Advice on Dadoes/Sliding Dovetails with a Router

[Bob Coleman]

I'm fairly new to using a router for cutting dadoes or sliding dovetails. I thought I would give it a shot on my latest project to save quite a bit of time over doing it by hand.

I prefer to reference dimensions off of existing features on the piece (as you would if cutting drawer dovetails by hand), so rather than set up the dado to the width of the part (in this case drawer web frames for a chest), I would prefer to cut the dado to the actual width of the frame.

So here's my plan: Clamp two straight edges separated by the width of the frame at across the chest side, using the frame width to set the precise width. (Ensuring the straight edges are perpendicular to the chest front) Then use a bit smaller than the frame width (3/4") to clear out the dado: http://www.freudtools.com/p-177-top-...trim-bits.aspx

I would do the same for sliding dovetails.

Anyone see or know of a problem with this plan? Is there a better or more generally accepted way to do things?

Thanks in advance
Bob

[Joe Scharle]

I use these (have 3) that work for me. Squeeze the piece to fit into the dado between the guides, tighten the on-board clamp and rout away. Also make long sliding dovetails slots by opening the back end slightly for ease of inserting the dovetail. Got it from Shopnotes, # 76

Dado_Jig.jpg