# How to dado a PVC pipe



## Medickep (Aug 22, 2013)

I have a project I'm about to start on, which calls for a 3/4" dado through a piece of 1.5" PVC pipe. The dado blade on the TS would be the easiest way, but I'm not sure how kosher that is since I've never done it. I feel like it may want to kick around or chip, sending pieces of plastic flying. I could brace the other end of the pipe with wood, but I'm not sure if that's good enough. Anyone done this?

Has anyone done this?

This is the project I'm working on:

http://www.woodsmithshop.com/download/112/112-planerstand.pdf

Thanks,


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## TheFridge (May 1, 2014)

I'd do it on a sled.


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## CharleyL (Mar 10, 2009)

You should be able to just slit the pipe and then spread the slit to put it onto the wood. You shouldn't need a dado blade.

If you make a round hole in a couple of square blocks of wood that tightly fit the ends of the pipe you can set your table saw blade just high enough to make the cut through one side of the pipe. Then set the table saw fence so the saw cut is in the bottom center of the pipe with the blocks of wood riding against the the saw table and the fence to keep the pipe from turning. Make certain that the pipe is longer than you will need and avoid cutting all the way to the wood blocks. Raise the running blade up through one side of the pipe near the first block of wood and then feed the pipe into the blade until the slit is longer than you will need and before you cut the second block of wood, then turn off the saw while holding the pipe in place until the blade stops. Once the slit has been made you can remove the wood blocks and trim the ends off the pipe to the length that you really need. Drive wedges into the pipe slit to open it up wide enough to fit over the the wood and then slide it onto the wood, removing the wedges as they become unnecessary. The spring tension in the pipe should hold it in place without any additional fasteners.

Charley


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## GregInMaryland (Mar 11, 2010)

+ 1 on the sled, though I think that two passes with a regular blade would be better than a dado stack.

Oh, and be prepared for little white chips EVERYWHERE and I mean EVERYWHERE. I cut some PVC pipe with my chop saw and what a mess. I will never cut PVC on any power tool indoors again.

Greg


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## Medickep (Aug 22, 2013)

Well I don't have a sled yet, I know, I should so I will have to try Charley's way! Thanks for the help!


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## Daruc (Apr 20, 2015)

Call me a rebel, but I would just use some double stick tape and put down a follower strip. This will keep your pipe from turning. I would start with a pc about 4 foot long, (that way you can hold it tight), push it through far enough to cut your 25" then lift it up off the blade.


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## Medickep (Aug 22, 2013)

Woodust-

Are you saying the wood would be up against the fence, taped to the side of the pipe? Or over the top of the pipe up against the fence and over the fence?

I was going to use a regular blade and one pass, but I'm not sure it will spread to 3/4"!


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## jmartel (Jul 6, 2012)

The PVC pipe is just going to explode when you put it through the saw. At least it has the couple times I've tried.


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## exelectrician (Oct 3, 2011)

Be very careful cutting PVC with a length wise slit, with a power saw. I would take a hand saw first to see what residual stress remains in the slit PVC.

PVC and a power saw could result in a nasty accident in a heartbeat.


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## Rayne (Mar 9, 2014)

How about drawing a straight line with a marker and using a soldering iron to just melt it open?
Or use an oscillating power tool to cut the slit?


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## markum (Jan 24, 2015)

I have done this several times. I did not use a dado but basically did what woodust said. I cut in two passes to form the gap. PVC will not "explode" in a table saw. It can be messy. I would not recommend making a cut and spreading it open to fit over your boards. Just cut your opening light of the width you need to span the wood. Go slow. You should be ok.


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## Medickep (Aug 22, 2013)

Okay, you guys are starting to scare me! What about a router with a 1/4" bit and have the pipe up against the fence along with a feather board pushing it down and another one towards the fence?


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## WhyMe (Feb 15, 2014)

Use either one of these methods but making 2 slices through one side to make the slot. I've done it and it works fine. I would not use a dado blade.





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## wapakfred (Jul 29, 2011)

I've also cut slits in PVC without a problem. You do have to have a method to hold it in position while cutting. I also share your concern about the pipe not spreading enough if you only make one cut….I'm thinking it will take 2 slits, but try the spreading thing first.


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## Daruc (Apr 20, 2015)

I just did a test with no jigs. I just put in a wobbly dado blade and ran a pc of 3/4" pvc, (all I had on hand)
Just held it and pushed it through a ways. It cut with no problem. 
No exploding pvc. 
It chipped out the bottom a little bit, but going a little slower and using the 1 1/2" pipe it would be better.
Easily doable, even better with any kind of jig.


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## Medickep (Aug 22, 2013)

Woodust-

Since I'm rapidly approaching this step, your my hero!! Thanks for Being the guinea pig. It needs to fit over 3/4" wood, so I'll stack my dado aiytle smaller and go for it.


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## Nobodyhome (Dec 3, 2013)

If you're not feeling adventurous, you might try a shortened blade in a jig saw and cutting the slit down the pipe. Not much to go haywire that way.


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## WhyMe (Feb 15, 2014)

The main reason I was saying not to use a dado blade was the increased blade contact and chance of pipe breakage. Also you are cutting a lot more and creating a bigger mess. I just believe making 2 single blade cuts are safer than using the dado.


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## canadianchips (Mar 12, 2010)

Plywood tooth blade.
Make a sled.
I am thinking maybe only need to cut once. Your pvc might spread over the plywood you are putting it on ?
I know 4" will, not sure about 1 1/2" pvc


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## bondogaposis (Dec 18, 2011)

I've done it several times. Just make two passes and forget the dado, use a blade w/ 50 or more teeth for best results. I use an 80 tooth laminate blade.


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## Medickep (Aug 22, 2013)

We the verdict is in. Because of woodsy, I went for it! I have my dado blade in already so i did a pass with 1/4" width and my feather board. It went well but would not spread much so I did a second pass with one less chipper than my dado set called for. It fit like an OJ glove. By the way even with DC, there was PVC EVERYWHERE!!

Thanks everyone!


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## rwe2156 (May 7, 2014)

Such 20 pipe/cut a slit/spread apart/slip over 1/4" thinned wood?


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## SawduztJunky (Mar 25, 2015)

How interesting. I just did this last weekend for a piece of 2" PVC. I had to cut 3/4" out along the length.

For what I needed to do it didn't matter if there were screw holes, so.. I drilled a few holes along the length, and through the bottom of the PVC. I then screwed it to a piece of scrap wood, while registering the PVC, and the straight edge of the scrap to the tablesaw fence. I fed it through the TS, then moved the fence over and cut again, and, badabing! I cut a "dado" out of the PVC.

If you don't want the screw holes in the PVC, make a long "V" block sled with a couple Quick-Release Toggle Clamps ( hot-glue works ok too) and cut the sled, and the PVC on the tablesaw.


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## Medickep (Aug 22, 2013)

rwe2156-

That was suppose to be one less chipper than my dado set called for, for 3/4"!


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## Medickep (Aug 22, 2013)

What's with the movie links? Spam?


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## Medickep (Aug 22, 2013)

Thanks everyone for the PVC help/dialogue. Hears how it turned out!!

http://lumberjocks.com/projects/173674


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## Lazyman (Aug 8, 2014)

I went and looked at the original Shopnotes issue (#91 Jan., 2007) that these plans originally appeared and I have attached a snapshot of their jig for cutting the PVC. I hope this is considered fair use by the SN folks especially since I am going give them a plug for buying a copy of the Shopnotes Library. I bought it last year and it has turned out to be a great resource. The free plans you can download are nice but it is tips like this that really payoff. Too bad I didn't see this question when it was first asked.


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## Medickep (Aug 22, 2013)

That's what I was good to do before I decided to go for it! Slick jig!


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## robscastle (May 13, 2012)

The Lazy Mans way to do it would be to apply pressure sensitive Teflon tape directly onto the wood edge, or
you could edge it with HDPE.

If you follow up with the PCV pipe method a table saw, jig saw or even a band saw and Hole saw is OK with PVC.
Jjust make sure your Table saw is fitted with a negative rake blade.
(otherwise you may risk shattering the PVC)

You can do all sorts of things with PVC pipe offcuts using a holesaw jig saw and band saw


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## squazo (Nov 23, 2013)

try a fine tooth blade backwards it works very well on vinyl siding, the same material as pvc so maybe it will work here,


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

FYI, old thread. I'm sure the guy has figured it out by now.


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## robscastle (May 13, 2012)

Opps!!


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## Medickep (Aug 22, 2013)

I did figure it out, but it's always nice to see other ways to skin a cat!


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