OF 1400 guide rail attachment to make dadoes

[snichols]

I'm about to make a series of three dado cuts on a chest of drawers to hold the web frames. I'd like to use my OF 1400 with the guide rail attachment. I plan to lay the two sides out "bookmatch" style so I can keep the locations identical to the two sides. Any tips on how to keep the dadoes 90º to the sides? I have a Starett framing square but I'll be using the entire guide rail to span both sides of the chest so I'm not sure how accurate they'll be.

Any tips on using this attachment and ensuring it's 90º to what I'm cutting?

I've done some searches for dadoes using the attachment but I haven't found anything specific to what I'm looking to do. If I'm missing a post, please point me in the right direction (like always!).

Thanks for the help.

-Shawn

 

[harry_]

as long as you 'mate' and secure the side properly and your measurements are accurate you'll be good to go. Once you set the rail in place check its placement with a square and you'll be good to go.

 

[GPowers]

If the blank would fit on the MFT you can make sure the dado would be a 90 degrees.

 

[extiger]

The reason I bought the MFT/3 table was specifically to cut Dados. I already had the OF 1400 router. Your procedure is on track, IMHO. . By laying both case side with the inside face up and then plowing the groove through both with one router pass, the shelf board will be plumb. That's the hard part on a tablesaw.

How you clamp the boards is up to you, and it doesn't matter much. It does help, though, to have the guide rail at 90 degrees from the fence. That will also align the rail parallel to the sides. The literature coming with the MFT is pretty awful. But I believe there is a description of procedures for squaring up the fence and the guide rail.

It was a hefty investment for me. But I decided  not to attempt this joint on a table saw. Messy, dirty, hazardous with a dado blade stack. The ease of the Festool system approach encourages me to use Dados. My other choices would be sliding dovetails or  pocket screws, but I find myself using  Dados more often.

 

[extiger]

The reason I bought the MFT/3 table was specifically to cut Dados. I already had the OF 1400 router. Your procedure is on track, IMHO. . By laying both case side with the inside face up and then plowing the groove through both with one router pass, the shelf board will be plumb. That's the hard part on a tablesaw.

How you clamp the boards is up to you, and it doesn't matter much. It does help, though, to have the guide rail at 90 degrees from the fence. That will also align the rail parallel to the sides. The literature coming with the MFT is pretty awful. But I believe there is a description of procedures for squaring up the fence and the guide rail.

It was a hefty investment for me. But I decided  not to attempt this joint on a table saw. Messy, dirty, hazardous with a dado blade stack. The ease of the Festool system approach encourages me to use Dados. My other choices would be sliding dovetails or  pocket screws, but I find myself using  Dados more often.

 

[Alan m]

[welcome] to the fog

 

[peter halle]

Shawn,

I will second that  [welcome] to the FOG.  You didn't mention whether or not you have a MFT/3 so I am going to assume that you don't.  I will assume that you have some Festool clamps to hold the rail to the wood you want to cut.

The most simple and accurate way (IMHO) to set up you cuts is by laying out like you and others have suggested, clamping the board together to make one unit, then doing the layout using the center lines of your dados.

Here is a thread showing some of the basics.  It isn't exactly what you are asking about, but if the boards were turned 90 degrees and there weren't end stops attached to the rail, it would illustrate the basics.  Router tip from end user class      

Let us know if we can help more!

Peter

 

[Kevin Stricker]

  For precise operations I don't rely on a tape, instead I make a positioner stick (story pole)out of scrap stock.  Take a 1x2 and glue/screw a stop on one end that buts into the end of your workpiece, now cut it to a length that will leave the front of the rail 3/4 to 1" from your dado position.  Use the positioner to align your rail across both workpieces and clamp your rail in place.  Use your Starett on the back of the rail on both ends to check it is square. Set up the guide stop to the line and micro adjust your position and make your cut.

For each dado you can use the same positioner, just cut it down to the right length. 

 

[James Watriss]

-Check to make sure the first panel itself is square, by measuring the diagonals. That's the first step.
-Check to make sure that the second panel is a perfect mirror match to the first panel. Place them side by side, inner faces together, and make sure they match exactly. If not, clamp them together, and use a flush trimming bit to make the non-square panel match the square one.
-Once you've established that both panels are square, make sure that each measurement down from the same reference edge...top or bottom, your choice, but keep it consistent.... is the same. If you know by measuring that the reference edge is square, and you know by measuring that the rail is running parallel to the reference edge, then you know that it's square to the sides of the case.

A side note: A framing square is for framing houses, which is typically done to the nearest 1/16".

You're not framing. You really need a decent combination square with a blade that's at least 12" long to help you lay some of this stuff out. Having a sliding head that you can accurately reference against an edge will be much more helpful and accurate than a framing square.

 

[ororaf]

I like all of the suggestions for cutting the dadoes.  The current issue of Wood Magazine with the tall book case on the cover happens to have an interesting way of cutting a dado slot.  One of articles inside shows how to make a jig that lets you cut a dado slot.  They lay out the book case sides on a large piece of birch plywood.  Cut the dado.  - Then - cut the large piece of plywood in half to make the book case halves.

 

[James Watriss]

That's a good way to do it, as long as you don't need stopped dadoes for design reasons.

 

[GPowers]

You can use this jig that the Woodwhisperer details in this video:

http://thewoodwhisperer.com/exact-width-dado-jig/

 

[snichols]

Thanks for the help guys.

Here are a few things to help clarify:

1. I don't have an MFT but this is another situation where I could've justified the purchase...sigh
2. I also have a 12" Starrett Combo square - do you think I should just make a 12" mark with that instead of the framing square
3. I'm a woodwhisperer guildie so I'm familiar with a Marc's back of tricks [big grin]
4. Thanks for welcoming me to the FOG

If this changes any of your comments, please let me know.

-Shawn

 

[extiger]

You are headed in the right direction. And sorry to have sounded like a 'tool-snob' by mentioning the MFT/3. Before I got it, I not only cut great Dados using the OF 1400, Guide Stop and Guide rail. I even cut Sliding Dovetails for book cases with the same setup.

Clamped the lumber to a bench, although that might not even be necessary. Then clamped the guide rails to the bench ends. Who cares exactly where the Dado goes so long as the left/right case sides are grooved together.

No MFT/3 needed. So long as the case sides mirror each other, you are set. And those guide rails stay put while you're pushing a tool along. Even without clamping, because of the sticky rubber grip strips on the underside. Quality, quality, quality.