Replies

1. 
   forestgirl | Jul 21, 2005 03:02am | #1

   Are you asking about the exit end of the slot (through dado) or finishing off the ends of a stopped dado?

   forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
   Another proud member of the  "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>) 

1. 
   user-963359 | Jul 21, 2005 05:49pm | #2

   Finishing off the curved end to the proper depth to receive the hardware. Spelling correction Dado Slot, not datto...

   Edited 7/21/2005 12:08 pm ET by jimb2

1. 
   forestgirl | Jul 21, 2005 07:50pm | #3

   Sounds like a job for a chisel, not an ability I've honed, so-to-speak.  Someone with chisel chops with come along and help you out!forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)Another proud member of the  "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>) 

1. 
   user-963359 | Jul 21, 2005 10:03pm | #4

   Yes, well I went ahead with the dreaded chisel; it helps to outline it with a utility knife first to avoid chipping the melamine.

2. 
   mike4244 | Jul 21, 2005 10:21pm | #5

   Use a chisel and router plane. The router plane is a handtool, there are two types I am familiar with. I have a small one, about 2x3" with chisel that is 1/4" wide and somewhat ell shaped.There is a larger version that looks like a porter cable router base with the same type of chisel. Comes in handy to flatten the bottom of dados and rabbets.

   If you used a router for the dados you would only have to square up the corners or break the edges of the mating piece.

   mike

1. 
   user-963359 | Jul 22, 2005 01:41am | #6

   The router plane sounds like a good idea; I have 72 each to cut! Thanks

1. 
   ram | Jul 22, 2005 01:49am | #7

   If you have that many, you might want to consider making a router template.  Mario Rodrigues had an article in FWW, earlier this year I believe, that presented his approach.

1. 
   user-963359 | Jul 22, 2005 05:52pm | #8

   Is Fine Wood Working set up to do a search on past articles?

1. 
   ram | Jul 23, 2005 01:12am | #10

   jimb2 - dunno.  i'll take a look at my stack of back issues.

2. 
   user-963359 | Jul 23, 2005 03:11am | #13

   I tried also and found many of Mario's articles but not the one you referenced. Thanks for the update.

3. 
   ram | Jul 23, 2005 01:45am | #11

   jimb2 - found the article I was thinking of.

   To answer your actual question, there is a search function in FWW's web site but I was not able to locate the article that way. Most likely I could have if I tried harder but I gave up after about 4 tries.

   I did find a comma separated index at http://www.xs4all.nl and that did the trick.

   The article is in FWW #175, Feb 2005, pg 66: "A Lesson in Basic Joinery" subtitle "Practice cutting dadoes and rabbets while building a handy organizer."  Aimed at folks with less experience than I expect you have, but the reason it stuck in my mind was an online video tip associated with it that showed Mario Rodriguez cutting blind dados with a router template guide and bushing.  That part starts on pg. 69 with pretty good pictures on pp 70-71.

   Hope that helps.

   Edited 7/22/2005 7:32 pm ET by ram

2. 
   forestgirl | Jul 22, 2005 07:37pm | #9

   72?!  Wow, yes, need to make this easy.   Really could use more details -- how deep and wide are the slots??  Anywho, general info:  If you use a router bit to hog out the majority of the stock, you'll still need to clean up the ends.  A router plane is a great idea, and if you can't afford to buy one, there are plans in one of the recent magazines for making one.

   Whether you actually need to use a template or simply use stops for a router-bit approach depends on the width of the slot.  If you do use a template, you'll need a set of bushings.  They mostly seem to be made the same, but vary widely in price.  I bought a set for around $35 that has 2 locknuts (instead of just one) and the most different sizes I'd seen.  Can't remember where I got them, but I can check if you want.

   You'd probably make the template out of Masonite or thin birch ply, designing the slot in the template to compensate for the offset between the outside of the bushing and the cutting edge of the bit.  I did my first template routing last spring, and it's really a sweet process!forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)Another proud member of the  "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>) 

1. 
   user-963359 | Jul 23, 2005 03:07am | #12

   I am using a dado blade 5/8" wide by 3/16" deep. I draw a reference line on each end of the cabinet side and a reference line on top of the fence to start and stop the cut. After using a chisel on 28 each, I've really gotten good at it! These cabinet sides are 8' long; the reference line system seems the most practicle.

1. 
   forestgirl | Jul 23, 2005 07:26pm | #16

   Sounds like you've got the chisel thing down pat, so may not need to use a router?  Cool!  With a 5/8" wide dado, you could (if you wanted) just use a 5/8" straight bit and hog out the majority of the stock.  The set-up might be more time-consuming than just finishing up with the chisel, since you gotten so good at it!forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)Another proud member of the  "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>) 

3. 
   WillGeorge | Jul 23, 2005 06:11pm | #14

   72 each .. You must have been a old Army guy....

1. 
   user-963359 | Jul 23, 2005 06:46pm | #15

   Nope, old Navy