messed up dado

[Mike Steinhilper]

I was cutting some quarter inch wide dados into a panel a couple of days ago. My crappy saw fence slipped and one of my dados ended up one-half inch wide. My question is this: can I either a) glue in a quarter inch piece of wood to reduce the dado's width or, b) glue a piece of wood into the dado entirely, and re-cut it? It's way too complicated as to why I cannot just start over with a new panel. I hate improvising, but this is not a fine piece of furniture, so I guess I will do it.

[David Duke]

I'd resize the dado to a uniform width, glue in a filler then re-cut the dado the correct width.

[Lee Schierer]

You didn't say what type of wood the dado was in or which way the grain is runing relative to the dado. If it is plywood, then either method should work. If the dado is in solid wood and running with the grain then either plan should work. If it is solid wood and across the grain and not very wide then either method should work. If it is solid wood, across the grain and more than 6" or so wide I would not recommend plan "a". I would cut a filler with the grain running the same direction as the piece you are repairing with as close a grain match as you can manage and glue that in place and recut the dado.

I would also recommend investing in a better fence. Slipping fences are not only aggravating but they are potentially dangerous

[Mike Steinhilper]

Thanks, and yes, Lee, that was the straw that broke the camels back for my saw. I got a new one the day after it happened. I'm still assembling it :) To elaborate... it is in plywood and it will not be visible.

[Dan Forman]

Mike---Life is improvising. Maybe the frustration was worth it, at least you have a new saw!

Dan