Term definition

[foggytown]

Anyone know when a linear channel stops being a groove and starts being a dado?

FoggyTown

[tom]

Foggytown wrote: Anyone know when a linear channel stops being a groove and starts being a dado? A groove is usually with the grain, dado against. Tom

[George]

Weeeeeeellll. No.

A Dado goes _across_ the grain, a plow cut along it whether with or against. If one side of either is open, it's a rabbet.

[dadiOH]

Weeeeeeeellll, isn't that what he said??

[George]

Sure. Read much?

[Phisherman]

Groove is cut along the wood grain. Dado is cut across the wood grain. Either one can be wide or narrow.

[Hax Planx]

You covered dado and rabbet and added another seldom used term, but what is a groove and how does it compare to a dado?

[Hax Planx]

I agree with Tom, but these days dado is used for both dado and groove with very few exceptions. It kind of makes sense, because for man made materials, the distinction loses meaning. No matter which direction you dado (or groove) plywood, some part of the cutting will be both across and with the grain. Particle board and MDF don't have any grain at all. Even with real wood it is pretty much useless to have two terms now that we can use the same power tools to do either one. In the days when everybody used Roy Underhill tools, I'm sure it was a much more useful distinction.

[Ollie]

Hey, this was an easy one - you can google or guru it and observe the following:

groove (gruv) n. 1.. A long narrow furrow or channel. 2.. The spiral track cut into a phonograph record for the stylus to follow. 3.. Slang. A settled routine: got into the groove of a nine-to-five job. 4.. Slang. A situation or an activity that one enjoys or to which one is especially well suited: found his groove playing bass in a trio. 5.. Slang. A very pleasurable experience. da·do (da'do) n., pl. -does. 1.. Architecture. The section of a pedestal between base and surbase. 2.. The lower portion of the wall of a room, decorated differently from the upper section, as with panels. 3.. 1.. A rectangular groove cut into a board so that a like piece may be fitted into it. 2.. The groove so cut. In other words, dado is still a groove, but not all grooes are dadoes. If you will fit a piece into groove - voila you got a dado.

Cheers, Ollie

[LRod]

Isn't anyone going to mention the gain?

[charlie b]

Yup - one benefits from a "knicker". Someone no doubt will tell you which one and why. Mr. Knight?

charlie b

[Edwin Pawlowski]

Not only that, you can buy a variety of "Dado" blades for table saws, but they don't make "groove" blades. If they weren't all dadoes, they call the blades by another name, right?

[George]

Typing too fast for you?

A dado is cut across the grain. A plow is cut along the grain.

It's just what they're called. Convention gives us precision.

Else you sound like the wife and her thingamajig to the doohickey explanation.

[Dave Mundt]

Hum...while it sounds like we are in the midst of a tempest in a teacup, I thought I would toss in MY view of reality too (*smile*). My terminology has always been this: Rabbet - A 2-sided groove on the EDGE of the stock. Dado - A 3-sided groove through a FACE of the stock. Groove - A channel cut into the stock. (this includes incised patterns, etc). Really, though, for me the only important ones are the first two.

Haw! This is most certainly true! While that CAN be appropriate, it always seems to require a few more cycles of questions and answers to clarify. Regards Dave Mundt

[Hax Planx]

You're funny, George. If your own reading comprehension is so flawless, then why haven't you answered the question? If you think the term 'groove' isn't an appropriate woodworking term, then for the love of Pete say so.

[George]

I answered the question - twice. A groove is a groove. I can cut a groove with a router bit that's shaped almost any way they grind 'em, but I don't put the edges of boards in them.

[tom]

George wrote: I can cut a groove with a router bit that's shaped almost any way they grind 'em, but I don't put the edges of boards in them.

Ever make a tongue and plow joint? I appreciate the semantics involved in your previous answers, kinda like, "all Cognac is brandy, but not all brandy is Cognac". I'm sure the OP has too much information by now! Tom

[George]

If I did, I'd use a plow plane!

What is so difficult here? Standard terminology makes direct communication possible. I corrected "against the grain" to across, and noted that either a plow or dado cut open on one side was called a rabbet (rebate to blokes). NONE of which is incorrect.

Why people can't or won't use standard terminology puzzles me. Makes you wonder how little actual study of woodworking, much less the tasks themselves, they've done before coming here and spouting....

[Ba r r y]

I always knew it as this:

Dado - 3 sided cut across the grain Groove - A 3 sided cut with the grain I was passing, 'cause it's obvious George isn't gettin' any lately.

Maybe he needs some of this:

Barry