# Crosscut Dado Sled for Router Table



## Jeff7 (May 4, 2011)

Hi, I am working on a home project which requires making crosscut dado and rabbet cuts. I made a prototype using my tablesaw using Dado blades. My wife approved. I was thinking of possibly using my new Bosch RA1184 table to make the final cuts or would I better off sticking with the tablesaw? I noted that Rockler had a crosscut dado sled which they discontinued. Are there any sled plans for small router tables? Thanks


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## xplorx4 (Dec 1, 2008)

Greetings Jeff and welcome to the router forums, we are glad to have you join us.


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## jlord (Nov 16, 2009)

There's always build one off a picture. I prefer to use the tablesaw with a dado blade & sled or with a jig & hand held router. I feel the router table is too limiting for most dado cuts compared to a jig or sled on the tablesaw. Rabbits would be ok since they are on the ends of material.


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## Ralph Barker (Dec 15, 2008)

Another vote for (quality) dado blades on the TS for some, or a t-square-style jig and a hand-held router for others. Which is more convenient depends on the nature of the project. Slots for drawer bottoms go on the router table, though.


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## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

Jeff7 said:


> Hi, I am working on a home project which requires making crosscut dado and rabbet cuts. I made a prototype using my tablesaw using Dado blades. My wife approved. I was thinking of possibly using my new Bosch RA1184 table to make the final cuts or would I better off sticking with the tablesaw? I noted that Rockler had a crosscut dado sled which they discontinued. Are there any sled plans for small router tables? Thanks


G’day Jeff

Welcome to the router forum. 

I remember seeing such a sled in one of Bill Hytons? books.


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

If you search OPG3 and find one of his posts, you can click on his downloads. They show a dado guide you can clamp to your work. If your pieces are large it would be the better method. James (JW2170) also posted a link to a video showing someone making the guides.


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## jschaben (Jun 21, 2009)

Jeff7 said:


> Hi, I am working on a home project which requires making crosscut dado and rabbet cuts. I made a prototype using my tablesaw using Dado blades. My wife approved. I was thinking of possibly using my new Bosch RA1184 table to make the final cuts or would I better off sticking with the tablesaw? I noted that Rockler had a crosscut dado sled which they discontinued. Are there any sled plans for small router tables? Thanks


Hi Jeff - Welcome to the forum
Most pieces requiring crosscut dado's are in workpieces to large to safely handle on a router table, in my opinion anyway. Exceptions being dividers in drawers or small boxes or something similar. Usually do crosscut dados either with the table saw or handheld with a jig also.


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## Jeff7 (May 4, 2011)

Thanks Jerry - appreciate your welcome!


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## Jeff7 (May 4, 2011)

Thank you everyone for your welcome and helpful advice!


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Jeff

Here's a jig you can make for the router table it's like the Rockler jig that they don't stock any more..

For dado's,lap joints,sidling dovetail,blind dovetails, plus many, many more jobs on the router table..  it can also be used with the plunge router for the same joints as above... one jig for many jobs with the router..

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## mikeddd (Sep 25, 2010)

Here are a couple of pictures of the jig I use, this is a very handy jig and super easy to build and use, setup is very fast. You need a guide bushing installed in your router, this jig is built for a one inch guide bushing which lets me run up to a 3/4" bit. To build this jig I used a some 3/4" MDF drilled a hole at each end then used my router table to cut the slot, I added a couple of T-slots later for stopped dado's.


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## sfleck (Jun 3, 2011)

BJ, 
I have only read a few of your post, but already love the ideas!!! I have a router that I have only used occasionally, so my experience with it is only limited. Would you happen to have a more detailed layout or plans that go with the pictures that you posted? Thanks for your help.




bobj3 said:


> Hi Jeff
> 
> Here's a jig you can make for the router table it's like the Rockler jig that they don't stock any more..
> 
> ...


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Steve

Thanks
No plans sorry most of my jigs are made by the seat of my pants so to speak,But you can find many more snapshots of them in my uploads, I try to make most of them in the KISS way but sometimes I do get carried over board with them, as of late I have been trying to make all the jigs to do more than one type of job.. 

Or by using the link below
Router Forums - Registration
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sfleck said:


> BJ,
> I have only read a few of your post, but already love the ideas!!! I have a router that I have only used occasionally, so my experience with it is only limited. Would you happen to have a more detailed layout or plans that go with the pictures that you posted? Thanks for your help.


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## sfleck (Jun 3, 2011)

Thanks anyways BJ, 
I am also a fly by the seat of my pants on some of my projects. Others I like to draw up in AutoCAD either because I want to save them for others or it will take a long time to complete the project, and I will probably forget in the mean time. The jigs are ones I would like to share with others since I know what kind of difficulty I have had learning things. If you ever have anything that you would like drawn up, I would be able to do that for you, just drop me a e-mail.

Steve


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## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

Welcome Jeff. Lots of good information posted so far; there are usually several ways to complete any woodworking task. Keep in mind that for most dado and rabbit (rebate for our friends in the UK) cuts you do not need a sled. This is where Bob and Rick Rosendahl's "Keep it simple" methods really shine. By clamping a simple fence to your table top or for free hand routing of large pieces directly to your work piece you can cut accurate dados easily. Working this way you can easily make large cuts with out needing to purchase different bits.

Your question is a good one so I will take photos of the operation and then edit this post with a link to the new thread.


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## AxlMyk (Jun 13, 2006)

bobj3 said:


> Hi Steve
> 
> Thanks
> No plans sorry most of my jigs are made by the seat of my pants so to speak,


I can attest to that. Every time I'm in Colorado and visit him, he's sitting on his butt on a stool. :lol:

We're flying out there the 10th, Bob. Keep the stools warm.


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Mike

Looking forward to it ,I will keep yours warm also...


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AxlMyk said:


> I can attest to that. Every time I'm in Colorado and visit him, he's sitting on his butt on a stool. :lol:
> 
> We're flying out there the 10th, Bob. Keep the stools warm.


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