Dados - Router or TS?

[Rob Strause]

Hi Folks,

I noticed that Norm almost always cuts rabbits and dados with his TS and Dave Marks with his router table.

I was just curious about pros and cons of each method. Is it just a personal thing?

Thanks,
Rob

[Robert Mayer]

subscribing, i was curious of this myself...

[Donnie Raines]

I feel it is a persoanl thing....I do it both ways. Certain application require one or the other(be it plywood or something larger). The dado stack is more flexable in terms of dialing in on a certain thickness thats needed...while router bits are fixed sizes and would require an extra pass of the bit is to small for the needed cut. A router can be much easier to cut stop dados then useing the table saw.

Just depends....

[Dave Bartley]

For myself, I do them both ways. If I am only doing just a few dado's I will go to the router or the router table. When I have several with different spacing, I will use the tablesaw.

Some people like the router better because the bottom is always cleaner than with the dodo set up.

[Betsy Yocum]

Rob - I think it's mostly a personal preference.

I think it's easier and quicker to set up the router to do a dado or rabbit. I also think it's safer in that you can always see where the router and it's bit is located along the cut whereas the table saw blade is buried under the workpiece. If there is any problem along the cut, binding, etc., it's less likely to be a safety problem with the router then the table saw.

That's just my opinion, I'm sure you'll get lots of others as I really do think it's just a personal preference and what you are used to doing.

Betsy

[Ted Shrader]

Rob -

I think it depends on the situation and where the required cut is in relation to the rest of the board. Sometimes, table saw, sometimes router with guide, sometimes router table. Other factors like set up time; i.e. putting dado blade on TS and whether or not the TS will be needed for another cut during the processof cutting all the dados/rabbets.

If forced to put numbers, the divisions for me are: <table border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="6"><tr><td>Dado</td> <td>TS 55%</td> <td>router w/ guide 40%</td><td> router table 5%</td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Rabbet</td><td> router bit w/ guide bearing 70%</td><td> router table 20%</td><td>TS w/ plain blade and two cuts 8%</td><td> dado blade 2%</td></tr></table>
Once again, refer to the "three" rule. There are at least three different ways to do evey task in woodworking.

Regards,
Ted

[Steve Clardy]

Depends. If I have one or two to do, it's quicker with a guide bar and router.
If I have multiple dados to do on plywood on several pieces, I use the table saw. But if I have some of that warpy plywood, I use the router, as it's a pita to try to hold down the ply flat and keep an even depth of cut.

[Dennis McDonaugh]

It depends on several factors. I prefer to use the router, but I'll use the table saw when:

The dados (or grooves) go all the way from one end of the piece to the other (not stopped) and I need to make enough dados that its worth taking the blade guard off the saw, removing the blade, installing the dado cutter, testing the setup, making the cut, removing the dado cutter, reinstalling the blade and finally reinstalling the blade guard.

Or, when I need to make a dado in the middle of a board and I don't have enough capacity on the router table. I don't like to cut dados in the middle of a board freehand with a fence, especially if I have to make several passes to achieve sufficient depth. It seems like I always end up with a little wave in the dado somewhere.

Also, my router bits are alwasy the correct size even for undersized plywood. I have to adjust the dado cutter for each different sized dado.

[James Giordano]

I usually use my TS with just a single blade. Chipping away. unless they are stopped.:)

[Greg Mann]

Personally I like the quality of the router dadoes. Taking the second pass for exact size with a router is probably every bit as fast as finessing the dado stack, unless you are very organized about keeping track of shim combinations so that you can use prior experience to get the right width right out of the gate. If you use a guided router, as in E or F, dadoes in the middle of a big sheet are much easier to control. You can see your work, stop and re-position yourself body if needed. You need a lot of table surface for those kinds of dadoes on a TS. But if you have a lot of dadoes in relatively easy work to control, then a TS is faster.Greg

[Gredo Goldenstein]

I had to make this decision today. Dadoes and Rabbets to cut, Table Saw vs Router Table. I based my decision on the size of the piece I was cutting. I chose the router table. It was small enough to easily make the cuts on my CMT Industrio table. I was cutting 3/4" particle board, which is truly 3/4". I have a 3/4" straight bit to use and works wonderfully.

[Rob Strause]

Thanks for the replies guys. Good info and Ted even took the time to enter a table. Very kind of you.

Thanks as always.

Rob

[Karl Laustrup]

Stopped dadoes router or router table. Through dadoes I've used a TS, but find a radial arm quicker albeit a little more messy.

[Mark Singer]

Rabitts I usually cut with the TS ...2 cuts at 90degrees to each other. That gives you a small piece of trim...for stop or whatever. Dados it is a toss up...either you change the blade or the bit. The tablesaw has a bigger table for support and you can do it in one pass...it take several on the router table,

[Ken Salisbury]

Dados : 90% Router w/guide ------ 10% TS
Rabbets: 90% Router Table w/bit (guide bearing) ------ 10% TS

[Kurt Aebi]

Almost exclusively ~99% of the time, Dadoes are done on the atable Saw.

Rabbets, are about 50% Table Saw, 25% Router Table, 25% hand held router with guide.

[Keith Christopher]

Like others I make stopped Dados with the RT and most others with my TS
Rabbets, router almost exclusively.

[Steve Beadle]

I also take into consideration the sawdust factor. If I can make the cut safely and efficiently on my router table, that's my preference--because I also have much better dust collection when using the router table.

[Jim Stastny]

I'm a tightwad. :rolleyes: I figure why spend the money on a dado blade when I can do it with the router and get great results.

[Tom LaRussa]

Hi Folks,

I noticed that Norm almost always cuts rabbits and dados with his TS and Dave Marks with his router table.

I was just curious about pros and cons of each method. Is it just a personal thing?

Thanks,
Rob
I use the router because I've never heard of anybody cutting a hand off with a router. Plus it gives a cleaner cut.