I had to make a 7/8" dado today. Since my dado set only goes up to 13/16" I put a 1/2" dado assembly in my TS and cut a groove. I moved the fence 3/8" and cut a second grove. It only took one adjustment to be perfect.
It was faster and easier than most dados I have cut, where you have to fuss with the spacers.
Is there a downside to this method I am not seeing? If not, I will do all my dados this way. Thanks.
Only downside I've found is the minimal scar left by the scoring blade in the dado. As few people see the inside cut of a dado after assembly (one hopes!), not a real issue. I often just use a 1/4 dado set up 'cause I've cut a ZC insert to match that size and just bump the fence as you did. Sometimes tho' those little magnetic spacers save thge day with off-size ply. Heck, some of that stuff isn't even a reasonable metric size to 2 decimal positions! I mean like 18.7 mm! That's close to 47/64 but not quite at it. It's sure not 23/32.
Tom
Beware the lazy man, he'll find a better way (Lazarus Long)
Some people nibble with their rip blade. If you had an underpowered saw, (or a couple of dropped cutters that had blown their carbide) you'd do it that way a lot. Got a nice Freud set three years ago to replace the kid's handiwork.
A better method is to use a 3/8" thick ply clamped to the fence, make a cut, remove the ply, make the second cut. This is more accurate and repeatable.
You're looking at it. What do you see? Define "downside".
If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
Won't work were I live cause the 3/8" ply won't be. But your point is good. Ripping a 3/8" spacer would save a lot of work and make the cuts repeatable.
newbie to woodworking question ...
I have been using a router and a simple homemade dado jig to do my dados. With the jig (commonly found in many router jig articles) there is no measuring, no worring about undersize or oversize wood or bits, and the dado always matches the width of the piece you are joining first time.
but, like I said ... new to woodworking ... what am I missing?
That assumes a perfect piece of plywood that is "exactly"
3/8" which is extremely rare.Phisherman wrote:
I usually have some left over Starboard
You're not. I use my router to cut dados as well and I've never had any difficulties. Many here prefer dado blades and have stated that they make for a faster dado if you're cutting a lot of them, but for my needs I've never found the router to be lacking. Like you, I cut my dado to fit the piece that's going into it and I don't worry about whether it's 1/2" or
15/32" or 31/64" or whatever. Simple jig, coupla passes and I'm off and running. Maybe not the most elegant approach, but quite effective.
It isn't like you can't make your own 3/8" spacer though. Set your fence for 3/8", cut some scrap, clamp it to your fence. Ten seconds work.
Ditto. Especially when using larger pieces of wood, where the router excels. Tough making dadoes in seven-foot high shelf sides with the saw. Done it, but why bother?
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