Dados & Grooves - Table saw vs Router which is better?

[Enigma]

I am a beginner woodworker and setting up my garage. I see people talking about dados and joints, grooves etc to fit wood together with just glue and tight fitting interlocking joints. So far I have seen some guys do it with router bits and others with dado blades. I cant have everytool due to space and money limitations. What is the better way to do Dados and grooves?

 

[Dozerhand]

I've always done them on a table saw. Beware that not all wood, especially plywood, is going to be a uniform thickness. A 3/4 router bit will make a loose joint in modern plywood. I have what's called a "wobble dado" thats a pain to get set but you can make your joints as tight or as loose as you want.

 

[Empty Pockets]

I'm a big fan of the router method. If you have a steady hand and a quality set of matched bits, you should do fine in solid wood. Plywood, however is a different animal, as it is several layers of wood glued together

 

[R_einan]

Always used the table saw for mine. Takes a while to do with a single blade, but it can be done. Dado stacks work much better. Always make test pieces to make sure the joint is as tight as you want before your actual material. Scraps are your best friend.

 

[txvwnut]

Depends on how you can do the setup. They make dado bits for routers to do dados for plywood and dimensional lumber. I pretty much use my router to cut dados when doing a crosscut style of dado but use the tablesaw to dados on rip style cut.

Router size and horsepower will have a lot to with successful dado cuts. When I had older cheaper routers it was a little taxing doing dado cuts but now that I've stepped up in router quality and size it's not a bad experience. You just have to make sure you've got you straight edge exactly right or cutting another piece of wood.

 

[My Old Tools]

one or a thousand?

 

[rnscustom]

Dados are faster , but I always run a dado check bit for uniform depth . Also I run everything backwards and skin the face or veneer to prevent chipping . Best way is to shoulder / basically tongue and groove to cover chipping and have a tight joint but it's xtra steps . 1/2" dado and shoulder one or both sides on the 3/4 shelf or bottom . Careful on going backwards it grabs . I hold it off the table so it's only cutting 1/32 deep . I'm use to it but might be a little dangerous for a beginner . You might want to lower the blade for first cut instead of holding it above

 

[gnpenning]

Each has there place. While both have advantages if could only do it one way I'd go with the table saw. You will need a good table saw anyway. If you were close I'd give you a extra wobble dado. I like to use shims with my stack dado to get a tight fit. Keep a scrap and everytime you get your final set up make a cut and record what you used. Next time you can check the fit with your story board and know how to set it up as needed.

You can use a extension wing on your table saw for a router table. Save you some space.

Routers show up on CL cheap regular. Just make sure you buy a good one that you can get accessories for. Most homeowners don't use them much.

Have fun. Don't over look quality dust collection

 

[Git]

I hate to say it, but a lot is going to depend on what type of material you plan on working with and what you're going to be building

Are we talking about cabinets with shelves, built-ins, etc that require sheet goods or shelves out of 2 x 4's, furniture out of solid hardwoods or what?

More and more people are using 'track saws' and once you buy into the system - you can buy an adapter for your router

Is it easier/more accurate to move a router over a sheet of plywood or to try to push the sheet of ply over a table saw?

Personally, I make most of my dados with a router. I own a decent dado stack for my table saw, but the router will cut a cleaner bottom, hands down. I have a Festool track saw (I would suggest you look at Makita) with one of my routers dedicated (permanently mounted) in the router adapter. I know the center of the router bit is exactly 1" offset from the edge of the track. Makes it real easy to set up and cut.

Dozerhand - you are using the wrong router bit if you're getting loose joints with 3/4" ply. The problem is - ply isn't 3/4". They make undersized bits specifically for this purpose. A 3/4" ply bit is actually 23/32's (instead of 24/32's) and I usually get a great fit

I really like Whiteside bits - this one is for 1/4" shank, they also make them in 1/2":
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000K2C68W/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[jimreed2160]

one or a thousand?

Great question. I use handplanes for dados and grooves and rabbets.

 

[gungatim]

I usually use the tablesaw. easier and faster. pro's are the dado sets allow fine adjustment of the width of the dado to fit the size of the wood. cons are the fact that the bottom of the dado is rarely perfectly flat.

wobble dado's do a worse job but are easier to adjust and setup. I have a craftsman double wobble I use as well as a nice Freud set when I need a flatter bottom.

router works, but for long boards, you really want a large table mounted setup rather than trying to use a fence freehand. you also may have to make multiple passes. pro's are a nice clean flat dado. cons are most bits aren't a perfect match for plywood or any wood for that matter, once wood is planed, sanded, or some odd metric plywood that they never actually measure out to the exact thickness...

the thing about woodworking is there are a dozen ways to do everything, so it's more up to the woodworker to decide his preference as well as what tools you have or are willing to purchase. space and money are usually the deciding factors...

 

[mattygee]

If you can only pick one then router would be the way to go.. But assuming you will have a table saw anyway I suspect you'll wind up using both methods over time. Each has their application, but usually more to do with convenience and speed.

 

[dutchgray]

Router, but only as you cant buy dado blades here and table saws don't come with long enough arbours for them anyway, health and safety regulations killed them off years ago.

 

[Enigma]

thank you everybody for all the input!

 

[rnscustom]

Using dados if you shoulder the piece going into the dado it's a lot more accurate . Lengths are determined by the shoulder and dado depth can be off a little . Same for width of dado if it's not perfect it won't show . I'm a joinery guy also but today with the glues out there most people **** and screw using setup blocks , today it's a disposable world , can't tell you how many times I built cabinets and they change their mind . Throw it out and start over . If your making nice furniture to last a lifetime , joinery . If your making a kitchen that someone is going to get sick of in 12years , glue and screw ( if only I could get myself to do this ) . Years ago furniture was done with joinery because the glues weren't that great . It's funny how people are so fussy with stuff these days . I did a repair on a antique that was probably worth $100,000.00 and in looking it over the piece of crown on the side was 3 pieces butted togather , each about 4" long ( with everything made by hand you didn't waste anything or you had to start from scratch )

 

[Crazyjake8493]

I do as much as I can on the table saw, but for dados on long boards I'll get the router and the adjustable jig I copied from the Woodsmith shop.

http://www.woodsmithshop.com/media/pdf/204/adjustabledadojig.pdf