3/4" slot in plywood -- route or dado?

Cool..All I can find is actual metric.

Reply to
Leon
Loading thread data ...

routing to that depth is _no_ problem, assuming you've got an 'adequate' router.

_I_ would use a narrower bit, and do two passes -- that way I can guarantee an exact fit for 'whatever' thickness the nominal 3/4" ply is. I've had some that would _not_ fit in an exact 3/4" slot and others that were loosey-goosey in a 23/32nds slot.

The type/class of the plywood, the manufacturer, the humidity it's been exposed to, can all make a difference. And they're all -guaranteed- to be in the direction that you'd rather -not- have them go.

This is especially important since you've ruled out the optimum solution of cutting a slot with a Freud 60-tooth blade. Which, as reported in another thread herein -- according to Freud's own advertising -- "always cuts to the correct length." :)

Reply to
Robert Bonomi

On Sun, 17 Jan 2010 19:53:53 -0700, Robert Bonomi wrote (in article ):

I've gone the router route ;^)

Problem with a dado set is you must make sure the wood is _firmly_ forced against the table or the resulting bump in the bottom of the groove will throw everything off. Also consider cutting more than a foot into the center of a board (side shelf supports). Either you need a really long miter gauge or a good panel sled setup.

-Bruce

Reply to
Bruce

Good guide rail, and do it in two full-depth plunges, one for each side.

If you've got a really good guide rail, you could do it in one pass (for 1/4" depth) or multi-depth passes, cutting both sides simultaneously. That's a hateful process though, as the forces are pushing you both ways simultaneously, so are far harder to control.

Reply to
Andy Dingley

Same here, although it's actually just enough below 3/4" that it fits a 3/4" dado just nicely, merely needing the edge broken. Another reson to use the good stuff.

I don't use cheap ply much, certainly not for making cabinets out of. Repeatable results like this are just one reason. The only ply I've used lately has been some cheap Chinese stuff (sorry) for dy-lining the refurbed workshop, and the thickness of that wasn't even consistent from one end of the board to the other.

Reply to
Andy Dingley

Don't try to get to the thickness of the plywood.

Cut a rabbet to a "known" thickness(1/2" is good) and then route a slot using a 1/2" bit.

Using this method, you can really get very close and not worry about weird sized plywood.

Actually, I would make my dado and sneak up with the rabbet.

You can do this with a table saw or a router table.

mkr5000 wrote:

Reply to
Pat Barber

I've used that method when I've pre-finished the components. The rabits and dados then expose unfinished wood for the glue to bond to.

Reply to
keithw86

-------------------------------------------- According to one of my ply suppliers, the Chinese are shipping pure crap or at least they were.

I'm reminded of the old saw about the seller usually knows the value of what they are selling.

Lew

Reply to
Lew Hodgett

Yes, they do make a

Reply to
Hoosierpopi

The response "b) cut a rabbet on the inset piece of a specific thickness and use the proper bit size for it instead. "

is they way I did it last time. It's forgiving and hides the joint nicely.

Reply to
Hoosierpopi

HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.