Plywood Rabbets - Dado Blade on TS or Router??

[Chef Juke]

Hey All,

So, a quick question,

I need to make some 5/16 x 5/16 rabbets on the edge of some birch plywood replacement kitchen cabinet doors I am making.

Anybody have any suggestion on which would be the best method for trouble-free rabbets with minimal problems, Dado blade on my table saw or using my router table with a dado or straight bit?

The doors aren't that big, 22" x 14" do they wouldn't be unwieldy for either method.

I have no problem going either way, but as, for some reason, I haven't had cause to cut any rabbets in a long time and now have both a nice Dado blade set (freud) and a new P-C 3-1/4 HP speedmatic router in a new cast iron router table extension for my table saw, I figured I could go either way and wanted folks opinions on the pros and cons of each method.

Any suggestions, opinions, ideas greatly appreciated.

-Chef Juke "EVERYbody Eats when they come to MY house!"

[Max]

I don't use the router in a table.

Max

[Lew Hodgett]

I'd set up a 1/4 wide dado, make a pass, then end for end and make a

2nd pass.

This will allow you to make sure rabbet is centered and also allows you to adjust witdh of dado, if necessary.

Lew

[Swingman]

"Chef Juke"

One man's poi is another man's poison ... I would always opt for the table saw, with a sacrificial fence, over a router to do this job. An easy, quick, accurate, less chance of tearout, one pass operation.

But then, that's just my preference ... YMMV

[Swingman]

Centered on what, Lew? ;)

[Robatoy]

Absolutely.

[Chef Juke]

ThanksMax, Lew, & Swingman for the advice. I decided to go for the router table and rabbetting bit this time and things worked out well.

Will use the dado blade next time to compare.

(Max,FYI: I used a Lee Valley rabbetting bit -

Thanks again,

-Chef Juke "EVERYbody Eats when they come to MY house!"

[Jeffrey Thunder]

In my limited experience, the dado blades on a table saw will stay sharp longer than a router bit used for the same operation. If true this may be due to more cutting edges on the saw (24 teeth, 48? I forget how many on my Jesada dado set) as compared to the router bit (probably 2).

For this reason, I'll typically use the dado set for plywood. For solid wood, especially with the grain, I may use the router. Neanderthals (they don't hang out here on the wreck so much, anymore) would reach for a specialized plane in that situation.

[Swingman]

"Jeffrey Thunder" wrote

It's suddenly déjà vu all over again around here ... is that your "one post a year" these days? :)

[Lew Hodgett]

The piece of stock receiving the rabbet, in this case the birch ply.

Lew

[Pat Barber]

You are back ???

We ain't see you in a while.

Where you been ?

Jeffrey Thunder wrote:

[Swingman]

LOL ... that would be worth seeing when plowing a "rabbet" ... what page of Fred Bingham's book is that on?

[Lew Hodgett]

DUH!

Much too late at night when 1st post made.

Yes dummy, there is a difference between a dado and a rabbet isn't there, he says to self..

Lew

[Swingman]

"Lew Hodgett" sez:

ROTFL ... That's alright, buddy ... I won't tell! :)