Woodworking advice: Cutting dados

[bigegg]

It’s 10 seconds, all pro woodworking machinery must come to a dead stop in 10 seconds or less or else it’s a prohibition notice

I knew this, and still typed "30"

 

[Parm]

I knew this, and still typed "30"

I wouldn’t have noticed If id had started the beer drinking early. I’m in charge looking after the boys till the lady of the house comes back from work

 

[rockweasel]

An alternative to cutting dadoes in 18mm ply is to use 8mm ply and glue strips of 5mm to each side to form your runners.
Or three layers of 6mm.
Use 12mm ply +6mm for outer case.

Alternatively, there is a router in the "for sale" section which will do the job - it is the same model which I used to cut 1000s of metres of dadoes to make bookcases.



The problem with them is that european saws have a brake to make sure they stop within 30seconds. When the brake is activated, the momentum of the (much heavier than a blade) dado set makes it unscrew from the arbour - or just not slow down in time.
There ARE saws which can be used with a dado set, but they tend to have a secondary locking mechanism for the blade and a heavier brake - and are £££££££

Nice router, but too far away for me to collect.

 

[Ton-up]

It’s 10 seconds, all pro woodworking machinery must come to a dead stop in 10 seconds or less or else it’s a prohibition notice

Bit pedantic in this case, but not 'all', wide bandsaws for instance are 30 secs.

 

[Parm]

This is the guidance that’s used

http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/wis38.pdf

I think a wide band saw may also be called a re saw.

10 secs is the standard, haven’t heard any other time referenced anywhere

‘‘Tis not the season to be discussing such matters”

I’m on the bloody mary’s now. First time in a long time. This could be a crime in itself

 

[brewdexta]

I made this earlier this year, lots of drawers, all using dados, by far the easiest was the table saw.

As the drawer sides are relatively shallow I didn't use the sliding table, just used the fence. I shoved the all the draw sides of the same depth through, moved the fence a few mill then did it again. I have a router that fits on a guide rail, and a dado cutter on a radial arm saw (very scary as the blade guard has to come off to fit it) and a plunge saw/rail with the perforated table etc. and the table saw would be my choice of weapon.

However, once I had built the above, which is a router table, then that would be a contender depending on the thickness of your drawer bottoms. Mine were only 6mm and with just over a 3mm kerf on the table saw blade I could cut the dado in two passes.

However, if you haven't got a choice of tool then a router or plunge saw, or circular saw would do, you don't need guide rails, better if you have them but I have survived for years without them, I just clamped bits of straight MDF to the timber as a guide. I only bought Bosch rails when they were on a really good offer, they are made by Mafell so the Mafell track saw, jigsaw and Bosch router guide base all fit.

Cheers
Andy

 

[bigegg]

dado cutter on a radial arm saw (very scary as the blade guard has to come off to fit it)

Dunno what saw you have, but dewalt and craftsman RAS have replacement guards for use with dado blades - I got mine for about £15 delivered from the states.

 

[Parm]

I made this earlier this year, lots of drawers, all using dados, by far the easiest was the table saw.

View attachment 127007

As the drawer sides are relatively shallow I didn't use the sliding table, just used the fence. I shoved the all the draw sides of the same depth through, moved the fence a few mill then did it again. I have a router that fits on a guide rail, and a dado cutter on a radial arm saw (very scary as the blade guard has to come off to fit it) and a plunge saw/rail with the perforated table etc. and the table saw would be my choice of weapon.

However, once I had built the above, which is a router table, then that would be a contender depending on the thickness of your drawer bottoms. Mine were only 6mm and with just over a 3mm kerf on the table saw blade I could cut the dado in two passes.

However, if you haven't got a choice of tool then a router or plunge saw, or circular saw would do, you don't need guide rails, better if you have them but I have survived for years without them, I just clamped bits of straight MDF to the timber as a guide. I only bought Bosch rails when they were on a really good offer, they are made by Mafell so the Mafell track saw, jigsaw and Bosch router guide base all fit.

Cheers
Andy

Andy, that’s stunning. What are the drawer fronts made of ?

 

[slim_boy_fat]

Mhhhh, food for thought. Sure some of our members could CNC that in stainless......? I'd buy one

 

[brewdexta]

Dunno what saw you have, but dewalt and craftsman RAS have replacement guards for use with dado blades - I got mine for about £15 delivered from the states.

Its an Elu, the forerunner to the DeWalt 1251, the dado blade came with it when I bought it though another forum, I have never used the blade in anger beyond trying it out. I had a DW before it, I sold it had it had seen a hard life in a local joiners shop.

I built a "Mr Sawdust" table for it with a few bit of steel in it to stiffen it up.

I'm thinking of selling it and buying a Bosch " axial glide" saw in the new year as I don't use it much, I use my old cheap mitre saw much more and it's showing its age. The RAS is great but given I have the table saw and the rails and perforated top/dogs etc. I don't need it.

 

[brewdexta]

Andy, that’s stunning. What are the drawer fronts made of ?

Thanks Parm, the whole thing is birch ply, I used iron on walnut veneer and osmo polyx oil on the drawer fronts. I also put an oak face frame around the drawers to hide the ply.

I'm building a kitchen and utility room soon, hence the posh tools and the router table was a bit of practice, I won't point them out but there are some cockups and rough bits Once the kitchen has been built I may sell some of them if they don't get much use. My thinking is if I buy a decent tool like the Mafell, you can usually get 75% or more of the cost after a year. If I buy a cheap tool I will get peanuts if I sell it, plus the posher tool is nicer to use. The Mafell has a very innovative scoring facility and I intend to use some veneered ply. I won't be using MDF or chipboard, no way.

Cheers
Andy

 

[julianf]

Mhhhh, food for thought. Sure some of our members could CNC that in stainless......? I'd buy one

Eh?

What are you after? I don't do ferrous, but see my avatar... (for scale, it's a penny, not two pence - but I can do large stuff too!)