How best to cut a groove

[jonmnelson]

I'm working on a tray made out of 1/2" cherry, where the bottom sits in a groove on all four sides. The grooves on the end pieces go all the way from end to end so I cut them using a dado blade. The grooves on the side pieces are supposed to stop just before the ends, however. I don't have a plunge router so that seems to leave me with two options:

1. Chisel or drill a hold at one end and then rout out the rest of the groove; or

2. Using a stop block or some other device, lower the piece on the spinning dado blade and then stop the cut before reaching the end.

Option 2 seems a little tricky, never mind dangerous. Does anyone do this, and do it safely? Any other options I'm missing?

Thanks.

[JR]

You said you don't have a plunge router, but do you have one with a fixed base? It would be WAY safer to drop the piece onto a straight bit in a table than to drop it onto a dado blade.

Another choice would be let groove go the end and fill the hole after asembly. The filler could be matching wood, with grain matched to the side piece, or contrasting wood in the vein of "if you can't fix it, feature it."

You could also miter the corners, which would hide the groove.

JR

[jonmnelson]

You said you don't have a plunge router, but do you have one with a fixed base? It would be WAY safer to drop the piece onto a straight bit in a table than to drop it onto a dado blade.

Another choice would be let groove go the end and fill the hole after asembly. The filler could be matching wood, with grain matched to the side piece, or contrasting wood in the vein of "if you can't fix it, feature it."

You could also miter the corners, which would hide the groove.

JR

The corners are dovetailed (handcut -- yikes!), so no miter. The router table suggestion is a good one. Thanks.

[DonHo]

I use a straight bit in a router table with stop blocks clamped to the fence to limit the grove to the length you need.
DonHo

[LCHIEN]

Dropping the wood on a spinning dado is both dangerous and will give you a very ramped groove - not what you want.

The usual way to do this with a fixed router involves a straight bit, a router table with fence, and two stop blocks.

Don't cut the full depth, you'll need to repeat several times, anout 1/8" at a pass.
Set up the fecen the distance from the bit, stop blocks limiting the travel - the positioing of the stop blocks is the tricky part, involving addition and subtration of fractions, ha!
Holding the piece against the fence, one end against the table and the other end above the bit, push the piece down and the bit will cut into it, slide it right and left to complete the stopped dado. Then do your other pieces, raise the bit and repeat until the depth is as desired and all pieces are done.

Don't forget, you have to be able to change the bit height preferably w/o moving the fence and stop blocks!

[Uncle Cracker]

By the way, what you are trying to do is called a stop dado or blind dado...

[atgcpaul]

The corners are dovetailed (handcut -- yikes!), so no miter. The router table suggestion is a good one. Thanks.

You CAN have it all. I made this box with handcut, mitered DTs. Although I
cut stopped grooves (a dado cuts across the grain, a groove with the grain)
with my router table, because the groove was neither in-line with a tail or a
pin, I could have cut through grooves on all 4 faces and still have no groove
show on the outside after assembly.

http://www.bt3central.com/showthread.php?t=16358

Paul

[jonmnelson]

You CAN have it all. I made this box with handcut, mitered DTs. Although I
cut stopped grooves (a dado cuts across the grain, a groove with the grain)
with my router table, because the groove was neither in-line with a tail or a
pin, I could have cut through grooves on all 4 faces and still have no groove
show on the outside after assembly.

http://www.bt3central.com/showthread.php?t=16358

Paul

Paul,

That's a beautiful box. If my dovetails come out half as nice I'll be thrilled. I've done some before, but the fit has been less than precise. Hopefully I'll do better this time.

Thanks to everyone for the great advice and suggestions. I just love this site.

[Jeffrey Schronce]

I would suggest using a spiral bit in a RT.