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Thread: Dados in hundreds of parts

  1. #1

    Dados in hundreds of parts

    I am manufacturing a product for my wife's quilt shop business. The base of which is 1/2" baltic birch that is 3" wide by either 12" or 20" long with a dado that is 1 5/16" wide by 1/4" deep dado. I've been cutting these on my table saw with a stacked dado but after doing over 1000 and many more to come, I'm open to your ideas on machinery that would make this repetative process easier and faster. Or am I left with pushing it through the table saw? Any ideas will be appreciated. Thanks a bunch.

  2. #2
    Probably some sort of CNC machine or hired help. If I was doing this (and perhaps you already do this) I would gang dado everything and optimize it on full sheets or broken down sheets anyway. Run one long dado on a ripped to length board and then rip it to width. I feel like this would be a bit faster than the opposite as I tend to run dados slower than blades. YMMV

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Sep 2016
    Location
    Modesto, CA, USA
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    9,889
    radial arm saw.
    Bill D

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jul 2016
    Location
    Lebanon, TN
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    1,719
    You could do that on a ShowFox W1812 Moulder ($1500) plus a set of blades the width of your Dado ($120).

    Where do you live? I'll rent you mine....

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    Lewiston, Idaho
    Posts
    28,504
    Let's say you'd take a piece 25" wide. Using a radial arm saw make the necessary dados and then rip to 8 pieces width.

    I have been doing dados with a stacked dado head on my tablesaw. I just bought a RAS from a friend so I can do dados on it.
    Ken

    So much to learn, so little time.....

  6. #6
    Thanks Mike. Good idea.

  7. #7
    Thanks for the offer Chris. I live in Portland, OR.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Location
    Peoria, IL
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    4,445
    Are you running 8' long rips then cutting them to length? Why aren't you using a power feeder? A CNC shop would love to quote that part for you. That's the kind of quantity they like and may be way cheaper than investing in new machinery! Well that, or buy your own CNC router.

  9. #9
    Thanks Richard. I'll look into that.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
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    SE PA - Central Bucks County
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    65,688
    I'd run that on my CNC, but as was noted, if you can do the dado/groove in the material before cutting the individual pieces, that's more efficient. Think through the steps and optimize your material handling and cutting.
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
    Location
    Toronto Ontario
    Posts
    11,248
    Stock feeder on a shaper or table saw.............Rod.

  12. #12
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Location
    Alberta
    Posts
    2,162
    My vote is almost the same as Rod..1.Mill dado with shaper and power feeder. 2. Cut to length with a t.s. What kind of t.s. do you have ? You need either a crosscut box,sliding table,or a slider. Probably in that order, think good,better,best. As others have stated it would be most efficient to mill the dado in the strips and then cut to length. Sounds like both lengths of your product have the same dado size and placement.

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Location
    Dawson Creek, BC
    Posts
    1,033
    I would take a step back and consider if there is a different joiner instead of a dado. I made a ton of half dado lattice using a dado head, so I know your pain. If not, lots of good suggestions.

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    Upland CA
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    5,548
    How about doing it the other way around? Cut your pieces on the TS, and get another cheap TS off CL to do the dado's with. You could set it up with a semi permanent featherboard setup, and feed one after the other.

    Even better, Jessems stock guides would be perfect for this. I used them for cutting slots for cabinet drawer bottoms. Just shoved one after the other. They were held down and against the fence automatically.
    Rick Potter

    DIY journeyman,
    FWW wannabe.
    AKA Village Idiot.

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
    Location
    Bellingham, WA
    Posts
    1,933
    Is the dado across the width or length?

    If lengthwise, then I'm with Rod and Mike: run them through the shaper with a power feeder.
    JR

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