Depth of a rabbit or dado

Is there any rule of thumb about how deep to cut a rabbit or dado? I have typically cut them to half the thickness of the stock, but I'm wondering if this may be overkill. Does the strength of the joint increase with the depth of cut?

Thanks, Richard

Reply to
Richard
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Certainly depth makes a difference. Cut a 1/32" deep dado then jump on the joint. (Did it hold?) It's also possible to go too deep. Cut a N-31/32" dado then rock the joint. (Did it hold?) When each piece is the same thickness, I use the same rule as you: half the thickness of the stock.

Jeff

Reply to
Jeff

The deeper you go, the stronger the joint is, but the weaker the side piece is. It is all a compromise; the depth depends on the particular piece. If an adequately deep dado will make the side too weak, I have used a shallow dado with either biscuits or pocket screws.

Reply to
Toller

This article doesn't give a 'standard' depth but it does explain how to cut a 'standardized' dado and end up with a joint that appears easy to cut and could be stronger in some situations.

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far as your original question I go somewhere between 1/3 to 1/2 deep depending on what 'feels' right for that joint.

Reply to
RayV

Rule 1: It's a matter of convenience. Rule 2: It's a matter of "What looks good in the shower".

Will try to explain those, what might appear to be, rather flip remarks.

Rule 1: The deeper the dado, the easier the assembly, especially if you are single handling the project.

Keeping the dado joints assembled while getting the clamps in place can be a hassle, unless like Norm, you grab the damn nail gun all the time.

Deeper dadoes help with this problem.

Rule 2: The depth of the dado is often chosen based on what is appealing to the eye.

You might use a 3/8 deep dado in a 3/4 side call for case goods such as a chest of drawers which translates into a 50% dado.

You will probably use a 1/4 deep dado for a loose fitting 1/4 drawer bottom which translates into a 100% dado.

From a strength stand point, a dado joint is basically in shear load.

Wood has a relatively high shear load capability so you don't need much surface area in shear to carry the load, thus the depth of a dado is usually not critical.

Since most dado joints are secured with a modern adhesive, the member which has the dado cut in it is reinforced by a good adhesive bond and the part that is inserted into it, thus strength usually is not a major issue.

Thus, my comment, "What looks good in the shower".

Lew

Reply to
Lew Hodgett

Richard, I know your post concerned the depth of dadoes and rabbets. Other posts have handled your question very adequately. I add my $0.02 worth concerning width of the dado with respect to 3/4" sheet goods which vary all over the lot. I use the stacked dado set. I leave out one

1/8" chipper ( do install the 1/16" chipper) and add enough shims between the blades to reach the fit you deisire. Usually a couple of playing cards with holes cut in them surfices. You can acheive a good fit regardless of the precise thickness of the shelf.

Joe G

Reply to
GROVER

Partially true, should have read:

From a strength stand point, a dado joint is basically in compression as well as a shear load.

The depth of the dado determines the surface area in compression.

Since wood has very good compression characteristics, a shallow dado usually provides more than adequate compression area.

Considerations other than strength usually apply to the determination of a dado depth.

Sorry for the confusion.

Lew

Reply to
Lew Hodgett

IMHO more than anything the rabbit joint is more an aid in keeping pieces aligned. I have never had one fail regardless of the depth.

Reply to
Leon

Traditionally, 1/3rd the thickness of the workpiece.

Reply to
Swingman

Certainly my favorite for strength an appearance.

0.02.

Robert

Reply to
nailshooter41

If the side and the shelf are of equal thickness, let's say 3/4" and the material left by the dado forms a rectangle

3/4 x X, the ratio of that rectangle would benefit from the 1 : 1.6 rule. In other words 0.75/1.6 = a touch under 1/2". That means letting in the dado 1/4" (or 1/3 ). Whilst picking nits, that really should be about .28 instead of .25 for that 'optimum look'.

When using 1" sides and shelves:

1.0/1.6 = 0.625; the dado should be 0.375 deep. Again, just a solid Scandinavian C-hair more than 1/3.

Hey, I don't make the rules....and... to stave off a flood of nit- pickers... it really should be 1.0 : 1.61... unless you use the Schlebotnik Translation from Greek.

r
Reply to
Robatoy

A rule of thumb seems to be 1/4 to 1/3 the thickness of the piece it's cut into. With plywood, always try to avoid matching with a layer-joint. I use whichever calculates easiest in my head; never had any problems. If half the depth is needed, I'd say that means the piece isn't thick enough.

Reply to
Pop`

From

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"The depth of the rabbet is usually at least one half of the width, and the deeper it is made the less end grain will be visible. Taken to an extreme, the depth can be such that only a thin veneer strip remains to cover the width of the mating board, but then the joint is almost a butt joint since the rabbet lip no longer provides structural support, only an aesthetic veneer to cover end grain."

Dekker

Richard wrote:

Reply to
Dekker

As an avid malware fighter, I checked that out but didn't see anything untoward happening. I never left the main page though, once I saw that the post was actually a shameless attempt to promote a business site on a newsgroup. No probes, no pushes, no error messages in any of my logs, etc.. Perhaps the push you noticed came from a site you'd recently visited? Or he removed whatever was there or it's buried in the inner pages or he's been hacked. Lots of possibilities.

Regards,

Pop`

Reply to
Pop`

to install spyware.

Reply to
Swingman

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