Dado Set (Stacked)
Affiliate link — we may earn a commissionA stacked dado set is a collection of blades that mount on a table saw arbor to cut flat-bottomed grooves (dados) in a single pass. The set includes two outer blades (which look like thin circular saw blades) and a set of chippers (chisel-like cutters) that stack between them. By combining different chippers, you adjust the cut width from about 1/4-inch to 13/16-inch. Shims between the blades fine-tune the width for plywood that's not quite nominal size. Not all table saws accept dado sets. European-style saws with riving knives that can't be removed, and most portable jobsite saws with short arbors, don't fit a dado stack.
Why It Matters
A dado set cuts a perfect flat-bottomed groove in one pass. Without it, cutting the same groove takes multiple passes with a standard blade and careful fence adjustment between each pass. For cabinet and bookshelf construction, where every shelf sits in a dado, the set saves hours of setup time.