Cutting Dado’s on the Router or Table saw?
So your project calls for some precise dado’s to be cut. Some are Through dado’s and some are stop dado’s. Having never cut one before, which tool do you reach for?
The thought process:
Router:
Never having done this before, you will have to thing about what you need. If you use the router, you already have one (assumption). A straight bit will do the trick for the cutting portion. What about a dado jig? How will you guide the router? Do you need to buy a jig or make it? Do you have time to make one?
Once you have or make one, you need to practice using it.
Table saw:
Do you have a Dado blade? Can you afford one? What is the best brand? Is your saw big enough to hold one? (check your arbor length, a bench saw arbor are sometimes shorter) How do I cut the stop dado on the saw?
These are good questions. Its better and easier when you already know the answers. Deciding the first time is what takes all the research and time. After that when you have the tools, you can easier figure out how you want to tackle the dado proposition on your project. One of the things I like about the tablesaw, is that it is fast. I can cut a groove or dado quite quickly. But I love using my Router Table, and any chance to tweak or improve its capabilities is fun.
-- Ken, Florida, www.theroutermaniac.com
6 comments so far
Matt
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120 posts in 643 days
posted 154 days ago
I use my router for dado’s. I always get nice smooth clean cuts. I never made a jig, I just clamp a straight edge and the rest is history.
-- Hold on! Let me get the board stretcher!
Bigdogs117
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1816 posts in 515 days
posted 154 days ago
I use both. I tend to use the table saw more if I have a bunch of cuts because the plywood these days are slightly less in thickness than advertised and I can adjust the dado blade to any thickness I need.
-- Rusty
a1Jim
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16770 posts in 471 days
posted 154 days ago
I think this might end up 50/50 the table saw works well and faster than routers but a router and or router table works better for stop dados.
-- Jim from Heirloom Woodshop Southern Oregon
stefang
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1646 posts in 228 days
posted 153 days ago
I use the router because I don’t have a dato blade set. I saw a nifty shopmade two piece dado jig. The two pieces are clamped so you cut on one side of dado going in one direction, and then cut the other side on the return in the opposite direction. You can make as wide a dado as you want with one 1/2” bit. That makes it easy to make a cut for any thickness of plywood to fit into.
-- Mike, American in Norway
Jim Crockett
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321 posts in 627 days
posted 153 days ago
Mike, I have made a dado jig similar to the one you describe. It works very well but there is one major limitation – it only works for a particular router base and one size router bit. If you make it for a 1/2” bit to enable you to make 3/4” dadoes, as I did, then you can’t use it with a 3/8” bit to make a 1/2” dado. So I usually just use a straight edge and nudge it appropriately to make the correct sized daeo.
Jim
RouterManiac
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75 posts in 175 days
posted 142 days ago
I think there is a strong case for both types of techniques.
-- Ken, Florida, www.theroutermaniac.com