# Woodline USA DadoRight



## RichT (Oct 14, 2016)

I just saw an ad for this jig. I believe it's new, even the instruction PDF is copyrighted 2017. It looks like a pretty decent design and quality for the price. I like how you register it using the wood you're cutting the dado for and how it allows for adjusting tightness of fit without moving the track.

Anyone used one, or have an opinion?


----------



## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

Neat idea, too much set up for me.


----------



## wapakfred (Jul 29, 2011)

I have a Dado wiz, which is a different version of the same thing. I've used it several times, and can't say I really like it. The biggest problem I've had was getting the cuts perfectly perpendicular to the edge across the wider pieces. Much easier to use a TS, and those cuts are square and repeatable on additional work pieces.


----------



## RichT (Oct 14, 2016)

Fred, what I was thinking is that I'd like something where I can cut dados in small pieces maybe 8 to 24 inches wide with minimal setup. That's what got my attention, since the setup is done with a piece of what's going in the dado.

Your Dado Wiz is not completely unlike the Infinity Tools version, except that yours uses a piece of the wood as well. I don't think Infinity does that. Their tools are usually pretty good, and I'm more inclined to spend $90 on a nicely machined and finished metal tool than $70 on a piece of plastic.

I'm not going to take the plunge on any of them for now. Thanks for your input.


----------



## wapakfred (Jul 29, 2011)

Well, best of luck. But one thing I want to explain…there is absolutely no plastic on the dado wiz. Is it a precision machined piece of aluminum….the construction/quality could not be higher. The piece of wood merely sets the width of the cut, and there is a way to tweak the dado once fit. But I'm not pimping for the Dado Wiz or the infinity tools…just offering my experience.


----------



## RichT (Oct 14, 2016)

Yes, it's this Woodline product that is plastic. Looks well made, but still.


----------



## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

I saw someone the other day do a very fast dado setup, 2 wood straight edges, use the actual plywood to set the width, then a router bit narrower than the dado with guide bearing on top. It was slick and quick. I don't use routers very much but I like that technique.


----------



## Davevand (Feb 10, 2016)

Wood magazine
http://www.woodmagazine.com/woodworking-plans/routing/exact-width-dado-jig


----------



## RichT (Oct 14, 2016)

> Wood magazine
> 
> - Davevand


I'm glad you posted that link. I saw that jig earlier, but I got confused with the 3/8×3/8 inch rabbet on the guides. The math just didn't add up. Thanks to your link, I went and looked again and I see now that the lip gets trimmed to match the bit/bushing combination.

I'll make one tomorrow. It looks like it'll do just what I want, with the back fence to get it square and all. It'll cost basically nothing for me, so having different length jigs is doable.


----------



## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

> Wood magazine
> http://www.woodmagazine.com/woodworking-plans/routing/exact-width-dado-jig
> 
> - Davevand


Yep, similar idea.


----------



## RichT (Oct 14, 2016)

I know you had it Rick, and so did I. I just wasn't smart enough to understand what I was seeing. I get it now, and it looks like it's worth a try. Nothing to lose, anyway.


----------



## RichT (Oct 14, 2016)

I tossed that Wood Magazine jig together today. It was easy to build, and my first test with it was perfect, needing just some taps to get the board seated in the dado. In fact, depending on the situation, I'll probably use some paper or masking tape when setting it to get a slightly looser fit.

Here's the jig:










You can see in this one that I left the back fence uncut so I can use that surface to zero my bit depth. That PC 7529 has awesome depth control. I set the bit flush on the fence, zeroed the dial, and turned it down 1/8" for a pass, then another 1/8", and the final depth of the dado was 1/4" exactly.










The jig is absolutely flawless in its performance. However, it's a bit clunky in operation. I followed their plan closely. The carriage bolts extending down require that it be set on the edge of the bench. The clamping opportunities are limited. I was able to get it completely secured, but it was clumsy. Its design makes it awkward to deal with different thickness of wood, since you aren't clamping the guide boards to the wood you are routing.

I'm thinking some sort of fixed base with toggle clamps to hold the board in place, and maybe wider guide rails so they can be clamped down to the board without getting in the way of the router. Also a way to use interchangeable guide rails would be good since they vary depending on the router bit/bushing combination.


----------



## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

Do you think the rabbeted design + guide bushing (Wood Mag) has any advantages over the style I mentioned which is the same thing but without the rabbets and uses this type of flush cut bit?


----------



## RichT (Oct 14, 2016)

Probably not. One difference would be that the flush cut bit would require guides thick enough for the bearing to have a surface to ride on regardless of the depth of the dado. That's not a negative thing necessarily.

I'm finding that the main difficulty is getting the jig secured to the board with the guide boards flush to the surface. I made the jig out of 3/4" pieces, so if I'm dadoing a 3/4" board, it's perfect. It's when you try to do thicker or thinner boards that it's clumsy - thinner ones being the worst. It needs more clamping surface, so you can get the workpiece flush to the guide rails, regardless of thickness.


----------

