We may receive a commission when you use our affiliate links. However, this does not impact our recommendations.
If you’re a “dado-holic”, or if you occasionally set up and cut dados while woodworking, Infinity Cutting Tools has just made your life easier with its Dado Measuring Gauge. This gauge is an 8″ round, saw-blade-like piece of high-quality steel (what else would a saw-blade maker use for a gauge?) that has notches cut out around the circumference that range from 1/4″ to 29/32″.
Match your piece to the notch then you’ll know exactly what size to set up your dado stack. Yes, you could use a good set of fractional dial calipers to determine the thickness, but this gauge does more. Right next to each notch is the size of the dado as well as the formula needed to accurately set up your stack.
In the photo, my workpiece is 7/16″ thick. And the symbols on the gauge read, “LHS + C1 + C3+ RHS.” Using the chart printed right on the gauge, I need to use the left blade of my dado stack (that’s a good place to start), one 1/16″ chipper, one 1/8″ chipper and the right blade of my stack. Sure you could figure that in your head or use the handy-dandy cardboard sheet that came with your dado stack (if you still have it), but with this gauge, everything is right there. And being steel, a couple rare earth magnets could hold the gauge right to your saw’s cabinet.
And while Infinity would like you to use this gauge with its award-winning stack (The Dadonator), the company is a bit more forward thinking than that. The formulas provided on the gauge work with any dado stacks that use two outside blades.
You can pick a Dado Measuring Gauge at Infinity’s web site (infinitytools.com) for $29.90. On the site, there are a couple reviews and a video that explains how to use the gauge.
Looking for More Free Woodworking Information?
– Sign up for our newsletters to get free plans, techniques and reviews HERE.
– Like tools? We do! Read our latest tool coverage HERE.
– Looking for free project plans? We have hundreds. Click HERE.
– Learn a new woodworking technique today. Click HERE.
– Want more videos? See all our free videos HERE.
– Check out our selection of half-price woodworking books HERE.
– Get 8 years of Popular Woodworking on one CD. Click HERE.
Here are some supplies and tools we find essential in our everyday work around the shop. We may receive a commission from sales referred by our links; however, we have carefully selected these products for their usefulness and quality.
Good stuff! Thanks.