# Best way to Route Dado



## grbrico (Feb 16, 2012)

I need to route a 1/8 dado on a 1 x 2 through the middle of the 1" part. I don't have a router table yet so I can't do it that way.


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi

Many routers come with a edge guide,they work great for that job.

==



grbrico said:


> I need to route a 1/8 dado on a 1 x 2 through the middle of the 1" part. I don't have a router table yet so I can't do it that way.


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## grbrico (Feb 16, 2012)

bobj3 said:


> Hi
> 
> Many routers come with a edge guide,they work great for that job.
> 
> ==


Bob,

Thank you! I must have been thinking way to much on how to do it because I forgot that I have a edge guide that came with my craftsman router combo I bought.

Greg


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## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

Greg; you might want to clamp it to a 2x4 on the flat, assuming that they're both the same thickness/width (1 1/2")..
It'll give you way more rigidity and stability for the base plate to ride on. If the 2x4 is on the far side it of course won't interfere with the edge guide.


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## grbrico (Feb 16, 2012)

DaninVan said:


> Greg; you might want to clamp it to a 2x4 on the flat, assuming that they're both the same thickness/width (1 1/2")..
> It'll give you way more rigidity and stability for the base plate to ride on. If the 2x4 is on the far side it of course won't interfere with the edge guide.



Thanks!!

Greg


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## MAFoElffen (Jun 8, 2012)

grbrico said:


> I need to route a 1/8 dado on a 1 x 2 through the middle of the 1" part. I don't have a router table yet so I can't do it that way.


Best? There's 50 different ways you could do that...

a. Secure your work in a vise. If you don't have a vise, screw a piece of plywood to the opposite end of your work...

Did your router come with an edge guard? If it did, if your work's actual thickness is 3/4", set it so the guard is 3/8" from the center of the bit (1/4 from the edge of the bit). Route the work.

If it didn't come with an edge guard, most guards are about $20.

b. You could make a flush edge cutter jig to replace your router's base plate's sub-base... one piece is a replacement to the sub-base, with two slots cut in it. Second piece sits perpendicular onto that piece- attached with thumb screws through the slots. Adjust to the center of your work. With work secured, route your work.

c. Mount two pieces the same height as each other, close to or a little higher than your work, onto the plywood, parallel to your work... If close enough to your work, you could screw other pieces of scrap onto the sides of these a little higher... These higher's could act as an outside guide to the router's base, with the router moving between it. The other pieces would be what the router base rides on, keeping it parallel to the plywood.

This leaves mounting the work on edge onto the plywood. The work needs to be perpendicular to the plywood and centered between the guides.

d. 1/4" to 3/8" ply wood. Use your sub-base as a guide. Mark holes for mounting it to your router. Drill holes. Countersink the holes. Mount it to your router in place of the sub-base (with the bit retracted). Put it on a 5 gallon bucket, router up. Turn on router. Lower router depth, until bit cuts through the plywood. Trim a hole in What will be the back side of the plywood for your cord to go through. 

Put cord through the hole in the plywood. Put the router into the 5 gallon bucket, with the plywood supporting it. Clamp a piece of straight wood onto the plywood to use as a fence. Your now have a bottom dollar router table. 3 - 4 screws and you have your router back to normal.

Your could also use a garbage can, box or old cabinet- to raise the height of your table... Anything that you might have around.

Need more ideas, or does this give you enough info to think on?

EDIT- Wow. 4 posts just while I was typing this one!


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## jschaben (Jun 21, 2009)

grbrico said:


> I need to route a 1/8 dado on a 1 x 2 through the middle of the 1" part. I don't have a router table yet so I can't do it that way.


Hi Greg - I assume the 1" part is actually 3/4". Easiest way, for me, would be clamp a 2x4 on each side, about 1/2" above the edge of the stock. Put a 3/4" guide bushing and a 1/8" bit in the router and have at it. The guide bushing should just fit, the bit will be centered and the 2x4's will give plenty of base support.


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## pretender74 (May 27, 2011)

I was going to offer a suggestion but I guess 5 or 6 people all making my suggestion is enough for now. Good luck. Gary/Florida


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## RTexasCwby (Mar 7, 2009)

Just a thought, but to make a 1/8" dado, I would simply run it through my table saw. My blade makes a 1/8" kerf.


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## grbrico (Feb 16, 2012)

jschaben said:


> Hi Greg - I assume the 1" part is actually 3/4". Easiest way, for me, would be clamp a 2x4 on each side, about 1/2" above the edge of the stock. Put a 3/4" guide bushing and a 1/8" bit in the router and have at it. The guide bushing should just fit, the bit will be centered and the 2x4's will give plenty of base support.


Thanks John. That will give me a reason to try out my new miles craft guides I got this week.

Greg


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## grbrico (Feb 16, 2012)

pretender said:


> I was going to offer a suggestion but I guess 5 or 6 people all making my suggestion is enough for now. Good luck. Gary/Florida


Gary,
I appreciate all comments and it is never enough information for a beginning wood worker.

Greg


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## friendly1too (Sep 25, 2004)

You can make a substitute base for your router using 1/2" plywood, or whatever you might have around. Drill two holes equally distant from the center of your 1/8 " bit (about half-way between the bit to the outside of your bade--the distance doesn't matter as long as they are equally distant from the center) and screw on two dowels a little less than 2" long. As you route, keep the two dowels tight to the sides of your workpiece--diagonally. Your dado will be perfectly centered and the dowels will keep your router from tipping.


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## MAFoElffen (Jun 8, 2012)

grbrico said:


> Gary,
> I appreciate all comments and it is never enough information for a beginning wood worker.
> 
> Greg


LOL. Never enough info for even a person who has done it awhile. After 30 plus years, I'm still learning new things and new techniques every day. Allot has been from this forum. 

Alone, I don't get exposed to new things except what I've already tried or what I explore on my own. Here I learn what others have tried-- that I usually hadn't even thought of. 

Sometimes we do things a certain way because that's all we know as a possibility, because we don't know any other way.


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## jschaben (Jun 21, 2009)

grbrico said:


> Thanks John. That will give me a reason to try out my new miles craft guides I got this week.
> 
> Greg


Hi greg - If you use this method, just a couple of notes. 1. The 2x's need to be exactly even and the same from end to end. Otherwise your slot will be sloped and/or angled. 2. Make sure there is enough room to accomodate the length of the bushing barrel, the Milescraft are a bit longer than the ones I normally use. 3. 1/8" bit is pretty fragile so you need to take it easy and watch your cut depth and feed rate.


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## jschaben (Jun 21, 2009)

friendly1too said:


> You can make a substitute base for your router using 1/2" plywood, or whatever you might have around. Drill two holes equally distant from the center of your 1/8 " bit (about half-way between the bit to the outside of your bade--the distance doesn't matter as long as they are equally distant from the center) and screw on two dowels a little less than 2" long. As you route, keep the two dowels tight to the sides of your workpiece--diagonally. Your dado will be perfectly centered and the dowels will keep your router from tipping.


Hi Don - That method works great until you get to the end of the stock. When doing it this way, I usually find a way to attach some scrap of equal thickness to the ends so the guide pins don't rotate off until I am through the workpiece.


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