Dadoes - Table Saw or Router

[Randal Blair]

I'm not sure as to when to use my table saw or my router when cutting dadoes.
I built this small tool cabinet to store hand held power tools and free up drawers to hold other items.
While building the cabinet it occurred to me that I could use my stacked dadoe blades on my TS and use it to cut them
but it is so much easier for me to use the router w/plywood router bits I have and it is so easy to set up and use.
I went the router way but I seem to second guess myself often and wondered if there
Is there a preferred method here?
tool_cubby_cabinet_b.jpgtool_cubby_cabinet_a.jpgtriton_router_mounted.jpgrouter_insert.jpg

[Al Launier]

I prefer using the TS whenever through dadoes are required. I think its faster to set up, plus it cuts faster & cleaner. I'll use the router on blind dadoes though.

In your application I would have definitely used the TS.

[Matt Day]

It's whatever you feel more comfortable with. I would have used the TS too, but that's me.

[Rod Sheridan]

I would use the table saw if it had a guard for non through cuts. (Mine does).

I wouldn't use the router as I don't own one.

rebates and grooves I normally cut on the shaper............Rod.

[Sam Murdoch]

When I'm cutting dadoes into pairs of plywood panels - a top and bottom, 2 sides of a cabinet - for shelving or dividers as you show, I prefer to use the router and a sled. Either I cut the dadoes into the full sheet then rip the 2 sides to the depth of cabinet dimension or make up my separate pairs all sized and ready to go - clamp them together accurately and cross dadoe both pieces at once.

Seems easier to control the depth of cut, the width of the dadoes, and to get perfect alignment left to right or top to bottom - especially on larger panels.

[Randal Blair]

When I'm cutting dadoes into pairs of plywood panels - a top and bottom, 2 sides of a cabinet - for shelving or dividers as you show, I prefer to use the router and a sled. Either I cut the dadoes into the full sheet then rip the 2 sides to the depth of cabinet dimension or make up my separate pairs all sized and ready to go - clamp them together accurately and cross dadoe both pieces at once.

Seems easier to control the depth of cut, the width of the dadoes, and to get perfect alignment left to right or top to bottom - especially on larger panels.

this is how I did mine. The undersize plywood bit set I have cuts extremely accurate for a tight fit.

[Robert Engel]

I would use the table saw if it had a guard for non through cuts. (Mine does).

Please explain why you need one

[Sam Murdoch]

this is how I did mine. The undersize plywood bit set I have cuts extremely accurate for a tight fit.

Another way around the tight fit plywood issue, as plywood is typically not a perfect dimensioned thickness, is to dadoes the slots to a router bit size less than the ply thickness intended for this slots - so for 3/4" I might use a 1/2" or 3/8" router bit BUT then one needs to shoulder the plywood ends to fit the slot. An extra step but this does insure a perfect fit plus provides a shouldered tenon which makes for a stronger glue joint and helps to minimize racking of the box, an especially good detail for shelves. I typically leave the "tenon" on the top edge with the shoulder under the shelf.

[Rod Sheridan]

Please explain why you need one

To prevent blade contact injuries............Regards, Rod.

[Don Jarvie]

I mainly use my router but the TS would be nice. Only thing stopping me is the older PM 66 saws have no way to lock the arbor to loosen the bolt on the arbor. My blade change holder is too big.

I need to make with the router so it's a bit long but doable.

[Rick Alexander]

I got one of these at the last wood show here in Atlanta.

https://www.truetracsaw.com/products/truetrac-dado-jig

I just got around to trying it out a couple weeks ago and man it just works great for me. I already had the tracks so maybe that makes it attractive to me and maybe not to everyone but I might just get rid of my old shop made jig after all these years. One tip, just mount the swivel plate permanently on a dedicated router because the center guide wants to slip out but otherwise works like a charm.

[glenn bradley]

I use the tablesaw for through dados in smaller parts. Commodity sheet goods are hard to force flat (considering most are like potato chips) onto the table and therefore you end up with a varied depth dado unless you compensate for this. I've seen humped throat inserts and other ways of handling this. A small router base that will follow the undulations of the sheet good seems simpler for me but, I am not doing fast-rate production stuff.

[Mike Henderson]

I use the tablesaw for through dados in smaller parts. Commodity sheet goods are hard to force flat (considering most are like potato chips) onto the table and therefore you end up with a varied depth dado unless you compensate for this. I've seen humped throat inserts and other ways of handling this. A small router base that will follow the undulations of the sheet good seems simpler for me but, I am not doing fast-rate production stuff.

I agree with Glenn and that's why I use a router to cut dados. The router follows the surface of the wood and therefore cuts a consistent depth. On the table saw, unless you have some method of pushing the panel down (hard and over the blade) you can get dados of varying depth which causes you problems when you go to put the cross member into the dado. You can have a shelf, for example, that shows a gap at the front because the dado further back is not as deep as the dado in the front.

Mike

[Mel Fulks]

I prefer table saw for most stuff. When using a a router a single flute bit will greatly speed up the work. I've tried to get MLCS to carry them,but they won't , it would go a long way in helping to popularize them.

[Pat Barry]

For large pieces my setup is better for a tablesaw (just takes some fussing to get the dado stack and spacers right) unless I decide to hold the router and use a straightedge. My router table is too small for most stuff like this