Dado or Router

[Mountie]

G'Day all,

I'm kinda stuck...I've got a bunch of projects planned and all require either dados or rabit joints....I'm getting set up to do these projects and can't decide if having a dado blade set or setting up a jig for my router is the best way to go....funds are limited so I'm looking for the best "bang for the buck" Space in the shop is limited as well and some of the projects are longer cases for book shelves, mobile project carts, etc.. Ideally I would have both, but which is the best place to start?

Any opinions?

Thanks!

Rob

[LCHIEN]

Jigs can be made cheaply.
Choose the best tool for the job.
Long straight and or deep dados use the dado, it'll be faster and cleaner.

Short, stopped dados, use the router.

DOn't limit yourself to one or the other.

[cabinetman]

I do dadoes and rabbets with a router. It's an easier procedure IMO. You don't have to be holding down the stock, and you can see what you're doing, and you get clean bottoms and sides. I use a shop made jig...easy to make.

.

[cwsmith]

So far, I've used only my router for dado and rabbets. For dado's I have a jig that spans the width of the board and clamps in position. For long rabbets, I use my router table.

I don't own a dado stack, so used the only tool available... the router. At this point, I don't know if I'll ever go the table saw/dado blade route.

CWS

[herb fellows]

If I'm reading your post correctly, you have a router, but don't have a dado set up? Have you priced dado blades recently?
If that's the case, and money counts, the router is a no brainer.

[Knottscott]

Which one works best for you depends in part on your TS and dado stack, and your router and/or router table. I use both, but tend to use my dado stack most often. Both methods work. If you've already got the router, but not a stacked dado set, the router is the less expensive approach in this case.

[Cochese]

I subscribe to Marc Spag's approach:

If the piece is wider than it is long, use the router.

If the piece is longer than it is wide, use the saw.

[Daryl]

Depends on the job. Three passes with a regular blade will give you a nice clean 1/4 inch dado, four passes for a 3/8 and so on.

[dbhost]

I have had extremely poor luck running dadoes with the router. At this point, I am a dado stack kind of guy... Having said that, routers can be made to work, it's just tricker, at least in my book...

[LarryG]

Jigs can be made cheaply.
Choose the best tool for the job.
Long straight and or deep dados use the dado, it'll be faster and cleaner.

Short, stopped dados, use the router.

DOn't limit yourself to one or the other.

I subscribe to Marc Spag's approach:

If the piece is wider than it is long, use the router.

If the piece is longer than it is wide, use the saw.

My approach is essentially a combination of these two. I don't always adhere strictly to the second but it often has worked out that way as a consequence of doing as Loring says. So I agree with the majority consensus that recommends using whatever method works best for each circumstance, and/or using what tools you have.

However you do it, a tip that may prove useful when doing the sides of book cases and the like: if possible, cut the opposing dadoes at the same time by keeping your workpiece "double width" until after the dadoes are done. That is, if the book case will be 8" deep, start with a workpiece that's 16" wide (plus an allowance for a saw kerf and final trimming). Cut the dadoes, then rip the workpiece down the middle to create the two sides. This will ensure that the opposing dadoes exactly align, and halves the time you will spend setting up for the cuts. Obviously, this tip works best if you're building with plywood, although it will work with solid lumber if the stock or glue-up is wide enough to make both sides of the case.

[jussi]

I use both depending on the situation but if I could only use one I'd go with the router. It's more versatile. Can't do stopped dados with a stack.

[Mountie]

Thanks Guys,

I already have two routers, a Bosch trim router and a Hitachi M12V2. I've got an eemerson straight edge clamp and was thinking about going with this guide:

http://www.infinitytools.com/Precision-Router-Dado-Jig/productinfo/PDJ-100/

As the alternate, with the coupon code provided by a member on another post I can get the Oshlun 6" dado set for under $100 delivered....

If I could convince my "war department" to loosen the purse stings I'd get both....The jigs shown by other members seem pretty simple to make though...In each instance I'd have to get some extra accessories, bits for the router and throat plates for my saw...

I guess I'm getting hung up on the project plans I'm using. Some state to use the saw others to router the dado. I'm fairly new to woodworking so I tend to to what I'm told on the plans and I'm not really comfortable with using alternative techniques while I'm still learning the basics...

Thanks for the advice...I still don't know which way I'm going to go (its evident that I'll eventually use both) but the alternative points of view have been very helpful.

Maybe I'll just buy the kregg jig and go with pocket screws!!...

Best regards,

Rob

[JR]

Rob, in any dado application the hardest part is getting a good, tight fit. Plywood is never the exact thickness of it's nominal rating.

This means you can't just buy a 19mm router bit and expect to make a dado that will fit 19mm lumber. It also means that you can expect to have to fiddle around with a dado set and some scrap lumber to get the right fit.

The pic below shows a jig I made when I needed to make some dadoes. It has variable width between the rails. You just put a piece of scrap stock the same thickness as what you are building with to set it up. You then use a top-mounted-bearing straight bit in your router to get the exact match to your lumber. There are plenty of examples of similar jigs in the interwebs. You might find it would advance your skills and your thinking as to how to approach woodworking problems (as you are already doing by exploring the two options you propose!).

[JimD]

A home-made dado jig for your router is easily made our of plywood. So that gives you the money for the dado blade.

I do not use my routers (4 good ones plus others) to do dados very often unless it is little (1/8 depth or less) dados in sheet goods largely to locate pieces. It seems like every time I try to cut a router of significant depth, my router wanders and ruins the piece.

A dado or rabbet on the table saw with a dado blade is a piece of cake. I use a Freud "Pro" - their least expensive set. Works great. You can't so a stopped dado but you can chisel out the last bit of waste or you can plug the end of the dado with a specially cut piece.

Jim

[Bill in Buena Park]

I like this dado jig for the router, which I built and use:

http://www.woodmagazine.com/woodworking-plans/routing/exact-width-dado-jig/

Requires use of a bearing-guided bit.