How to avoid plywood tear-out with table saw?

[Adam Tompkins]

I'm using my TS2412 to rip oak plywood and I'm getting a lot of tear-out on cross cutting operations and in particular when using a dado blade.

Does anyone have any tips on how to avoid this?

Thanks.

- Adam

[Hergy]

Adam, in all probability you need look no further than your saw blade. Do you have a dedicated crosscut blade (60 or more teeth) or plywood blade(many teeth)? There is no blade I know of that excels in both cross and rip cut.

As for dados, again, what type of dado blade do you have. Dado blades are like dogs. They come in all different sizes, shapes and dispositions (tearout). A Freud super dado will cut as clean a dado in plywood as you would ever need or want. Pay what you need for good dedicated blades. You won't be sorry.

[Adam Tompkins]

Thanks Hergy, that's good advice.

I posted a similar message on another website and the advice seems to be unanimous: get a Freud Super Dado!!

So I ordered one today :-D

- Adam

[Tim Pavuk]

For a great reveiw of Dado Blade sets check out the last (not current) issue of American Woodworker. Lots of great info there and their recommendations are pretty clear. They also do a great job of explaining beneficial features in Dados. Good Luck!