Dados....................question.....

[Ken Fitzgerald]

I had a guy ask a question of me and I wanted to make sure I wasn't giving a bogus answer.


It's okay to use the fence when making dado cuts isn't it?

You aren't cutting all the way through the board so you wouldn't have to use a spacer on the fence in front of the blade would you?

[Myk Rian]

If you're making the cut length-wise it's really the only way to do it. That's how I do it on the TS or RT.

[Joe Shinall]

I always use the fence when doing dados and never had kickback as long as you press down and against the fence, not just pushing forward. If you don't push down it can kick up.

[Dustin Cranford]

what about cross way, like on book shelves?

[Myk Rian]

what about cross way, like on book shelves?
Miter gauge. Or, use a router and a board clamped across it.

[Chuck Isaacson]

Its the only way that I have ever done it. But then again I havent been doing it that long and I have mostly done cabinets.

[Bob Borzelleri]

Full fence for long (rip type) cuts. For "cross cuts", a miter gauge and shortened Unifence that stops at the start of the dado blade.

[Cody Colston]

If the long axis of the piece is against the fence, sure, go ahead.

For a piece that's wider than it is long, you have to determine if there is enough bearing surface against the fence to keep it square across the dado blade. That will vary with different people and their "comfort factor."

If unsure, then use another method like a fence and router.

[Tony Shea]

The problem is the accuracy of the dado. If the peice is long and narrow then think about how well your going to be able to keep the edge on the fence without any rocking of that edge. If the peice is narrow enough then you can use a miter gauge. If not use your router and a fence setup, which can be a pain when using odd sizes of plywoods. You'll have to readjust your fence and take two passes with a smaller bit. I've had terrible luck with plywood sized bits creating a good fit with some of the plywood that's available locally. It all seems to be some random width.

[Callan Campbell]

For plywood, I use a the TS fence unless the pieces are under 5 inches in width. Then, I feel safer with a clamped spacer to the fence, just before the start of the blade. For solid wood, I probably double the width and add that sub-fence for anything under 10-12 inches in width. For a lengthwise cut, I've always used the whole TS fence, but also a feather board of some type to assist in keeping things in place, and my hands away from the blades .;)

[Michael MacDonald]

what about cross way, like on book shelves?

I think the problem with cross-cutting a dado on the end of a long board using the fence is that the length of the board leads to a "tipping" effect. As you push the board forward, you are likely pushing on the board at a point that is very distance from the fence with your left hand, and if there are only a few inches of material actually in contact with the fence, the trailing corner of the board starts to come aware from the fence while the leading corner tends to stick. When this happens, the whole board can ride up and kick back...

The alternative is not to push the board at a point far away from the fence... but then the board drags on the left side and the opposite tipping can occur. can't win either way.

In ripping a dado with a long board, the board is more naturally kept in contact with the fence because the dimensions are aligned with the fence.

As a general rule, you don't want any cutoff trapped between the blade and the fence... and a dado does not result in a cutoff. I don't think there is anything wrong with cross-cutting a dado against the fence, but it is matter of stock dimensions and awkwardness in keeping the stock properly aligned.

So when cross-cut a dado in a long baord, I use a spacer block in front of the fence and a miter gauge.

[Sam Layton]

Ken, the way I read your question, you are asking if you can use both, the table saw fence and the miter fence at the same time. My answer would be to never use both fences at the same time. You can use the table saw fence with a short block attached for measurement, but when the wood engages in the blade the wood you are cutting has to be past the block on the table saw fence.

So you can not use a cross cut fence and a ripping fence at the same time.

Sam

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Sam,

I wasn't implying either.

I personally do as suggested by others.

If the material is wide enough, I use the fence.

If the material isn't wide enough, I use the miter.

I just wanted to get a concensus so I would not give the individual bad information.

[Kent A Bathurst]

........So you can not use a cross cut fence and a ripping fence at the same time.........

What about this specific case: When I got an Incra miter gauge, I cut the hardwood fence on my OEM miter gauge down to about 12". I'm wondering if it is safe to use this gauge + the TS fence for crosscutting or crosscut dados when the gauge fits between the blade and the fence?

It seems to me this is the same as when I use a sled with a stop block clamped on the sled's back fence - the target piece is trapped between the blade and the block, which is equivalent to the TS fence.

Thoughts?

[John Thompson]

On ripping dadoes with the grain.. I take off my removable short fence and use the entire fence for reference right.. a feather-board for reference left and a piece of stock clamped with Quik-clamps on the fence face to hold it down.

On cross-cutting dadoes I simply use the miter gauge with a stop block clamped to the rear of the fence to ensure correct postion of the cut so the stock clears it well before it reaches the blade. I won't do anything to trap one end of a cross-cut as it is an accident waiting to happen.

[michael case]

I have to agree with John. Don't do this. I've always been taught that along the grain its a groove and across the grain its a dado. If we are talking plywood well of course its all the same and you can do what you please. You can get away with it on solid wood, but your inviting disaster. If it jams you are in trouble. Not only can it throw the wood in your teeth it can also walk your hand right into the blade. For those who do this regularly, I'm honestly glad you've got away with it. But please rethink it.

[Sam Layton]

Kent,

When ever you cross cut using a miter guage, your wood can not touch the ripping fence as the blade is cutting. There is no problem placing a stop block on the fence, as long as your wood is past the block when it engages the blade.

I don't use a sled. But my thinking is, if you do use a sled and a stop block, it is true that your wood is trapped between the stop block and blade. However, the wood you are cutting is riding securely on your sled, and not sliding on your tablesaw. So it seems that if your wood is secured to the sled, and riding with your sled, it eliminates the chance for binding.

Sam