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Dado on board edge

Dado on board edge (post #168416)

clawton on Thu, 07/28/2011 - 12:31

Jigs, Fixtures, Tips & Tricks

Hi,

Any suggestions for cutting a dado on the edge of a board. This would be a dado on the plywood sides of a bookcase to fit the back into (like in"A Back for Every Cabinet" in FW 192). Maybe this isn't technically called a dado since there is only one edge to the groove, but hopefully you get the idea. Should I use a dado blade on a table saw and a sacraficial rip fence to try to get zero clearance between the fence and blade? Use a router with careful fence placement (might be easier since I have a router fence with a split )?

Thanks.

Chris

It is a rabbet, or a rebate if your English (post #168416, reply #1 of 3)

by Jigs-n-fixtures in reply to clawton [original] on Thu, 07/28/2011 - 16:11

You can cut them with a dado blade and sacrificial fence on the table saw, ( my most frequent method if the dado blade is in the saw already, I keep a sacrificial fence to cut them 3/8-inch deep on the right hand side of the fence).

You can use a rabbeting plane if you are doing real wood, it makes a mess of plywood and dulls very fast.

You can do it with some jointers.

A router can cut them with: an edge guide and straign bit; a dedicated rabbeting bit; or, bit and bearing set. These mehtods also work on a routher table or shaper.

Dad used to do them on the table saw with just a ripping blade, and the fence. He'd set the blade height, and then set the fence to the offset from the front, make a pass. He'd then nudge the fence over about 3/32 of an inch and make another pass. reapeat until your done.

More than one way to catch a rabbit! (post #168416, reply #2 of 3)

by bones in reply to clawton [original] on Sat, 07/30/2011 - 05:29

Technically I would say you need to cut a rabbit (I know that's not the right spelling meant as a joke) Or as some would say a rebate:) You can cut it with a dado set and a sacrificial fence as you mention. However for me I would rater do it with router and either a nice rabbeting set with a bearing to ride my edge or a spiral upcut bit set to the right dept and a good edge guide. You don't say how deep this rabbet needs to be roughly 3/4 or 1/2. Either way I'd do multiple passes. I have a great forrest dado set but hardly use it anymore. The router is just so much faster to set up and use. Good luck!

...For that old machine lovers: http://vintagemachinery.org/home.aspx

multiple choices (post #168416, reply #3 of 3)

by RalphBarker in reply to clawton [original] on Sat, 07/30/2011 - 07:38

As was mentioned, there are several ways to do this. For larger panels, my choice would be a hand-held router with a rabbeting bit and the appropriate bearing. An offset base is also nice, making it easier to keep the router stable. It is also a good idea to score the face of the board with a marking knife to avoid tearout.