Rabbet Question

[Eric Ackerman]

I've wondered about this for a while and thought maybe I'd get some feedback. I've always seen instructions and shows install a sacraficial fence and cut the rabbet up againt the fence. I have always done it opposite (ie a 1/2 inch rabbet cut into a 24 inch panel, I'd set the fence to 23 1/2" and cut on the side opposite the fence). I've never had an issue. Is there something inherently dangerous or inaccurate about the way I do it or have I just been lucky?

Any insight is appreciated..

[pat warner]

Yes. In the event of a misfeed the work has no where to go but jam into the cutter.
Screw up once, avoid or pay for an ER visit, and you will not do it again.

[Eric Ackerman]

Pat

THANK you

Holy Crap, when I read your reply it became clear ( I think) .... WOW I'm an idiot ( a lucky idiot)

Just to make sure I get your point, if you do it with a sac fence and it misfeeds, the wood kicks out and to the left harmlessly, a misfeed my way flips it back onto me....

THank you very much....

Scary that I didn't see this.....

[Sam Murdoch]

You really can't position any safety fingers (or power feeder) out at that width. When working against the fence the fingers can be placed over the blade and/or pushing your work tight to the fence. Much more consistent results while working more safely.

[pat warner]

" kicks out and to the left harmlessly,....)
**************************
You got it. And you have an angel looking over you, lucky you.

[Jeff Duncan]

In addition to the safety aspect previously covered there's also the issue of accuracy. Feeding into a fence you can never remove more material than you set the fence for. Feeding with the cutter opposite the fence any slight deviation in your feeding will cause excess stock to be removed, which is of course....undesirable;)

good luck,
Jeffd

[Marty Gulseth]

Uhhhh.... I'm confused. But I want to learn from this. Anyone got pics? (or a link to pics) to clarify? Thank you!

[Sam Murdoch]

Marty, the essential point of this thread is that if you are using a dado head in your table saw to dado (slot) a piece of plywood or lumber it is always safest to be working as close to the fence as possible. If you set up to put a 1/2" (for example) slot on the very outside edge of a piece of plywood 23" wide you don't want to set your TS fence at 22-1/2" you want to set your fence at 1/2". This allows you complete control over the cut as you can use safety hold downs and keep constant pressure to the fence at 1/2", but at 22-1/2" away from the blade you have all the potential of twisting your plywood sheet - even just a bit - which at the least makes your dado crooked and at the worst will cause the nearly 2' piece of plywood to catch and be thrown back at you.

In the case of cutting a 1/2" ( or whatever size) dado off the edge of your work piece you will need to add a wood fence to the table saw fence so that the dado blade scratches the wood fence and not the metal fence as you saw right to the edge of your work piece. I've tried to Google some images of this set up but without any luck. Perhaps someone else can give you a better visual or written description. However if you try this set up it will be instantly obvious what is being described.

[Marty Gulseth]

Thanks much, Sam (et al). Turns out, I have done exactly as you describe, but in this context, I simply failed to "connect the dots."
Regards,
Marty