rabbet on small part : Router or TS?

[radhak]

I am trying to make the box for a desktop clock (see WS #131), and now need to cut rabbets for small pieces of maple that are 4" x 4" (1/2" thick) and 4" x 8" (1/4" thick). The rabbets are gonna be half-the-thickness-of-the-wood deep.

So what is the best way to do this : router table or a crosscut-sled on the TS? The sled makes it pretty safe on the TS, but will I be able to make it accurate enough? My fear with the router is chipout at the ends. The pieces are gonna be very visible, so even minor chipout would stand out like a sore thumb.

[JR]

Hmm, I'd probably have cut the rabbets before cutting to length.

Okay, now that I've given you my sermon, to your probolem.

I would prefer to do it on a router table, personally. If you can place feather boards properly on both dimensions, it would probably go through nicely. To prevent tearout, just push the piece through with a piece of scrap.

JR

[Ed62]

With my very limited experience, I would choose the router table. If you use a backer board tightly against the stock, I think you'd be O.K. with tearout. Others might see it differently.

Ooops! Didn't see JRs reply. Featherboards are a good idea too.

Ed

[LCHIEN]

I could do it either way (TS or router). Although I would not try and use the crosscut sled!

I'm assuming a 1/4" x 1/4" rabbet (you said half the thickness but did not specify a rabbet width)
On the TS I would set just make a series of cuts with the blade set 1/4" high and pass the wood piece against the rip fence. The 4" or 8" side would be plenty long enough to guide the piece on the fence and I would use a push shoe on the piece. There's no chance of kickback in this setup. I'd make the first cut at the desired distance from the ede and move the fence over the kerf width for the remaining cuts until the
blade got close to the fence - then use a sacrificial fence or simply use a chisel to cut away the remaining edge.

On the router you could do as suggested by the other posters.

[John Hunter]

I cut rabbits and dados on pieces even smaller all the time. The secret is in being able to hold them down and making shallow cuts. To hold them down I use the Gripper http://www.woodcraft-gallery.com/Str...a/Gripper1.wmv before I got it I used trowel that had a rubber pad on it that is about 3/4" thick.

[vaking]

What about dado?

I would try to use dado with sacrificial fence to cut such rabbets.