Folks --I was planning on making some utility storage towers out here, andthe question cam out - how much kerf is enough?The towers are 6 foot tall 3/4 plywood, each "chamber" about 18inches square. The sections that divide it up were to be set intosome dado cuts in the sides and back ( about half of 3/4 in ). glueand some wood screws were to hold the assembly together. The unit isnot destined for high mass items. More like a general sort box forlight to medium goods as the battle of entropy in my household movesto different rooms. Some bracing may be in the picture for theshelves.Once I finished this plan in sketchup, the reviewed it forreasonableness ( habit from software engineering ). The question thatcame up was -- how deep do you need to make a dado slot so it works assupport?Thanks for your replies!

In 3/4" ply, I usually go 3/8" deep.---------------------------------------------** **---------------------------------------------

How much dado? is enough?

Apr 19, 2008 25 Replies

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Lew Hodgett 18 years ago

About the same as: "Any thing more than a mouthful is a waste".

Lew

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dpb 18 years ago

I think you're backwards, still -- when the rabbet is at the top, the load causes a deflection downward which introduces tension on the end.

When the rabbet is on the bottom, the support is on the bottom and the bending load is compressive.

Sorry I brought it up, I guess... :)

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mac davis 18 years ago

or a handful..

mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

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Drew Lawson 18 years ago

I was on your side until he explained it a second time and something in my head clicked. If the rabbet is on the top, then the tongue is on the bottom. I kept misreading "rabbet" as "tongue," or at least misenvisioning it.

Full plys on the bottom, shortened plys on the top.

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dpb 18 years ago

THAT's WHAT I've been saying, all along -- but writing to cross porpoises, I guess. I was writing rabbet when I meant and was thinking of the side dado, sorry.

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dpb 18 years ago

dpb wrote: ...

Well, more correctly that was what I was _intending_ to say... :(

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