# Dado cuts without using table saw



## Bkwoodsbees (Feb 8, 2014)

You can use tablesaw with regular single blade. You have to make 2 cuts.


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## paul24 (Oct 14, 2013)

Bkwoodsbees said:


> You can use tablesaw with regular single blade. You have to make 2 cuts.


what is the specific blade that I should us to make the cut?

thanks for the reply.


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## Bkwoodsbees (Feb 8, 2014)

I use a 10 in 40 tooth carbide blade on my 10 in saw.


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## sakhoney (Apr 3, 2016)

Back in the day when I built my own boxes I stacked 7/8 blades with spacers in between the blades that measured out to the cut needed. On a craftsman table saw there is enough arbor to do this and get a full nut on the arbor. I used washers and shim material to get spacing right and I used to cut out 1000s of boxes per winter. I used carbide 7 1/4 blades with a 10 inch saw


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## Barhopper (Mar 5, 2015)

Yes a router can be used. I use a router table with a 3/4" router bit.


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## kaizen (Mar 20, 2015)

There are plenty of videos on youtube showing how to make a jig for a router table


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## Fivej (Apr 4, 2016)

You can also just make a series of parallel cuts at the proper depth with a skillsaw and then remove the wood with a chisel.


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## Daniel Y (Sep 12, 2011)

Stacking regular blades is a very bad idea. making more than one cut with a single regular blade will work just takes longer. And yes you can do it with a router as well.http://www.routerworkshop.com/boxjoints.html


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## Zombee (Mar 20, 2016)

As previously mentioned a router will work fine. I have a router table but a piece of board clamped on as a guide will work. If I already have a 3/4 inch bit in my router I will sometimes use that instead of a dado blade. That way I can use the saw for cuts and the router table for the dado. For a narrow groove, say on an inner cover, I just make two passes on the table saw.


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## sakhoney (Apr 3, 2016)

why is stacking blades a bad idea? - I built a saw that cut all the slots at 1 time/pass and all I used was stacked blades. And used it for years. Not being smarta$$ - maybe what I was doing was a bad idea but it worked


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## paul24 (Oct 14, 2013)

Thank you so much for the tips guys!
How about using hand held router, fixed based?


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## RichardsonTX (Jul 3, 2011)

Paul, I think you might be actually referring to a dada joint but actually mean a rabbet joint. Like Bkwoodsbees said, you just make two different cuts to remove the material. I actually prefer that method for rabbet joints when I am building my boxes versus the stacked blade. 

To make a dado with a table saw, if it's wider than the blade then you have to make multiple passes when using a single blade only. For example, if you are using a 1/8" wide blade then make three passes for a 3/8" wide dado. But, it does require that you move the fence over each time or use a spacer. 

Sometimes, if the cuts are partial, a router is best to use. 

I use a table saw, radial arm saw, router, drill, two different staple guns, and a compressor when making my hives. A person could get away with just a table saw though if they wanted to.


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## howlin (May 15, 2016)

I think a rabbet works just fine, if you have concerns, use screws instead of nails and predrill add countersink if available. out of the many many videoed I watched of people putting boxes together, about 90% did not use enough glue for a box joint anyways, my reasoning behind this is that as far as my understanding goes, a box joint is used to increase surface area for glue. so, all those who used none, or just a dab here and there, have not constructed them properly and could've just used a butt and fastened with screws. as long as you only pick it up by the sides that the frames hang on. 
h.


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## psfred (Jul 16, 2011)

Before the advent of waterproof glues, box joints and nails were the main way to make strong boxes with no glue at all. Tight fit and good paint and they last forever. Rabbet and butt joints will work, but are nowhere near a strong.

A router will work fine, but using a hand-held one with a fixed base is going to be a pain. I believe box joint jigs (similar to dovetail joint jigs) are available to use a bit with a pilot bearing. Other than the hassle, they will make fine joints.

I prefer a table saw for a number of reasons, but if you can't find one that suits, a router will do the job.

Be prepared to spend a lot of time if you get greedy and expand your apiary, though! I've spent a great deal of my winter this year making boxes and frames, and I'm still short of inner and outer covers.

Peter


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## Daniel Y (Sep 12, 2011)

sakhoney said:


> why is stacking blades a bad idea? - I built a saw that cut all the slots at 1 time/pass and all I used was stacked blades. And used it for years. Not being smarta$$ - maybe what I was doing was a bad idea but it worked


In a nut shell individual blades are not designed or engineered for it. and saws are not designed to take the weight of that many blades. look at a Dado stack set. notice the chippers? only one or two at a time are actually cutting reducing stress on your saw and the blade. not so with stacked regular blades. Notice also that most of the body of the chippers is not there. this is intentional to reduce overall weight of the blade. Then you can get into issues of balance but even I agree that is getting a bit nit picky. I have had the carbide tips of regular saw blades come off. this is caused by the heat generated in the cut while using regular single blades in a stack. So I also suspect that two teeth per chipper is also addressing that issue as well. you can make saw blades so hot it melts the braze holding the carbide tips on. many cuts by blades side by side absorbs and builds up excess heat. That is at least my understanding. Also this happened when making large dados in very thick cuts such as stacking 6 or 8 sides together and cutting them all at once. So heat becomes more of an issue. I tend to find ways to make a lot of saw blades smoke. like trying to cut up 500 lb chunks of wood. I say that because what you are trying to cut and how stressful that is on the equipment also plays a part. for dados in 3/4 pine. you can probably get away with a lot of things. But then again, maybe not, and it only takes once.


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## sakhoney (Apr 3, 2016)

well while I value your option I have cut over 10000 boxes like this and never had any issues as you describe. All on an old craftsman 10" table saw until I custom built my gang saw. As far as the weight of all these blades stacked - I thank that helps in making the cut - when there up to speed they buzz right through the 3/4 lumber - even in hard knot pine. Guess not having an engineering degree helped me in this (but I'm paying for one - sons in Texas A&M) Anyway again thanks for the response - That's why I ask the question as I am again starting to manufacture boxes. Also if this was an issue with the saw I thank I should see some form of bearing problem - I am not, and the old saw is over 20 years old. (bought new) Balance problems - I thank the shaft or bearings would show me that - and have not. Heat - guess I'm running boards through this to slow as when I cut off the saw there warm to the touch but I can hold my hand on them and not get burnt. Not even hot enough to hurt. Never have seen any form of smoke while using in this fashion but I was only cutting single boards - not stacks.


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## JConnolly (Feb 21, 2015)

I cut my box joints with a router and a box joint jig.

Even though I have a table saw and a couple of high quality dado blades, I find it easier to make them with the router and jig.


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## JConnolly (Feb 21, 2015)

sakhoney said:


> why is stacking blades a bad idea?


That many saw blades will cost you more than a dado set will.


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## sakhoney (Apr 3, 2016)

wrong - I bought a box of 7 1/4 carbide tip blades for 2.50 each - I know dado sets run more - also if memory serves me right - I used 8 blades - so I have sharp replacements - when your dado dulls - you have to resharpen - bad thing is I have cut over 10000 boxes with the same blade set. I mean all the cuts on these boxes


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## crabbydad (Apr 29, 2012)

i made a jig to cut box joints with a handheld router.I use a 1/2" router bit with a 1/2" bearing on top, i follow the pattern of my jig, it works very well and much faster than a dado on a table saw. I have now added a cam lock to tighten the board. I removed this from my cheap dovetail jig like the one they sell at harbor freight


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## howlin (May 15, 2016)

before waterproof glue ..... 
https://www.google.ca/search?q=usin...&oe=utf-8&gws_rd=cr&ei=dRJFV9XxNoWU-wHMl7LgAg

but if you make a router table for your handheld, be sure make a dovetail jig as well 

other than that, 2 passes with one blade for rabbet.


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## CrazyTalk (Jan 27, 2015)

sakhoney said:


> wrong - I bought a box of 7 1/4 carbide tip blades for 2.50 each - I know dado sets run more - also if memory serves me right - I used 8 blades - so I have sharp replacements - when your dado dulls - you have to resharpen - bad thing is I have cut over 10000 boxes with the same blade set. I mean all the cuts on these boxes


You can get dado sets that will run about the same cost, and be significantly less dangerous than what you're doing. The fact that you haven't harmed yourself yet doesn't mean that what you're doing is safe.

My 8" dado set was about $25 online.


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## Daniel Y (Sep 12, 2011)

So your two and a half dollar blades are what you are going to use in a way they are not intended for? good choice. Sure you may get away with it. I am cot as concerned with what you get away with as all of those reading this and won't. Finally, Your cheap blades are at best 1/8 inch kerf. if you are lucky. most likely not even that and not accurately that. Part of what you get with a dado set is 1/8 inch when it says 1/8 inch. you also can get 1/16 or 1/32. not that a beekeeper needs that sort of accuracy. Now you can easily get a 3/4 inch Dado with those cheap blades. or reasonably close to it. but then you need to make sure your lumber is actually 3/4. since lumber can vary the quality or fit of your joints will also vary. I actually use the lumber I am using to set the width of my Dados. This is due to the general quality of lumber now days. the thickness varies.


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## flyin-lowe (May 15, 2014)

I have a cheap table saw, a cheap router table, and a radial arm saw. I just bought the router table because I was sick of changing the blades on my table saw. My little table saw only holds a 1/2 inch dado stack so I was having to make a lot of the cuts twice to get to 3/4 inch. Now I cut all my lengths on the radial arm saw. Then rip the heights on the table saw and then got to the router table to cut the box joints and the frame rest. My router table does a great job on those cuts.


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