How to cut LOTS of dadoes into long stock

[Anthony Whitesell]

Based on the links provided in a previous thread on making drawers for my wife's craft supplies, I have constructed the first batch of four dozen drawers (I think I may need another two dozen). I decided to make the drawers first and see how many were used before making the carcass to hold them. The drawer design is a take off from this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sSNLwEu1QCk. My drawers use a 3/16" hardboard bottom and 1 1/8" sides. The drawers will either hold the items directly or 2 5/8" tall organizer containers. Similar to the video, I plan to cut dadoes up the side of the carcass to act as the other half of the drawer slide. The carcass will have 1/4" dadoes every 1 1/2". The difference is the sides of my carcass is 72" long. To ensure the dadoes align horizontally when assembles, I plan to cut the dadoes into a piece of plywood 28 1/4" wide then cut to the plywood to the final 12" width.

I'm looking for options on how to cut 48 dadoes 1 1/2" apart on a 28 1/4" by 72" long piece of plywood. (about 113 feet of 1/4" dado)

I thought of a box joint type jig on the table saw, except it won't fit. My shop is not 12 feet wide. Twelve feet being the necessary clearance to start with 6' to the left and end with 6' to the right.

Any other thoughts?

[Bill Dufour]

radial arm saw with a finger on the fence that flips up/down to register into the dado.

[Anthony Whitesell]

That was one thought, only I don't own a RAS.

[Frankie Hunt]

Use a router.

Make a jig for the router to follow. Clamp it to the board, rout, move jig, rout, repeat.

[Robert Engel]

If I'm imagining this correctly, how about a router with an indexing strip fixed to the base that registers in the previous slot.

[Anthony Whitesell]

The router was the second item came to mind after I ruled out the RAS since I didn't have one. My plan was a jig with an indexing strip. I was thinking of a carbide spiral downcut bit would be best. Any idea how many feet of 1/4" wide 3/8" deep dado you can cut with one $20 router bit?

[Ted Derryberry]

Thousands, with a quality bit.

[Osvaldo Cristo]

One more for router. It looks me the best solution if you do not have an industrial production...

[Jim Becker]

Router. You can easily duplicate how I do this on my Festool MFT. I clamp a narrow board to the back fence and after adjusting the router on the track to cut the correct depth and width (bit choice for the latter) I make a cut that essentially marks that wood board the guide for where the router is going to go when it travels along the fence. Then, it's just a matter of sliding the workpiece until the groove across the wood sub-fence lines up with the layout marks on the workpiece and making the cut. Move the workpiece...make the next cut. You can make a fixed jig to accomplish the same using any router. Just have your guide rails setup such that they are exactly above the base the thickness of your workpiece plus a "proverbial hair so you can slide the workpiece through. Too loose and you'll have to clamp for each cut, although using quick clamps to insure it doesn't move is still a good idea. Too tight and you'll get frustrated.

[Jamie Buxton]

...I thought of a box joint type jig on the table saw, except it won't fit. My shop is not 12 feet wide. Twelve feet being the necessary clearance to start with 6' to the left and end with 6' to the right..

Can you turn the table saw 90 degrees? That is, is your shop 12 feet long, not wide?

[Rod Sheridan]

How about you start at one end, go 36" then flip it and do the remainder of the dadoes?

Know anyone with a sliding table saw?

Regards, Rod.

[Anthony Whitesell]

How about you start at one end, go 36" then flip it and do the remainder of the dadoes?

Know anyone with a sliding table saw?

Regards, Rod.

If my measurements aren't dead nuts on I could be in trouble when I reach the center.

I have been trying to figure out how to work from the center out. The if I start with the eight foot piece I can just cut off both ends to get to the final length.

[Anthony Whitesell]

Can you turn the table saw 90 degrees? That is, is your shop 12 feet long, not wide?

I guess I should be clearer. I don't have a 12' by 6' clear area to work. 12' being the length left to right needed and the 6' being the distance need to start and finish each cut while standing at the saw.

But you have me thinking. If I start with the 6' to the left, I could make some cuts, then move the saw to the left and make more. For all intents and purposes, only moving the plywood about 2 feet. Picture painting the outside of a house. You paint a section then move the ladder, you don't move the house. Hmmm....that has possibilities. Now to think about how to make the jig for a table saw. Thoughts? Purpose built sled?

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Make a table saw sled with an indexing "pin" on it.

[Bryan Lisowski]

I would use a router a homemade jig. I would also route all the dados and then cut the piece so they match up as well.