Tip: Save Time Assembling Dado Sets — With Nail Polish

Jason writes: “I always have trouble combining the different dado blades to come up with just the right width for the job at hand — cutting dados in 3/4″ for shelves or 24/32″ undersized wood, etc.  It can be hard to get the blades and shims just right without a lot of removing and reassembly of the different blade combinations, so I came up with this trick: once I get the right combination dialed in, I use some of my wife’s nail polish to mark each blade and shim in that particular blade assembly.  If I need to cut grooves for another thickness of wood, I mark that stack in a different color.  Then I create a ‘key’ with the nail polish and a marker on the dado blade case.  In the future whenever I want to cut, say, a 24/32″ groove, instead of trying different combinations of chippers and shims all I have to do is look for the blades with the yellow markings on them and install them.  It saves lots of time — and bruised knuckles.”