Dadoes

[Michael Coughlin]

Does anyone know, when you setup the dadoes, how do you know if you are cutting your dado in the right spot on the board?

[michael evans]

Hi Michael what's a dadowiz I am curious , here I use a set of homemade router jigs the router runs in a dedicated track so no mistakes as long as you set the right depth .

[Ken Darga]

Technical Support

If you are having any technical issues or have a question about your Dadowiz™ please contact us at 770-458-0870 from 8am - 5pm Eastern Standard Time - Monday through Friday and Saturday’s from 8am to 3pm.

BTW---They're located in GA.

[Ken Darga]

Mick,

At first it seems like a "wiz" that makes dado's.

Doing a search on google, this came up.

http://www.ptreeusa.com/PDF/dadowiz_instructions.pdf

michael evans said:

Hi Michael what's a dadowiz I am curious , here I use a set of homemade router jigs the router runs in a dedicated track so no mistakes as long as you set the right depth .

[michael evans]

Thanks Ken for the explanation on the dadowiz , you  seem to have lots of tool choices over their to do the same task .

[Ken Darga]

Mick,

Lots of people out there trying to make a better mouse trap.

I wouldn't leave home in a big hurry to go out and buy a "wiz".

My preferred method is to use a simple straight edge guide and/or a dado/rabbet routing jig.

One can make a simple adjustable dado/rabbeting jig, that will suffice.

I believe it's best when making wide dados, using a smaller dia bit and make two passes.

Accurately made shop-made jigs will do the job nicely, and are fun to make.

It'll give one a good practice exercise, in jig making.

michael evans said:

Thanks Ken for the explanation on the dadowiz , you  seem to have lots of tool choices over their to do the same task .

[Jay Boutwell]

In cutting dado's there are two good ways doing it.  The first is the dado blade used on a table saw or a radial arm saw.  The second is using a router and a flat bottom bit sized to fit the adjoining member, (plywood or solid wood panel)  and a straight edge.  Some build jigs of which a router is fitted between two rails spaced the distance between your router plate and on top of a third flat piece that is attached in position to the piece that you are cutting a dado in.  The router is then moved along the jig.  The depth of the cut is made simply by exposing the bit length beyond the base of the jig.  Usually it is best to make multiple passes cutting the depth in more that none pass before moving the jig. 

It should be noted that in many of the plywood that we are getting today, including the expensive brands, to use a sharp knife and scribe both sides of the dado cutting through the veneer surface to prevent chipping and tear out.  This should be done when using a dado blade on a saw as well.  Since the plywood of to day are not as good as the were in the past it is best to use care and take the extra steps to insure a clean chip free dado.

An advantage of using a router and bit to cut he dado is that since most of the plywood to day is of the metric version you can purchase the bit that is sized to fit the metric sized plywood.  A dado blade for a say can also be sized by the use of shims and is tedious work. 

As for answering your question about knowing if you are cutting a dado in the correct location.  I do it by using a framing square and a tape measure and lay out the out side lines of the dado.   The sed the saw or router to cut at the center of the layout lines.

As for this dadowiz it is another attempt at taking your dollars and is only good for one thing and I have no knowledge of how well it works but I will say that in the operation manual they spelled the word precision as "precsion " so that should tell you the story of what I really think.