cutting slots in plywood

Table saw with a dado blade, and a quality fence with an accurate rule would make this easy. If it was me, I'd cut the grooves first and then rip the smaller pieces from it.

One question though, if you cut a 1/4" slot on a 1/4" thick piece of wood, it's not really a slot anymore, is it?

I could not think of a better word than slot but thanks for the dado blade idea. Would be much easier than a router. Thanks again

No it wouldn't. Less accurate, too. Use your dado to make one of these.

Your website is broken. The link to demo the jig is not working.

The piece is only 4" wide and the desired slots are 2" across this 4" width. The dado blade would probably be one of the more cumbersome methods for this need. It would leave lots of hand work finishing both ends of each slot and would really only clean out a very small amount of each slot. A simple jig for the router table would work much better and would accomplish the task of cutting a slot in one pass with a 1/4" straight cutter.

Why not? Is a slot defined in some way that would make this inappropriate? To me a slot can be clear through as well as only partially through.

Yes.

todd

Hmmmmm. New to me then. Here's what one definition for slot is...

A narrow opening; a groove or slit: a slot for coins in a vending machine; a mail slot.

I was not aware of any specific definition for it in woodworking. I would have used the same term as the OP. So - enlighten me... what is the woodworking definition of slot and what would have been a more appropriate term?

Are you cutting 2" in from the edge, or 2" centered in the middle?

If you're cutting in from the edge, you could put your workpiece up on edge in front of a backer board, then use a 1/4" dado set raised 2" high.

If you're cutting in the middle of the board, then the router is likely your best bet and you could use something like this as a guide:

If there's not a big hook attached to this post, then here's one solution to the question. No mention as to the quality of the results was asked for. Cut all of the pieces to size, stack all twelve pieces, the work piece is now 4 inches wide, 4 feet long and 3 inches thick, mark the top one for your slots, drill both ends of the marks with a 1/4 inch drill bit and cut out the center with a jig saw.

My reading of the original post is that he has 1/4" ply and wants to cut a

todd

I used my RAS to make the dentil detail on this table.

The cuts are one inch apart, 1/8" deep. I made a mark on the RAS table and moved each "slot" to the mark to cut the next "slot. You could do the same using a miter saw. Or do it on a table saw.

Max

Oh, Oh. I just read some of the other posts. The slots are *through* the plywood. I would go with a router and a set up like Chris posted.

Max

Perhaps. Here's a crude depiction of how I understood it...

--------- | -------- | | -------- | | -------- | | -------- | | -------- | | -------- |

The original poster's reference to a "giant dovetail jig" made me think he meant something like this:

---------- | | | ----- | | | ----- | | | ----- | | | ----- | | | ----- | | | ----- | |

Chris

The snipped-for-privacy@hotmail.com entity posted thusly:

As you can see from the various replies to your post, it pays to describe the problem in specifics, rather than generalities.

From the description you gave, the slots might be through the work or not, starting at one side or centred across the width. Assumptions abound when you don't describe fully.

What are the pieces for? (just curious)

Maybe he means holes 1/4" wide, 2" in length and spaced every 8"...??

The slots are two inches in from one side. They do not have to be absolutely precise but cutting through all twelve strips at once with a jigsaw would be too far out. If you have tried to cut a straight line in three inch wood with a jigsaw you will know what I mean.

After reading all the responses, its clear that its unclear and frustrating.

Bob

Use the same technique as for cutting squared box-joints. That is, cut the first then use a "pin" [width of the first cut] for a guide for the rest.