# Dado stack thickness jig



## Sarge240 (Feb 8, 2013)

I have found that when checking the thickness of a dado stack with a caliper gauge, it's a hair off when I torque down the saw washers and bolt. It basically compresses the stack just a little off, do I made this to check it BEFORE I put it on the saw:

I hope it is found useful


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## aaronhl (Jun 2, 2011)

great idea must save some time when fine tuning and adding shims


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## jodasm (Oct 25, 2012)

When I do a dado which is often I work full time in cabinet shop, I make two cuts. So for half inch dado I'll just set it somewhere between Quarter and half then cut one side move fence cut other, I find this to be way faster and more accurate.


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## woodchux (Jul 6, 2014)

Your stack up dado jig is a good idea Sarge, but IMO it appears that the center threaded bolt is a bit too long to keep threading/unthreading the wing nut to add or remove shims/spacers. Consider the maximum dado width your TS will accept, then add say an inch more in threaded bolt length to save time threading/unthreading, measuring/re-measuring the stack. Here is a "trick" you may want to try: accurately measure & mark the thickness on all dado stack up spacers/shims and use a small calculator to get to the dado width needed. Be safe.


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## Al B Thayer (Dec 10, 2011)

jodasm1977 said:


> When I do a dado which is often I work full time in cabinet shop, I make two cuts. So for half inch dado I'll just set it somewhere between Quarter and half then cut one side move fence cut other, I find this to be way faster and more accurate.


I use one of these.

Sarge you have a great idea. I don't own a stack dado but if I did I would go with your set up.

Al


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## Pirate (Jul 23, 2009)

I have the DeWalt dado set, and use their inclosed setup chart. Look up your desired dado width, and stack up the recommended cutters. Done. The times I did it, they came out perfect.
Other times I just stack and measure on the arbor.


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## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

Pirate said:


> I have the DeWalt dado set, and use their inclosed setup chart. Look up your desired dado width, and stack up the recommended cutters. Done. The times I did it, they came out perfect.
> Other times I just stack and measure on the arbor.


Agree totally. The total dado stack should be the sum of the parts. Steel IS NOT compressible in any practicable way on the saw. sIf anything the width of the outer edge will be slightly larger then the width of the center.

George


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*there's a You Tube on this, but...*

I remembered seeing it when it was "free" but now you have to subscribe to Wood Magazine Online:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sq62KOsJOuY

If I recall, you make the dado slightly oversize, fit your plywood into it and add shims or spacers until it's a snug fit. You then measure the thickness of the shims that you added and remove that same amount from your stack..... "theoretically" it should be a perfect fit, but I could be wrong about the process.....:blink:

I spent about an hour looking through them all on You Tube., but this is the one I remember.


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## Al B Thayer (Dec 10, 2011)

While we all talk and post in theory. It would seem the OP has had a real life experience with his stack not adding up so to speak. Maybe they don't lay flat and therefore need "clamped" to get a true measurement. 

It would be helpful if the OP could shed more light on his experiences with his tool. 

Al


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*a theoretical dado?*

The real world is an actual trail pass. Does it fit? If not restack and try again...trial and error, not theoretical but first hand experience. 

The method I suggested by making a wider dado than needed, adding shims to get just the right fit between your material thickness and the opposite edge of the dado and measuring or recording the amount/thickness of the shims and must be done carefully and precisely to get a good result. It is only "theoretical" because I have not done it first hand, but I thought it was a great improvement over my method of trial and error.

I rarely post "theoretical" suggestions, usually only first hand experience. :yes:

I would find the stacking and adding of cutters and shims on a bolt, not the same as the on the actual arbor and therefore open to some variance. May as well just use the arbor in the first place..... JMO

I forgot to add in this post that you must remove the amount of shims needed to make the fit snug from the dado stack you made the initial cut with. No math involved just record the numbers on the shims and remove those.

I also paid to download the video from wood Magazine and yes, that's the method just as I remembered it.


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## Al B Thayer (Dec 10, 2011)

woodnthings said:


> The real world is an actual trail pass. Does it fit? If not restack and try again...trial and error, not theoretical but first hand experience.
> 
> The method I suggested by making a wider dado than needed, adding shims to get just the right fit between your material thickness and the opposite edge of the dado and measuring or recording the amount/thickness of the shims and must be done carefully and precisely to get a good result. It is only "theoretical" because I have not done it first hand, but I thought it was a great improvement over my method of trial and error.
> 
> ...


I don't know. I'd just like to hear a little more from the OP. This whole thread has again reinforced my belief in other methods for cutting dados. Shoot Wooden, I have trouble just measuring correctly.

While your posted method is spot on. Bet 99.9999999% of the guys out there will still, after all the math, do a trial cut. As for me I'll stick with my "no measure, no math" methods.

Al


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## bauerbach (Mar 25, 2012)

I used the frued dado kit, same as the dewalt I guess... it gives the dimensions of the shims and cutters, says exactly how many of each to get each increment from min to max. 

If there was a variance, I assume its probably within my margin of error anyway. 

Even if my kit didnt do the math for me, I think Id want to measure the actual size of the spacers and mark it somehow. Even if that means using the jig to put a simple stack and add each spacer and measure the resulting effect of it. Then I KNOW that if I put this spacer into the stack, Im adding 3/64ths or whatever. maybe this other spacer is 1/16, and the other is 1/32nd... even if they are different, you could mark them and know exactly what your adding up to when you start building the stack. 

Id be very frustrated if I had to blindly build a stack to some guesstimate, then measure, then add/subtract, then measure, maybe tune some more...

a perfectionist might do both, but atleast you SHOULD find that you nailed it on the first try every time.

Now if the results of building the same peices 5 times get 5 differen dimensions... the metal must be warped or otherwise imperfect and it might be time to retire that set/piece.


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## FrankC (Aug 24, 2012)

There are a lot of different ways to set up the stack, I have a length of hardwood that I keep with my dado set that I have cut common dados in, and marked the set up beside each. I now can add or subtract shims to fit and come pretty close first try.


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## TomC (Oct 27, 2008)

What I do is set up the stack as recommended by the manufacture. I then do test cuts in a scrap wood and test the fit and adjust the stack as necessary. Usually requires only one adjustment at the most.
Tom


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## Sarge240 (Feb 8, 2013)

To be more thorough, the shims do seem to bend thus creating an inaccurate stack size when assembling to the saw. When torqued down, it was a little off,so I used what I had, and made this to compress them. Also, if you've ever torqued them down On the arbor and teeth are touching, it can, and will create a small gap. 

This jig corrects it BEFORE I wiggle it onto the arbor.

It's a huge pain to check the thickness accuracy on the arbor, take it off, add or subtract a shim, torque it down again, etc. this really helps save the time.


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## xmas (Nov 24, 2013)

Lots of good ideas here for a relative newbie to dado sets. I'll add I bought a Freud/Diablo set from Home Depot & my shims were bent near the center. I tried setting them up for a cut & could see the stack wobbling.. Scared the hell outta me & I just switched it off. I just bought some slotted shims from Veritas that look way easier to add/remove from a stack. Gonna try those when they get here & see if hopefully that wobble is gone.


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