# Routing a dado down the center



## garryjc (Sep 11, 2004)

When using a table saw it is possible to center a dado down the edge of a piece of timber by running the timber from both sides. Can the same technique be used for a router? What are the implications for spin of the router and cutting on the right face of the cutter?

If this is not possible, what is the best method to ensure that the dado is centered?

Thanks in advance.

Garry


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## BobandRick (Aug 4, 2004)

garryjc said:


> When using a table saw it is possible to center a dado down the edge of a piece of timber by running the timber from both sides. Can the same technique be used for a router? What are the implications for spin of the router and cutting on the right face of the cutter?
> 
> If this is not possible, what is the best method to ensure that the dado is centered?
> 
> ...


When making your dado with the tablesaw is width of the dado made correct or off a bit? 

My thoughts,

1) The problem with using the router is the rotation of the router bit and staying on the cutting side of the bit with the second pass. 2) Cutting twice gets the dado in the center all right but the size may be off. 

What I would like to do is measure and mark the center then cut both sides from one end either the top or bottom using same set up. They might not be prefect center but both are the same and dado width is cut to spec. 

Just my two cents, any other thoughts.


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## reible (Sep 10, 2004)

BobandRick said:


> When making your dado with the tablesaw is width of the dado made correct or off a bit?
> 
> My thoughts,
> 
> ...


This is my two cents, I have used the "Norm" method on the table saw but have never tried it on the router. As you no doubt know you cut the dado first then cut what ever fits into it to match.

If you want to try it with a router please see the attached sketch as an example of what BobandRick are talking about and the problem of making sure the wood is not trapped between the bit and fence.

I hope this sketch is clear enough to read and please don't try this at home and blame me if something goes wrong.........

Ed


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## Julie (Sep 11, 2004)

Cool, Ed.... that makes sense. Thanks.
~Julie~


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## Dewy (Sep 15, 2004)

As dado blades can not be fitted to any table saw made or sold in Europe in the last few years the only way to make a dado (trench or housing) is with a router.
What I've never had I don't miss.
All table saws sold in Europe must have a shorter arbor so dado blades can't be fitted and have an electrical brake which could cause a dado set to unscrew and fly off.
At the start of the year commercial workshops had to stop using the saws capable of taking these blades to comply with the HSE (Health and Safety Excecutive)
This entailed getting rid of perfectly good machines and replacing them with new ones.
Dado blades can be used in a radial arm saw but not a table saw.


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## reible (Sep 10, 2004)

Dewy said:


> As dado blades can not be fitted to any table saw made or sold in Europe in the last few years the only way to make a dado (trench or housing) is with a router.
> What I've never had I don't miss.
> All table saws sold in Europe must have a shorter arbor so dado blades can't be fitted and have an electrical brake which could cause a dado set to unscrew and fly off.
> At the start of the year commercial workshops had to stop using the saws capable of taking these blades to comply with the HSE (Health and Safety Excecutive)
> ...


Is this for real?????

I guess I can believe it as once we had to replace all the 4 legged stools with 5 legged ones because people were tipping off them or some such idea.

Ed


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## Dewy (Sep 15, 2004)

reible said:


> Is this for real?????
> 
> Ed


Perfectly real.
Dado blades can be bought from most suppliers but can only fit on pre '98 table saws or radial arm saws.
Commercial workshops that had always used them had to replace their table saws with ones having a short arbor and electric braking.
It was a matter of amateurs having accidents because they had no idea of the safety rules and commercial users paying the price for others mistakes.


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## Michael (Sep 14, 2004)

reible said:


> Is this for real?????
> 
> I guess I can believe it as once we had to replace all the 4 legged stools with 5 legged ones because people were tipping off them or some such idea.
> 
> Ed


Instead of increasing the number of legs on the stools perhaps they should have decreased the number of drinks during happy hour.


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## ejant (Sep 10, 2004)

reible said:


> Is this for real?????
> 
> I guess I can believe it as once we had to replace all the 4 legged stools with 5 legged ones because people were tipping off them or some such idea.
> 
> Ed


 Now they tip off of them in five different directions instead of four. lol


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## reible (Sep 10, 2004)

This is a little off subject but as you might know we are still on the inch standard thus plywood is 1/4", 1/2", 3/4" in sheets of 4' x 8' and dimensioned lumber is 1”x 2”, 1”x 4” (actual sizes for a 1 x 4 is ¾” x 3 ½). What type of stand wood sizes do you have in the UK?

Also thinks like routers have ¼” and ½” collets, I’m guessing that is all different as well?

Ed

Ed


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## Lorax (Sep 14, 2004)

Dewy said:


> At the start of the year commercial workshops had to stop using the saws capable of taking these blades to comply with the HSE (Health and Safety Excecutive) This entailed getting rid of perfectly good machines and replacing them with new ones.


And I thought OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Admin.) was a pain.


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## Dewy (Sep 15, 2004)

reible said:


> This is a little off subject but as you might know we are still on the inch standard thus plywood is 1/4", 1/2", 3/4" in sheets of 4' x 8' and dimensioned lumber is 1”x 2”, 1”x 4” (actual sizes for a 1 x 4 is ¾” x 3 ½). What type of stand wood sizes do you have in the UK?
> 
> Also thinks like routers have ¼” and ½” collets, I’m guessing that is all different as well?
> 
> ...


It's worth checking plywood thickness.
Birch ply comes from the Baltic and what is thought of as 1/4" 1/2" & 3/4" is really 6mm 12mm & 18mm.
UK officially went metric in 1971 but router colletts are still 1/4" & 1/2" and most cutters can be bought in inch sizes but many bits are sold with the metric size and 6mm & 12mm colletts can be bought for metric bits.
The leading router & router bit manufacturer here makes both imperial & metric but many accessories are only metric i.e. router bushes.


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## jsharp (Sep 22, 2004)

Dewy said:


> The leading router & router bit manufacturer here makes both *imperial &* metric but many accessories are only metric i.e. router bushes.


Imperial makes us in the USA sound bad.... like, you imperialists only want it your way.... DUH.....

BTW much of our "std" sizes, based on 1/4"'s are not so anymore... they stoled a 1/16" from us.. now we have 3/16" and 13/32", blah, blah...

Like paying for a lb of coffee and getting 13oz  

just my .o2,
jerry


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## vrbradley (Sep 11, 2004)

It seems to me that if you use a router the best method would to use a hand helr router with a jig such as i saw posted here earlier this week, then you can make the dado the exact size of the peice your placing into the dado...just an idea.


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