Which Freud Dado

[Willyou]

Freud has a 12 tooth (SD208) and a 22 tooth (SD308) model dado set. Logic tells me that the 22 tooth one would give smoother results. However, I have an opportunity to buy a 12 tooth model for a good price. Is the difference between the two significant? I would probably use it mostly for occasional box joints.

[rwe2156]

I have the 22 tooth set. Love it but on rabbets and dados with grain can be a bit slow to feed.

No question more teeth = better cut = more $ to sharpen, too.

If $$ is a factor, you can pre-score lines on cross grain dados and get just as good a result with the 208.

[ruffcutt]

Is the one you can get for a good price used?

[Willyou]

Yes. The seller says it has been used only once. I haven't seen it yet. So, at this point, I can only take him at his word. I don't know why it was used only once. Bad results, no further need, or other? I'm looking for some comments from someone that has used this model before making a decision on whether to consider it further.

[cputnam]

I have an SD208 - maybe 15 years old. If cut quality is critical you might want the 308. But, even with that you still want to take the precautions for quality as you would with the 208. The thing I don't like about the 208 is that the spacers are not labeled - makes getting an exact width more difficult than it needs to be.

[Willyou]

I think I'll pass on the 208. When I buy, I think I will go with either the SD308 or the DeWalt.

I have the 22 tooth set. Love it but on rabbets and dados with grain can be a bit slow to feed.

rwe2156, Did your 308 come with shims? Amazon is not clear. In one place they state that the shim kit (extra cost) is needed to adjust width of cut. Yet, in the "what's in the box" statement, it says that shims are included. The description of the DeWalt set clearly states that shims are included.

[museumguy]

I have a generic Amana set that I bought some 25 years ago. I made shims out of manila folders and vertical grade laminate. These have worked perfectly for the entire time I owned the set. They are easy to make.

[WaterlooMarc]

I e had an SD 208 for probably 15 years. It has been a decent set. I never get chip out at the shoulders (ply and solid wood only, never attempted melamine or anything else like that) but I can't help but think another set would give me a smoother bottom. But clearly that's a minor concern or it would've driven me insane by now.

Whether a recently manufactured one is still manufactured to the same specs as my old one is another variable.

[fredhargis]

I've had 3 different Freud dado sets (never a 308, tho.) and they always came with shims. As someone said they aren't marked to size, so I measure them with a caliper and mark them with a permanent marker. As for the smoother cut with more teeth. I have to agree that's usually the result, but look at these test cuts I made some time back (none involving the sets you're considering). Anyway, I had just bought a CMT dado set, it's made very much like the SD208 (12 tooth outer blades and 2 tooth chippers). I also had 2 508 sets, one brand new and the other one an older set. The pic shows shows a cut from each made on some very splintering plywood I had...used it for this test just because of this. The CMT shows just a few more chips in the edge than the Freud 508 Super Dado. Lastly, it's been a while since I've seen any tool tests on dado sets, but the SD208 was almost always picked as "best value" in those comparisons they did....admittingly it's been years and they may have cheapened them up. My conclusion is that more teeth is better, especially on problem woods. All of this may be of no value, but just in case:

[Willyou]

Hey! You are supposed to make my decision easier, not harder!  
Thanks.
Do you notice any difference in feed rate between the 12 tooth and 24 tooth models?