Dado blade comparison advice ?

[2link2]

I'm have a stair rail project I need to dado out & am looking at the Freud sets SD508 for about 190 bucks or the SD208 for about 100 bucks. Anyone have experience with these I'd like to know if you think spending the extra 100 for the SD508 is worth it. I know you usually get what you pay for & I use Forest blades on my TS & buy quality tools. I do own a Freud glue line rip blade that is a really good blade at a decent price. I've never had much use for a dado set & gave mine away when I sold a TS years ago & don't think I'll be using the new set a whole lot that's why I'm asking about the cheaper set.
Thanks

[museumguy]

I'd save the money and get the less expensive set. I have that set and it does a superb job.

[2link2]

Thanks for the feedback Garry !

[sweensdv2]

Unless you will be cutting dado's deeper than 1-1/4", save yourself a little more money and buy the Freud SD206 set. I myself don't have the need very often to use my set but when I do need to use it it's always been more than adequate for the job at hand.

[museumguy]

Unless you will be cutting dado's deeper than 1-1/4", save yourself a little more money and buy the Freud SD206 set.  I myself don't have the need very often to use my set but when I do need to use it it's always been more than adequate for the job at hand.

I totally keep forgetting about this. I'm so used to using an 8" set. I bought a 6" set out of Swap and Sell for my jobsite saw and it works great. I agree, if you only do shallow dadoes, buy the 6" set.

[ajkoontz]

I've used the 208 for many years and it performs as advertised. Not perfect, but pretty darn good- talking about bottom flatness and quality of finished cut. IF I was going to upgrade I think I would go for the Forrest but it goes for like $400, so probably not gonna happen any time soon. The $100 Freud set seems like a good value proposition.

[Brian in sunny FL]

In the sub $100 world of dado sets I'm a fan of the Oshlun SDS-0842.  Used to sell them years ago but Amazon made it hard to make money.

[2link2]

In the sub $100 world of dado sets I'm a fan of the Oshlun SDS-0842.  Used to sell them years ago but Amazon made it hard to make money.

Thanks Brian for heads up on the Oshlun. I just checked Amazon & there 89 bucks, no wonder your not selling em anymore. I figured with your recommendation there probably a decent set so I ordered one.

[BC in CT]

I have used both sets. I had the SD208 for many years and it performed well, no complaints.

Within the last couple of years I decided to upgarde to the 508 as I use the dado set quite often. Certainly the 508 is a better set, but, if you do not use it often the 208 will definitly provide you with a quality cut.

I can honestly recommend either set, can't go wrong.

[rwe2156]

If it's a one-off thing and you don't anticipate using one much, sure, go cheap.

But if you have more use (and you will if you do much ww'ing) then it pays to go with a high quality set. You will find out what I mean if you do dados in solid lumber.

I have both a Dado King and Dadonator. I can't tell the difference but I know they are far better than the Freud set I had.