How to Make a Dado on a Router Table
Woodworking is a passion for many, a must-do for others, but knowing the right way to do things is something all woodworkers agree saves time, money and trouble. There are multiple ways to cut dados, the two most common are using a table saw or using a router. Dados are grooves cut into woodworking pieces to assist in construction, by making snug perpendicular joints between pieces. A common example would be the dados in bookshelf or cabinet sides, created to hold the ends of the shelves in place. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Measure and mark the location of your dado. Choose a straight bit that will cut the width of notch you need and install it in the router. Use two wrenches to turn the collet nuts against the each other, the lower or outside nut goes counterclockwise, while the upper, or inside nut goes clockwise to loosen and reverse to tighten. Fit the bit into the router and tighten the collet.
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Release the barrel of the router and twist it up or down to set the tip of the bit at the depth you want to cut your dado. Releases are typically found on the side of the router and take the form of a wing nut style lock down bolt, or a snap bracket. Refasten the barrel in place to keep the bit at the right height.
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Position the fence at the correct distance from the router bit to place the cut at the right position on your workpiece. Measure between the closest tip of the router bit and the inside face of the fence. If your fence has a locking slide, lock it in place. If not, clamp both ends to the table using C-clamps.
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Start the router and run the piece across the bit, with the edge of the workpiece firmly against the face of the fence to keep the cut consistent. Keep hands clear on either side of the bit as the board passes over. Press the workpiece down to the table slightly to keep the depth consistent.
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References
- Photo Credit bibliotheque image by Zeno from Fotolia.com
