While making a new cabinet for my router table I needed to make some dados. I reluctantly took my poor quality dado blade out and made a cut. As usual it was poor; I usually make my dados with the router table but, it is all apart as you might expect.
I have used quickie jigs of this sort for hand routed dados but, decided to make one a little more permenant. Thought I'd share the build here:
The concept of the jig has different versions. For any version you want some flat stable lumber. I had an old maple table top that was part of my parents newlywed furniture 50-odd years ago. It had picked up some water damage while making it's travels from one of my dad's garages to the other over the years. I ended up with it and it has been waiting for a second life.
The jig requires two guide rails to control the width of the cut and two end rails to support the guide rails.
wood cuts.jpg
The general layout allows the guide rails to open and close for different widths of dados
general layout.jpg
Over to the drill press to drill some starter holes for the adjustment slots.
starter holes.jpg
On the narrow guide rail I also need a hole for the carrige bolt and a recess for the head of the bolt.
recess holes.jpg
As my router table is down I used the old standby to cut the slots.
slots.jpg
Here comes Part 2.