How to cut large dados with Festool 1010 ?

Intex

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Aug 16, 2016
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I have to cut 14 - 4” wide x 1/2” deep dados along 3 pieces of of poplar that is about 1.5” to 3” wide
I was planning on using a piece of poplar 6-7” wide , cutting the dados then ripping the piece into the three separate pieces

Would using the 1010 router with a simple jig to cut out each 4”  dado (over 16 passes each) be the best way to tackle this??  The pieces are 7’ long so using a table saw or router table is probably not going to work

Thanks!!
 
Why would a table saw or router table not work? Just make supports on both sides, works a lot easier than a jig with the OF1010.

But if you absolutely want to, a jig with the OF1010 will also work. Pretty basic stuff, dados.
 
Imaking some assumptions here.

1) You have a MFT w a Guide rail.

2) You have clamping elements for the MFT

3) You could use a vac clamp so you dont have one either

4) you dont have a table saw or a dado blade for it.

I would use my 1010 on a guide rail. buy the biggest plunge straight bit I could find ( prolly 1" dia). Then incrementally route in the grooves ( over lap the grooves mayby a 1/4" ) in multiple passes and use a sander to clean up when yer done.

Do you have a dado blade for you table saw?

It will take a while
 
Ditto Jobsworth.
“I would use my 1010 on a guide rail. buy the biggest plunge straight bit I could find (prolly 1" dia). Then incrementally route in the grooves (over lap the grooves mayby a 1/4" ) in multiple passes and use a sander to clean up when yer done.”

This method will provide accuracy and repeatability.
Ripping the piece into three separate pieces afterwards -
Will definitely increase your probability of the dados matching exactly.
Fortunately, poplar is soft wood - Easily routed.
 
Another way of doing this (depending on where the dado needs to go relative to the edge of the workpiece) could be to use the horizontal edge guide if you don’t have a 7’ guide rail that can run the entire length of the piece. Just be careful and take shallow cuts if you use this method, since the torque of a large router bit can easily jerk the router out of control and away from the edge if it seizes while cutting. (This is a danger when using the rail as well, but it does provide significant additional stability.)
 
Svar posted the question before I got to it  [unsure]

More information would be helpful. What are you trying to do? Dados across the width of the piece? How thick is the material? What equipment do you have access to?

Ron
 
Hi [member=62093]Intex[/member]

If you have either an MFT3 or a tracksaw cutting station then you can set up for dados using your tracksaw at the right depth and doing repeat cuts at (say) 1/2" intervals. Rough out with a chisel and then finish with your router if you need a uniform fine finish.

Peter
 
If the bottom of the dado doesn't need to be super pretty just trench it with your miter saw.  I've done this many times with similar sizing. 

Just place a sacrificial board against the fence to get the workpiece far enough out to get full depth.  Minimal setup.

 
I have the following:

Festool 1010
Festoon MfT
Ts55
Festoon Kapex 60
Makita handheld cordless trim router

The 3 boards are used to hold bed slats (which I’ll make as well). There is a left/ right and center board to hold the slats at a 90 degree angle to keep them from shifting position

I didn’t think of using the miter saw since I thought it would not make a smooth bottom surface. I was thinking maybe the handheld makers with a jig would work as well?

Easiest way is to cut little blocks and just glue them at 4” intervals to make pseudo dados but decided this would be the lazy mans weigh and I’m trying to make a solid walnut bed to hand down thru generations if there is such a thing
 
Btw I didn’t know you could get a 1” diameter router bit with a 1/4” shank
Someone told me to use an up it spiral bit for the dados

I do also mage a Keegan router table with Triton 1/2” router mounted and Jessem Master lift
 
Intex said:
I have the following:

Festool 1010
Festoon MfT
Ts55
Festoon Kapex 60
Makita handheld cordless trim router

The 3 boards are used to hold bed slats (which I’ll make as well). There is a left/ right and center board to hold the slats at a 90 degree angle to keep them from shifting position

I didn’t think of using the miter saw since I thought it would not make a smooth bottom surface. I was thinking maybe the handheld makers with a jig would work as well?

Easiest way is to cut little blocks and just glue them at 4” intervals to make pseudo dados but decided this would be the lazy mans weigh and I’m trying to make a solid walnut bed to hand down thru generations if there is such a thing

If it's a lap joint then the bottom doesn't much matter does it?  Just so long as the boards are flush.  If it's an X lap joint then nothing will show.  Plus, you'd be surprised just how smooth it can be.  Once you have the main body of cut done you can slide the workpiece back and forth with the blade fully down and smooth it nicely.  I have a Kapex too and it really shines at this job.  I've done it many times with good results.

Plus the router won't be perfect on that kind of cut either.  I've also done it on my MFT with my 1400 riding on the guide.  It's smoother than the miter saw but you can still see the passes. 

I'm just looking at the easiest setup that will do the job adequately and the miter saw is the easiest by far.  But using the router is fun too.
 
This jig and any router, adjust the width to fit the router base plus four inches. 

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Ron Polk recently did a YT video on router templates. He makes a crude opening then sets that on top of the soon to be router template using a bushing guide. Then from the finished template he uses a bushing guide for the final pieces. I’m not explains it well. You should watch the video. Poplar is a very soft wood so not knowing what your actually doing it should be easily accomplished with the above(s) jig and methods.
 
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