Lacking an RAS looking for N-spir-a-shun!

[mttt]

Been eyeing Norm's (insert genuflection here) Picnic Table.

He wants some nice big dado's in the 4x4 cross members that the bench legs (2x6 IIRC) slide nicely into. The legs are at 70 degrees, which means the dado needs to be at 70 degrees too. Going from memory, the dado is a biggggun - 5ish inches wide, 1 1/2 inches in depth. Left dado is 70's a-this-a-way and the right dado is 70 degress a-that-a-way.

He simply slaps a dado blade in his Radial Arm Saur, swings it over twenty degrees and hogs away. I ain't go no RAS and ain't getting one soon (n)either..

Anyone have some inspirational ideas for making these honking 70 degree dados? I think he actually cuts eight total.

Wondering if I should wrestle the stock onto the table saur or build a jig and whack at it with a router or use a hand saw and a chisel? Or just pick anutha Picnic Table plan?

[Doug Winterburn]

Carefully set the depth on your circular/skill saw to depth and make test cut(s) until the depth is right on or a red one shy. Mark the edges of the cut using a variable angle guage? Carefully cut to the inside of the marks and then make a bunch a cuts in between leaving maybe 1/8" or so between cuts. Knock the thin strips out with a hammah and clean up the bottom of the dados with a scary sharp chisel.

-Doug

[Lew Hodgett]

It's router time, after of course you build the indexing jig to maintain spacing between dado cuts.

HTH

[Don Sforza]

One word... Router.