Cutting rabbets on the router table

[Anthony Whitesell]

I prefer to cut rabbets and dadoes on the router table because I find it easier to set up and because I don't have a dado sized throat plate for my table saw.

I began to work on a project that requires some rabbets cut and it occurred to me that there are two ways to cut the rabbet. The stock is 3/8" thick and 1" tall. The rabbet will be 1/2 the board thickness (making it 3/16") and 3/8" 'up' the board. I prefer the carbide spiral bits or this work and have one that is 1/2" diameter with a 1 1/2" cutting length. I can't make the cut in one pass no matter how I set the bit. I can lay the board down with the bit set 3/16" high and remove 3/16" at a time making 2 passes or stand the board up and set the bit 3/8" high and remove ~1/8" per pass in 2 passes.

Which is preferred? What are the drawbacks to each (I can't see a this point)?

[Jason Whitaker]

I would rather ( and often will) use the first method simply because I have more faith in raising my bit height accurately than having to readjust my table fence which doesnt have a micro adjust feature. I think if you have a good lift mechanism, than that would be easier, however if you have to do it the old fashioned way and use the routers own mechanism, then I would think it is a draw. Whichever adjustment you feel more comfortable with FWIW

[Prashun Patel]

You could make a ZCI for your dado blade pretty easily with some plywood or hardboard. I double tape a roughcut blank to an existing throat plate and then flush trim it on the router table.

But I also do a lot of rabbeting on the router table primarily bkz the dado stack takes too much time to load and adjust.

I'd prefer to use Method 1 for stability.

However, if it were me, I'd set the fence to allow a 3/8" width of cut, and then sneak up on the 3/16" depth in multiple passes. Like previous poster, I find it easier to readjust bit depth with precision than fence depth.

[Anthony Whitesell]

Like you both suggested, the bit height is a piece of cake compared to the fence depth. I'm not sure how to specify rabbet dimensions, I always end up stareing at the drawing to figure out what to cut.

If you are trying to rabbet a board by removing 3/16" cross grain and 3/8" with grain and the maximum bite of the bit is 1/8" by 1 1/2" it won't matter whether you set the bit 3/16" deep or 3/8", the material cannot be removed in a single pass. The bit height can be set to remove either 3/16" or 3/8" dimension but the fence will max out at 1/8" requiring 3 passes to get 3/8" (3/16" bit height) or 2 passes for 3/16" (3/8" bit height).