# Cross Cutting Dado's On The Router Table...



## challagan (Feb 7, 2006)

Question for you guys that do a lot of this. I have some boxes that I want to do in the future that will have dado's in them. These are parts that will accept dividers for inside the jewelry box or what ever. If you have say 2 inch wide by 8 inch long piece let's say and you want a dado every 1 1/2 inches across it's length what's the easiest and safest way to do this on the table. My table which is an oak park table top does not have a miter slot. Now I know that I can keep adjusting the fence back by an 1 1/2 inches but remember it's only 2 inch wide stock and that will be difficult to keep square to the fence the whole time it would seem. and will be trouble some when it reaches the fence/bit hole. Any thoughts?

Corey


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Corey

I don't do alot of it but this is what I would do to get the job done on the table..

Make a jig like the Oak-Park box joint jig but it would have a slot in place of a hole.. 3/8" wide slot 3" long ,so you can use it for othe setups...

I would make it out of 1/2" thick MDF then clamp it to the table top and make the slots the same way as the Oak-Park one but the stock is flat on the table top and the push block as the same type of slot so you can use to keep it true after the 1st slot then just push it over the bit.
I think I would use wide stock and then rip to size after the slots are in..
This would keep the slots clean without the rip out showing...


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challagan said:


> Question for you guys that do a lot of this. I have some boxes that I want to do in the future that will have dado's in them. These are parts that will accept dividers for inside the jewelry box or what ever. If you have say 2 inch wide by 8 inch long piece let's say and you want a dado every 1 1/2 inches across it's length what's the easiest and safest way to do this on the table. My table which is an oak park table top does not have a miter slot. Now I know that I can keep adjusting the fence back by an 1 1/2 inches but remember it's only 2 inch wide stock and that will be difficult to keep square to the fence the whole time it would seem. and will be trouble some when it reaches the fence/bit hole. Any thoughts?
> 
> Corey


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## challagan (Feb 7, 2006)

I must be thick headed tonight. I have to think about the oak park jig thing. The wider stock would make it more stable all by itself with a push block on top of it. 6-8 inches wide would probably make it pretty stable. Table saw with a dado blade might make more sense here in the long run... I just like router cut dado's better than a saw blade.

Corey


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Corey

Just thought of a way to doing without making a new jig, use the Incra, make a spacer block 1 1/2" set the block on the inside of the bit and next to the fence then set the Incra to the " 0 " on the gage now make one more gage block that's 1 3/4" wide move the side of the Incra back to the next spot and mark the gage...then write that number down...then all you need to do is move the fence back by that number to put in the new slots...1/4" slots by 3/16" deep should work I think...

Fire up your Colt and set it up bud...

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## gregW (Mar 14, 2007)

Bj,

I thought that the whole idea behind the incra jig was that you don't need spacer blocks...can't you just use the toothed increments and the incra jigs scale to accurately set the spacing once you establish the initial bit to fence distance?


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Corey

True BUT
You said your eyes are bad, can you read the scale  hahahahahahaha

small letters and numbers bud hahahahahahaha  
I guess you can count the clicks   hahahahaha

Bj


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

Corey, is this the sort of result that you're looking for? I do these on the radial arm saw but I'm sure that a fairly simple jig could be cobbled for use with the table saw. Imagine a length of 2" x 1" against the fence with another piece at right angles to it, all the pieces to be cut are held together within the right angle and after setting the blade height and fence position simply slide the jig forward across the blade. If cuts wider than the kerf are required, use a dado set, wobble washers or move the fence the required number of times.


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## challagan (Feb 7, 2006)

Bj I agree, that should work very well and I think I could actually handle the numbers on the jig even but the pushblock is the thing that makes it safe. 

Harry, it is real easy to do it on the table saw but that is what I want to avoid as I like the router cut dado's and grooves. The items shown are not exactly what I was talking... I was actually talking about the dados in the casework that your dividers would fit in to. But those pieces would need done as well and those are very easily done on the incra using the push block. Neve have owned a Radial Arm saw and the way my shop is now I would need to have a ceiling mount .. drop down model 

Thanks guys for all the ideas!

Corey


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Harry

I think is talking about the joint below in the snapshot...


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harrysin said:


> Corey, is this the sort of result that you're looking for? I do these on the radial arm saw but I'm sure that a fairly simple jig could be cobbled for use with the table saw. Imagine a length of 2" x 1" against the fence with another piece at right angles to it, all the pieces to be cut are held together within the right angle and after setting the blade height and fence position simply slide the jig forward across the blade. If cuts wider than the kerf are required, use a dado set, wobble washers or move the fence the required number of times.


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

Bj, where did you purchase that swish looking box?

Corey, I have made numerous boxes with dividers the thickness varying from about 1/8"
to 3/4" and in all but one have assembled the dividers as a free standing unit and made it a good glue fit into the box, keep it simple, see you have me at it now!


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Harry

It's a snapshot is off the Incra Web site ,,, I tried to find a picture of the chess box but didn't find it,,, it shows the slip in type, in the snapshot... also...

The egg type div.type work great if all the holes are about the same but if you want just a hole on the back side and one on the left side it takes a bit of math to get it right and to use the nasty rubber ruler,, make it simple  

Harry you use some funny works   
I sometimes I need to look them up 
"swish" a basket ball term for me...  (sound of the ball going down in the basket hoop )

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/swish


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harrysin said:


> Bj, where did you purchase that swish looking box?
> 
> Corey, I have made numerous boxes with dividers the thickness varying from about 1/8"
> to 3/4" and in all but one have assembled the dividers as a free standing unit and made it a good glue fit into the box, keep it simple, see you have me at it now!


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## challagan (Feb 7, 2006)

harrysin said:


> Bj, where did you purchase that swish looking box?
> 
> Corey, I have made numerous boxes with dividers the thickness varying from about 1/8"
> to 3/4" and in all but one have assembled the dividers as a free standing unit and made it a good glue fit into the box, keep it simple, see you have me at it now!


Harry, thanks for reminding me of this. I remember an earlier post you did on dividers and liked how it all was one unit. If I wanted all the pieces like that in one size that is probably the way to go. THANKS! Bob J was exactly right on what I was thinking as the Incra video has a neat chess piece box with individual fitted dividers and that is what I thinking about the hole time. Either way, I think the Incra fence and jig is the way to go on this. For the box side grooves it would be better to build a Incra like push block and put one of those clamps that people use on pattern holding jigs that locks it down to the surface and you could then use it safely and accurately and that is what the Incra does pretty well. 

What got me thinking about all this is my son collects and is starting to get into lure making and a couple are so detailed he doesn't want to use them so i thought a box would be neat to keep these in. 

Thanks guys for the help and ideas here. 

Corey


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

Bob, SWISH in the context used means posh, upmarket very nice etc. I'm not at all sure if it's a word of my own invention, I've just used it for as long as I can remember. This sure is the place where we all learn a lot about a lot of different things, this being so, I think it's time to start charging visitors who don't become members after their third visit a small fee, perhaps 5c per visit towards the cost of maintaining the site!


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