Learned something today

[Greg Guarino]

I've gotten good advice here in the past but I'm still at best a weekend ho bbyist.

I was testing out a router table setup that I am going to use to make dados in the 1.5" wide edge of some 2x4 material. The dado will accept some 3/4" plywood. I planned to use a 1/2" router bit spaced away (approximately) 3/

8" from the router table fence and make two passes to end up with a (nomina l) 3/4" dado, centered on the piece.

I tried it today on a piece of scrap. I made the first pass with no problem . Then I flipped the piece around, confident that the method was sound.

Oops.

I quickly found that despite moving the work from right to left, I was now climb cutting. The first pass of course had wood on either side of the bit. But the second pass only had wood to cut on one side, the side facing the fence.

I quickly stopped the cut, thought about it for a minute, and then put the piece through the opposite way (left to right). That worked fine, but there 's something about it that bothers me. I think it's that I'm afraid I'll fo rget what I'm doing at some point and run a piece through the wrong way.

New plan. When I do the actual job, I will space the bit from the fence suc h that it cuts the "nearer to me" part of the groove. Then when I flip the piece around I can run it through right to left and it will not be climb cu tting. Every cut will be in the same direction.

That's a difficult thing to explain in words. Hope it makes sense.

[Bill]

Your strategy is clever, but I like your first technique better because it means your brain is engaged. I always "verify my setup", which includes making sure my brain is engaged, before I push the on button. In the woodworking world, my opinion is worth what you paid for it...but there ya go... Good luck with your project!

Bill

[J. Clarke]

Make some slanted featherboards, clamp them down, they have two benefits. (1) they keep the work against the fence and (2) there's no question which way it's supposed to move.

[Greg Guarino]

dados in the 1.5" wide edge of some 2x4 material. The dado will accept some 3/4" plywood. I planned to use a 1/2" router bit spaced away (approximatel y) 3/8" from the router table fence and make two passes to end up with a (n ominal) 3/4" dado, centered on the piece.

oblem. Then I flipped the piece around, confident that the method was sound .

now climb cutting. The first pass of course had wood on either side of the bit. But the second pass only had wood to cut on one side, the side facing the fence.

the piece through the opposite way (left to right). That worked fine, but there's something about it that bothers me. I think it's that I'm afraid I' ll forget what I'm doing at some point and run a piece through the wrong wa y.

e such that it cuts the "nearer to me" part of the groove. Then when I flip the piece around I can run it through right to left and it will not be cli mb cutting. Every cut will be in the same direction.

I have some plastic ones, and I do intend to use them when I do the actual project. Then I will definitely need to change my original setup as I descr ibed.

[Leon]

First the feed direction should be right side to left side. That you did correctly. BUT you probably did not have the fence placed correctly to begin with.

The second pass, with the router bit only cutting one side, the bit should be cutting on the left side of the slot, the edge furthest away from the fence. JUST like if you were cutting a rabbet on the edge of the board.

So your "first" grove should be at the furthest right side of the board and then you work left, if necessary move the fence further back from the router bit.

IF you move the fence closer to the bit for the second pass you are looking for trouble.

[Clare Snyder]

Any day when you learn something is a day worth living!!

[Greg Guarino]

ados in the 1.5" wide edge of some 2x4 material. The dado will accept some

3/4" plywood. I planned to use a 1/2" router bit spaced away (approximately ) 3/8" from the router table fence and make two passes to end up with a (no minal) 3/4" dado, centered on the piece.

blem. Then I flipped the piece around, confident that the method was sound.

now climb cutting. The first pass of course had wood on either side of the bit. But the second pass only had wood to cut on one side, the side facing the fence.

the piece through the opposite way (left to right). That worked fine, but t here's something about it that bothers me. I think it's that I'm afraid I'l l forget what I'm doing at some point and run a piece through the wrong way .

such that it cuts the "nearer to me" part of the groove. Then when I flip the piece around I can run it through right to left and it will not be clim b cutting. Every cut will be in the same direction.

And that's exactly what I learned. It just didn't dawn on me until I tried it.

[Leon]

;~) I think I said it with 3 less words, less wordy. LOL Good on you!

[Just Wondering]

Just remember to feed the wood into the cutting edge of the dado blade.

[Leon]

No dado blades were used or harmed during the progression of this thread.

[krw]

Isn't a router bit just a dado blade on its ear and spinning _really_ fast?

[Greg Guarino]

dados in the 1.5" wide edge of some 2x4 material. The dado will accept some 3/4" plywood. I planned to use a 1/2" router bit spaced away (approximatel y) 3/8" from the router table fence and make two passes to end up with a (n ominal) 3/4" dado, centered on the piece.

oblem. Then I flipped the piece around, confident that the method was sound .

now climb cutting. The first pass of course had wood on either side of the bit. But the second pass only had wood to cut on one side, the side facing the fence.

the piece through the opposite way (left to right). That worked fine, but there's something about it that bothers me. I think it's that I'm afraid I' ll forget what I'm doing at some point and run a piece through the wrong wa y.

e such that it cuts the "nearer to me" part of the groove. Then when I flip the piece around I can run it through right to left and it will not be cli mb cutting. Every cut will be in the same direction.

Agreed. And if you open your eyes (and mind) a little, that can be every d ay.

I have recently taken notice of birds, for instance. That interest has acce lerated since my daily habits have changed due to COVID 19. I'm sure they w ere always around, but now I seem to see (and hear) them everywhere.

[Greg Guarino]

Correct. I have made a bunch of dados with a router, but always using a jig with the router handheld. This was my first attempt with the router table. I think I could even imagine making mortises this way. Maybe something to try sometime.

[Leon]

I'm looking very closely at the Shaper Origin