Stopped dadoes

[Joe Unni]

Hey all,

I've been tasked with quoting a wall mounted, backless cd rack of the customers design. It will have three verticals of 5" wide with the 4" shelves being let into (my idea) the verticals. With that I'll need to create some 36 stopped dadoes. Is there an efficient way to create these so that they all will line up correctly?

An alternative would be to use biscuits and spacers.

Any and all info and insight is most welcome.

Thanks,
-joe

[Yves Pinet]

I had a similar problem with a CD rack I built for my nephew. I built two different version, one with dowels to set the shelves and the second with biscuits. The biscuits were by far the faster way to go, but the dowels are stronger. To place the dowels at the correct spacing, I used a jig and a plunge router for the vertical pieces, and then used the same jig, but modified of course for the end of the shelves and used a hand held drill. My shelves were 3 ft long, and the vertical pieces were 7 ft. The dowels were cut to only about one inch, which is sufficient for this purpose.

The biscuit method, as I stated is by far easier, and provides sufficient strength for this purpose. I used two biscuits per shelf.

As for stopped dadoes, you could use a hand held router and make a jig as a spacer, routing out every second dadoe to get enough space for the router.

[Mike Cutler]

Hey all,

I've been tasked with quoting a wall mounted, backless cd rack of the customers design. It will have three verticals of 5" wide with the 4" shelves being let into (my idea) the verticals. With that I'll need to create some 36 stopped dadoes. Is there an efficient way to create these so that they all will line up correctly?

An alternative would be to use biscuits and spacers.

Any and all info and insight is most welcome.

Thanks,
-joe

Yes
If I'm understanding this correctly, the verticals need to have matched dado's,and the back will be solid?

If the verticals are to be 5" wide. Start with a board >10" wide. Cut all the dados on the >10" board, then rip the board in half. All of the dados have to be aligned as long as the dados are 90 degrees to the edge.

[Paul Girouard]

Hey all,

I've been tasked with quoting a wall mounted, backless cd rack of the customers design. It will have three verticals of 5" wide with the 4" shelves being let into (my idea) the verticals. With that I'll need to create some 36 stopped dadoes. Is there an efficient way to create these so that they all will line up correctly?

An alternative would be to use biscuits and spacers.

Any and all info and insight is most welcome.

Thanks,
-joe

This will be complicated to write down , easier to do in the shop.

If a square ended stop dado is what you need, meaning you will not be radiusing the leading edge of the shelves themselves before you install them. What I think I'd do is

#1: Get 3 pieces of stock that where 1x8's

#2: Joint for straightness.

#3: Cut to length.

#4: Rip off a 1" wide piece and label and save them, you'll glue these back on after you dado the boards.

#5: You'll need a cut off box that you can attach a indexing pin on.

a) Cut all you dado's using the indexing pin / guide.

b) Re glue the right and grain matching pieces back on.

c) Sand / detail / stain (if applicable ) assemble.

Of course make sure you dado width matches your shelf thickness.


There's another way but it would be to hard to write down the how to.

Bisquits would be faster , maybe. But not as strong and your strength will be coming from these dado's and the glue joints if as you stated there is on back.

It may be a very weak unit , how wide and tall is it? And why no back ? Even a 1/4 " thick one would provide for a lot of stability.

[Paul Girouard]

So Joe what didya do???

[Jesse Cloud]

BEst way to ensure alignment is to cut them at the same time. Clamp the boards together, place a straight board as a guide for the router and have at it.

If the client would go for a face frame, you don't have to stop the dadoes, which makes it even easier...

[Jim Becker]

Make a jig that provides a positive stop for your router. It's just a matter of measuring carefully. I tend to do that with the cutter in the tool so I have an exact reference for the edge of said cutter when figuring the position for the stop. The stop contacts the base of the router when you reach the correct point and doesn't allow you to move it further.

[George Bregar]

Make a jig that provides a positive stop for your router. It's just a matter of measuring carefully. I tend to do that with the cutter in the tool so I have an exact reference for the edge of said cutter when figuring the position for the stop. The stop contacts the base of the router when you reach the correct point and doesn't allow you to move it further. I would also use a jig, but with a collet. I will be difficult to use the base on a stopped dado across a 5" board.

[Jim Becker]

I would also use a jig, but with a collet. I will be difficult to use the base on a stopped dado across a 5" board.

Depends on how you build the jig. ;) But as you illustrate, there are many ways to tame this animal!

[Joe Unni]

Thanks so much for everyones input.

After more thought, I think I might just use butt joints with glue and screws. I'm pretty sure that with so many joints and setup for each, it would put the price over the top for the client. Also, I will probably suggest breaking this up into two units that will be joined at the jobsite and then installed together. The seam between the two center verticals will be covered with some type of custom molding.

I'll keep you all posted as this project progresses.

Thanks again,
-joe

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

Why try~?

Whether you are dado blade cutting or routering 'em Leave a little room between the end of the dado and the lumber that's going in 'em so you can set 'em where you want 'em when the glue drys. You can nail 'em from underneath with a small pin nail and then pull it later to be certain of position. .