DeWalt 8 in. 24 Tooth Stacked Dado Set

Why I reached for this dado set

I keep a couple of dado options on hand—wobblers for quick utility work and a stacked set for joinery that needs to look clean inside and out. Lately I’ve been running the DW7670 dado set for cabinetry and casework, and it has settled into my workflow faster than I expected. It’s an approachable kit: comprehensive without being fussy, and consistent where it counts.

Build quality and what’s in the case

Out of the box, the set presents well. The case is sturdy enough to actually use long-term, with slots that keep the outer blades, 4‑tooth chippers, spacers, and stainless shims from knocking into each other. The blades themselves are heavy‑gauge, laser‑cut steel with a heat‑resistant, low‑friction coating that sheds pitch better than most budget stacks I’ve used. The carbide is oversized and resharpenable, which matters if you do a lot of dadoes in abrasive sheet goods.

Specs are straightforward: 8 in diameter, 24T outer blades, 5/8 in arbor, 0° hook, and a groove range from 1/4 in up to 7/8 in. The 0° hook makes for a controllable feed without feeling grabby on a contractor saw. Max RPM is 7000, which covers the standard 10 in table saws in most shops.

One important note: measure your set. The set I received mic’d right at 8-1/8 in in diameter even though the literature calls it an 8 in stack. On a conventional saw that’s a non-issue. If you run a flesh-sensing brake system, you need to confirm your brake’s max diameter and set your gap accordingly. More on that below.

Setup and calibration

Stacking for common widths was straightforward. The included spacers and stainless steel shims are flat and consistent; they don’t burr easily and slide cleanly on the arbor. The stack charts are a decent starting point, but as usual, final fit comes down to your material and how true your fence setup is. I use digital calipers and test blocks for every new configuration, and I recommend doing the same—especially for plywood whose nominal thickness rarely matches reality.

On my saw (5/8 in arbor), the stack seats solidly with no perceptible runout. Even at the full 7/8 in width, the arbor had enough thread engagement for the flange and nut without resorting to thinner washers. If your saw has a short arbor, check max stack-up before committing to wide dados.

Cut quality in solid wood and sheet goods

• 1/4 in dado: Using the two outer blades alone produced a truly flat-bottomed groove with no bat ears. Width was dead-on at 0.250 in by calipers. The 0° hook and micro‑grain carbide left a clean floor suitable for direct glue-up.
• 3/4 in dado: With chippers in the mix, the bottom remained impressively flat for a stacked set at this price. In some passes I could detect faint ridge lines between chipper paths—nothing dramatic, but visible under raking light. A light pass to target final depth, a very slow feed, or a single swipe with sandpaper on a block made it disappear. If you’re doing exposed joinery where the bottom of the dado will be seen, plan on a cleanup pass.
• Rabbets and half-laps: Shoulder quality was crisp. Zero-clearance support at the fence helped keep the exit edge free of breakout.

Plywood and melamine can be unforgiving. The outer blades managed veneer plies with minimal fuzzing, and melamine chip-out was modest with the right technique: swap in a zero-clearance throat plate, keep feed pressure even, and consider a shallow scoring pass if your material is especially prone to chipping. The coating on the plates does help prevent pitch buildup in pine and reduces the “burn stripe” you sometimes see on slower cuts.

Vibration, noise, and feed feel

The set runs quietly for a dado stack—no harsh harmonics—and feels planted, even at full width. The heavy plates and accurate bores seem to pay off here. At 0° hook, the feed pressure feels predictable and safe. If you’re transitioning from a more aggressive hook angle, expect to push a little more on long or wide cuts, but the tradeoff is better control at the start and end of the cut.

Fine-tuning width: shims matter

The stainless shims are one of the better touches. They’re flat, burr-free, and consistent enough that I trust the stack-up math. I tend to sneak up on press-fit grooves with a couple of test passes and shim adjustments, and I rarely had to go back more than once. For undersized plywood, the ability to fine-tune in a few thousandths without frustration is the difference between a snug slide and a fight.

Durability and maintenance

After several projects in hardwood, MDF, and prefinished ply, edge wear on the carbide is minimal. The coating resisted gumming longer than I expected; when it did need a clean, pitch lifted easily with a standard blade cleaner. Since the teeth are resharpenable and have a decent land, I’ll send them out when they eventually dull rather than replacing the set.

Keep the case. It actually protects the edges, which means you’ll spend less time touching up small dings from shop rash.

Compatibility and safety notes

• Brake-equipped saws: Measure your blades. My set measured 8-1/8 in in diameter, while some brake cartridges specify a maximum of 8-1/16 in for dado blades. If your cartridge requires 8-1/16 in or smaller, don’t try to force the issue; you could risk an unintentional brake activation. Always verify the brake-to-blade gap per your saw’s spec (often 0.007 in) using the test routine before making a cut.
• Throat plate: Use a proper dado insert. If you don’t have one, make a sacrificial zero-clearance plate; you’ll improve cut quality and protect yourself from offcuts dropping into the cavity.
• Dust collection: Wide, flat chips from 4‑tooth chippers can build up. Good over- and under-table collection keeps the groove clean and the cut consistent.

What could be better

• Bottom flatness at wide stacks: While the bottoms are very good, I occasionally saw faint ridges with multiple chippers. It’s minor, but if you demand machined-flat bottoms straight off the saw for exposed joinery, you may find yourself doing a cleanup pass or looking at a higher-end, dial‑a‑width style stack.
• Diameter labeling vs. specs: The discrepancy between spec and measured diameter matters for users of safety-brake saws. Clearer, consistent labeling would prevent surprises.
• Stack chart conservatism: As with most sets, the printed stack guidance gets you close. Expect to shim to final fit—especially for modern plywood.

Value and who it suits

The DW7670 lands in a sweet spot: a price that’s palatable for a serious hobbyist or small shop, with performance that doesn’t feel like a compromise. If you’re building cabinets, bookcases, drawers, or closet systems and you want repeatable, accurate grooves and rabbets without fuss, this is a strong fit. For production shops that demand perfectly flat-bottom dados at full width with zero post-processing, a premium set may still earn its keep—but the gap is narrower than the price difference suggests.

Tips to get the most from the set

• Always run a test cut and measure with calipers, then shim to taste.
• Use a zero-clearance insert and keep the blade just high enough to clear the material.
• For melamine, consider a light scoring pass or painter’s tape on the surface to tame chip-out on the exit edge.
• Lock in your fence and miter gauge alignment—this set rewards accurate setups.

Recommendation

I recommend the DW7670 dado set for woodworkers who want clean, accurate dadoes and rabbets with dependable setup and good overall cut quality. It stacks easily, the shims make fine-tuning straightforward, and the micro‑grain carbide holds an edge across hardwoods and sheet goods. Bottoms are very flat—excellent at narrow widths and still respectable when fully stacked—making it a reliable choice for most joinery tasks.

Two caveats: verify the blade diameter if you use a brake-equipped saw, and expect an occasional light cleanup pass on wide grooves if you’re chasing a perfect, showcase-flat bottom. If those points don’t pose a problem in your shop, this set delivers strong performance and value.