using hand tools for dadoes ?

[Matthew N. Masail]

which tools would one need to cover all of his dado needs? I do not own not will I ever (most likely) own a table saw, those things scare the $%@ out of me. I can use a router but I'm not fond of it as much as I love hand tools.
so besides a skew rabbet block plane and a plow plane, what will I need to cover all my dado needs? I'm assuming a large router plane will be in order, but how can you guide it for a straight cut in the middle of a large panel?

Thanks in advance, I'd rather spend a ton on specialized hand tools than risk loosing a finger (I'm a classical guitar player before a carpenter at the moment).

[Jack Curtis]

which tools would one need to cover all of his dado needs? I do not own not will I ever (most likely) own a table saw, those things scare the $%@ out of me. I can use a router but I'm not fond of it as much as I love hand tools.
so besides a skew rabbet block plane and a plow plane, what will I need to cover all my dado needs? I'm assuming a large router plane will be in order, but how can you guide it for a straight cut in the middle of a large panel?...

All you really need is a chisel the same width as the dado or smaller, hammer/mallet, and a ruler (or you could use the piece of wood you plan to dado on edge to mark the dado). Optional, which might make it a little easier/faster: a mid-panel saw (azebiki or stair saw), router plane, side rebate plane(s), and a grooving/dado plane.

Jack

[Mark Baldwin III]

A while back I did a short post on my blog about doing a stopped dado. The method I used was taken from bits of advice from others here. I used a tenon saw, chisel, and router plane. Layout was done with a square and marking knife. I did the write up on stopped dadoes because they are slightly more difficult than a through dado. At some point, I'd like to make or buy a stair saw for this, but it's not necessary.

http://milwaukeemonastery.blogspot.com/2011/11/cutting-stopped-dado.html

[Matthew N. Masail]

I know this will sound stupid but Wow, thanks guy. I'm thinking I can save on the plow plane and skew rabbet plane too if I use a big router plane, a good knife (I ordered some by hock) and chisels, for drawer groves and rabbets until I can afford those more easily. one question though, should
I get some HSS chisels to handle dado's in plywood, or will my white steel ones hold up? again I'd just like to mention that all the tools I have are either in storage or on the way, waiting for me to move to place with a big enough room to open a shop, and since I have to order from abroad I have to ask before I buy, and that's why I'm not checking it out for myself.

Mark, I'm really enjoying your blog !

[Zach Dillinger]

My favorite method is to saw the shoulders with a backsaw and then chisel / gouge out the waste, very close to the final depth. A few passes with the router plane will finish it up. Works very well and is very fast.

[jamie shard]

My favorite method is to saw the shoulders with a backsaw and then chisel / gouge out the waste, very close to the final depth. A few passes with the router plane will finish it up. Works very well and is very fast.

+1 chiseling out most of the waste is faster for sure.

[Mike Holbrook]

The large Veritas Router Plane has a fence as an option. The Veritas Small Plow Plane comes with a fence, but currently the largest imperial blade is 3/8". Most people seem to use the router plane more for cleaning dadoes. The router plane fence systems are not nearly as robust as those on Plow Planes. A popular method is to mark saw lines with a wide sharp chisel that keeps a saw in the chisel's V groove. If you saw the dado cheeks, the router plane can get in there & cut out waste, although it might be faster to start with a chisel sized to the dado. Many people actually mark dado sizes with the chisel they plan to use in it. The Plow Plane is usually more of a tool for smaller grooves where the one plane can do all/most of the work.

[John Powers]

You can set depth on a stair saw. You score edges of dado with a sharp knife, Stair saw done to desired depth and use your incredibly sharp veretas 1/2 inch router blade in your old stanley router plane to remove waste. I don't do this often so I'll yield to the gurus but it works fine for me.

[Pedro Reyes]

I use a crosscut backsaw (like a carcass saw) for dadoes (technically x-cuts). Like others have said, mark with knife, saw the lines with your saw, chisel out waste. I am no chisel-ninja, but I can leave them fairly flat for their use, when more precision is called for, I finish off with router plane, but while I consider a router plane one of the "essentials", not in this case.

You mentioned drawer groves, those are generally groves (with the grain) not dadoes (across), so for that nothing beats my record #50(except a Lee Valley small plow plane ) but a #50 is generally not that expensive.





hope this helps.

/p

PS: I am also not a photography-ninja, but I didn't ahve to tell you that.

[Mike Siemsen]

Dados are cut with a dado plane. You nail a stick to the side of the case where the dado will go and you run you dado plane along it. They have stops for depth and come in different widths. Stop dados were uncommon in hand built furniture.

[Matthew N. Masail]

what kind of blade/teeth would work well for a stair saw? seems like it would be the quickest way to saw down to depth

[Matthew N. Masail]

Mike is this what would be called a dado plane http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/pag...182,41192&ap=1

[Matthew N. Masail]

I found this thread http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthre...tooth-geometry

[John Coloccia]

For a second there, I thought it said "using hand tools for dodos" and I thought to myself, "Finally, a thread I can relate to". Oh, well...carry on.

[Pedro Reyes]

Mike is this what would be called a dado plane http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/pag...182,41192&ap=1

Firstly, while dado planes are used for cutting dadoes, I don't consider them essential unless you will be doing tons of dadoes, and certainly you can cut dadoes without them.

And the picture you see there is just a rabbet. A dado plane would have nickers on the sides to slice the fibers ahead of the iron. I have a couple of dado planes, sharpening and set up sometimes makes it more troublesome than using the saw/chisel method.

/p