of the list.
>
>>Not in my opinion. The North Woods dado set from Ridge Carbide
>><http://www.ridgecarbidetool.com/html/dado_northwoods.htm>
>>makes dados that are IMO every bit as smooth as what the Forrest can do (if
>>not slightly better) for about two-thirds the price. I was all set to buy the
>>Forrest Dado King at the Indianapolis woodworking show two years ago, until I
>>saw the North Woods. The cut quality is almost identical, and if there's any
>>difference between them at all I'd have to give a slight nod to the North
>>Woods. And it's hard to argue with the price being a _hundred_dollars_ less.
>>
>>(I have no connection whatever to Ridge Carbide except as a *very* satisfied
>>customer.)
>
--
Regards,
Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)
Nobody ever left footprints in the sands of time by sitting on his butt.
And who wants to leave buttprints in the sands of time?
Check the latest Fine Woodworking for a dado review. That Forrest is
great to keep down splintering, but the bottoms may not be any smoother.
FW's review covers this.
GerryG
Scott Willett wrote:
> I am new to woodworking. I bought a Forrest Blade, Woodworker II. Even I
> ( a true novice) can tell the difference between my blade the one that came
> with my delta unisaw vs. the Forrest Blade. I also have the entry level
> Freud stacked dado blade (90-100) dollars.
>
> QS
> Is the Forrest Dado blade worth buying. The bottom of my dados are not real
> smooth. Is it worth the 250 bucks. I realize this may come down to
> personal preference, but I was just curious what the opinions of other well
> experienced woodworkers may be.
>
> Thanks
> Scott
>
>