# Cutting dado



## coupe (Mar 5, 2009)

If you choose to use your router table to cut dados instead of a table saw and dado blade which bit best serves for the job, a straight bit or a spiral bit. I'm new to the router table uses so I don't know which is best or what is best to make dados on a router table. I will be dadoing in melamine.


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## Greeneyedeagle (Feb 15, 2009)

Good Question. When I cut the areas out in my router table for the t-track, I used a straight bit and just cut a small depth at a time. I also had my vac. hooked up to remove the sawdust as I cut. But when it is mounted in the router table, not sure with it being upside down if a straight bit could cause buildup and heat. I know on the oak park jig kits..they use a spiral bit that helps pull the waste out of the way. i like to read others thoughts on this too.


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Palmer

The standard router bit will do the job just fine, the real key is to get the chips out of the slot b/4 they have time to go around and around,,if you have a vac. port for your router find a way to use it on the router in the table, the big vac.port on the fence is great for sucking the chips on a edge pass but on a dado pass it's almost zero at the dado slot, a good way to tell if the vac.is doing a good job is when you don't have chips coming (shooting) out the slot on the one end of the board...or the chips are not packed in place when you lift the board up and over.
Once you have it setup right the vac.will pull the chips right down the hole and out of the way so the bit can do it's job..it will also cool the bit by the air flowing over and around the bit..it's almost like a fan blowing on the bit..

http://www.grizzly.com/products/h5559

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Greeneyedeagle said:


> Good Question. When I cut the areas out in my router table for the t-track, I used a straight bit and just cut a small depth at a time. I also had my vac. hooked up to remove the sawdust as I cut. But when it is mounted in the router table, not sure with it being upside down if a straight bit could cause buildup and heat. I know on the oak park jig kits..they use a spiral bit that helps pull the waste out of the way. i like to read others thoughts on this too.


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## AxlMyk (Jun 13, 2006)

I'd say do it handheld. Clamp a couple guide boards to the TT. The sawdust is going to shoot out the slot as you cut, so have it aimed where you want it to go.


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## Ghidrah (Oct 21, 2008)

Make sure the straight bit you buy is a cabinet bit in the size you want and not a regular 1/4", 1/2" or 3/4" bit. Cabinet bits are a 1/32" smaller for ply and 3/4 stock


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