First Attempt at 2 types of joinery

nice work for your first use of these 2 jigs tight dados take time to master you’ll get their and on the pockit hole if you want to fill them kreg makes plug that fit perfect in all sorts woos spiecies

-- I buy tools so i can make more money,so ican buy more tools so I can work more, to make more money, so I can buy more tool, so I can work more

I read your post about the dado blade width and the solutions. Looks like it worked pretty good!

I really like your idea for a clamping table. May have to stea…... borrow that ;^)

-- Lew- Time traveler. Purveyor of the world's finest custom rolling pins!

The peg board on the wall is another jig. I am developing a euchre score board. On the dado I was telling the Mrs. that I need to get a bunch of junk wood and just practice for hours.

Lew Borrow all you want. I don’t mind :-)

-- www.carvingandturningsbyrick.com, Rick Kruse, Grand Rapids, MI

Dadoes are always a bit on the tricky side. Getting them good, clean and tight is something I’m constantly working on, so yours are looking pretty good for a first try.

-- Working at Woodworking http://www.VillageLaneFurniture.com

Not bad Rustic, yea on the dado’s you got to try and sneak up on the width. I love using the pocket hole jig. I used some exposed holes on my workbench and filled them with a contrasting wood for looks.

-- Talent on Loan from God - Rush Limbaugh ----------www.genesiswoodworks.com----------

Rick the cabinet looks good for a first try, need to work on that joinery myself some. Watch out the pocket hole concept, it can be addicting.

CtL

-- Chris L. "Don't Dream it, Be it."

Hey Rick practise makes perfect good first time through the dado scene, Enjoy and be careful.

-- W James Brokenbourgh Custom furniture maker http://artisticwoodstudio.com/

Well the pocket screws look great! :-)

Like Jim says practice make perfect.

-- Gary - Never pass up the opportunity to make a mistake look like you planned it that way - Tyler, TX

We all focus on our mistakes instead of what we did right. I agree with Jim…how do you get to Carnegie Hall…practice, practice, practice.
Ellen

-- Don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good.

So I guess there is hope for me after all :-)

-- www.carvingandturningsbyrick.com, Rick Kruse, Grand Rapids, MI

Rick, I agree with everyone else. Not bad for your first dados.

I don’t know if you just wanted to practice with them, but sometimes there are also easier ways to skin the cat. Since this is a small unit and the shelf won’t be bearing much weight, I would probably have just screwed a small support block to each side piece for the shelf to rest on. And instead of pocket screws, you could have countersunk regular screws straight in from top and bottom, and covered them with plugs, caps, or even (gasp… the horror) wood filler.

I’m not being critical at all…. just offering a couple of alternatives you may noy have thought about.

-- Charlie M. "Woodworking - patience = firewood"

I understand Charlie. Countersinking screws was my 1st thought too until I screwed up the location of the holes. I did not want to cut new top and bottoms though, The shelf was a piece of an earlier top and all I did was cut one end 1 time and it was a perfect fit the first time. I appreciate all the comments and advice. The Mrs. wanted the dado to match an existing unit.

-- www.carvingandturningsbyrick.com, Rick Kruse, Grand Rapids, MI

Well, the customer is always right. Especially if you are married to her. :-)

-- Charlie M. "Woodworking - patience = firewood"

I remember my first dado project too well; yours is way better! :-) I just recently saw a great video about setting up a dado blade:

http://thewoodwhisperer.com/setting-up-a-dado-blade-whisper-mini/

He show’s an oddly sensible way of adjusting the blade quickly, including shims, to get things just right. In retrospect his method seems obvious, but it certainly wasn’t to me!

Hope that helps!

-- Laziness minus Apathy equals Efficiency

I agree with thiel, my first dado attempt was a real mess.. so you are well on your way! I myself prefer pocket hole jointery and use it whenever possible. However I read everyone’s comments here but no one mentioned anything about shimming the dado stack for a better fit. Yes it adds even more to the hassle to setting up a dado stack but it’s the best way to get a tight fit… I’ve found. just a thought…