If it helps, I have made many hundreds of various widths of dado cuts by making multiple passes with a standard table saw blade. Although this can take a little time for a single groove it is often quicker than disassembling the saw and shimming out a dado set. The floor of the dado isn't usually quite as flat as it might be but glue fills that if necessary.
----- Original Message ----- From: Scott Howell To: [email protected] Sent: Monday, July 21, 2008 6:12 PM Subject: Re: [SPAM][BlindHandyMan] making a drawer Thanks and I actually thought of this. However, I've decided I will make a throat plate for my table saw since it seems those buggers are kind of expensive if I do go this route. tnx On Jul 20, 2008, at 5:40 AM, John Schwery wrote: > Scott, if possible, I would use a table saw for > any dado joints. You will need a dado blade > stack or many cuts with a regular saw > blade. With a router, if doing a dado across the > grain, it can be a torn up mess. I have done > them using a router table but I haven't tried it > with an edge guide, yet. I could do it with a > temporary fence if I had enough room for the fence. > > earlier, Scott Howell, wrote: > > >WOw, you guys are filling my head with all kinds of interesting > stuff. > >So, it seems the one advantage of a dado cut is you can use the saw > >and keep stuff really straight. I assume you can do this of course > >equally as well with a router and an edge guide. Of course I don't > >have a dado stack or the proper throat plate yet for my saw, but you > >did give me yet another idea and I'll post on that shortly. > >Thanks for the additional info, I'm filing these away. Maybe I can > >consolidate the various ways and Dave could put them on the site. > >Might be helpful to some folks in the future. > > > >On Jul 19, 2008, at 9:20 PM, Lenny McHugh wrote: > > > > > Hi Scott, > > > Well Dale described making drawers several great ways. I did see a > > > set of > > > drawer locking router bits. I accomplished the same by using my > > > table saw > > > and using a 1/4" stacked dado blade. > > > I first made a 1/4"x1/4" dado cut around the bottom of the front > and > > > side > > > pieces of the drawer. While the saw was set up this way I also > made > > > a front > > > and rear dado cut on both side pieces. > > > I then moved the fence so that I could make a 1/4x1/4 rabbet cut > > > along the > > > height of the front and rear panels. For the front panel this > cut is > > > on the > > > opposite side of the dado cut. > > > I then made the rear panel 1/2" shorter than the other pieces. On > > > the inside > > > of the front panel, same side as the dado I drilled 2 holes with a > > > pocket > > > hole bit and made the pocket 1/4" deep. This is really not > > > necessary, I just > > > did not want the screw heads to show. > > > For assembly I used glue on and inside the vertical dado cuts and > > > slid the > > > back and bottom pieces in place. I was careful to make sure that > the > > > rear > > > panel was not lower than the 1/4" dado in the sides. I used a band > > > clamp to > > > hold all of the sides together and used a tape measure to make > sure > > > it was > > > square. If square the opposite diagonals will be the same length. > > > when the glue was dry I slid in the bottom of the drawer and > tacked > > > it in > > > place at the back panel. I left the drawer bottom float in the > front > > > and > > > side panels. > > > Incidentally the drawer sides were all made from 1/2" stock. > > > I cheated in mounting the drawer front. I put the drawer in place > > > and made > > > sure it could go back about 1/2". I placed two small pieces of > > > double faced > > > tape on the front of the drawer. I then carefully held the drawer > > > front over > > > the opening and centering it. Holding it in place I reached under > > > and pulled > > > the drawer until it made contact with the tape. > > > The tape temporarily held the drawer front in place. Using two F > > > clamps to > > > hold it tight I used two 1" screws to hold the front on. > > > If I would have used 3/4" stock, I would have used a 1/4" dado > for the > > > bottom and 3/8" dados for the drawer construction. > > > This is just one other way to make the drawer and add to your > > > confusion. > > > > > > Lenny > > > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > > From: "Scott Howell" <<mailto:s.howell%40verizon.net>[EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > > To: <<mailto:blindhandyman%40yahoogroups.com>[email protected] > > > > > Sent: Saturday, July 19, 2008 7:32 PM > > > Subject: Re: [SPAM][BlindHandyMan] making a drawer > > > > > > Tom, that is a fine idea and I think that would work quite well. > > > Appreciate the plans. I already know that the counter top I got > has a > > > rounded edge that hangs a little low from the actual top. So > basically > > > I'm going to add some wood to make up for that for my keyboard > tray > > > and also for the side pieces when I mount the drawer. Hey, this is > > > going to work great. Btw, in case anyone wants to know, you can > > > purchase the counter tops in such a way to already have those 45- > > > degree angles which is what I meant, but I kept saying 90-degree > so > > > just ignore me. grin > > > > > > On Jul 19, 2008, at 10:15 AM, Tom Hodges wrote: > > > > > > > Scott, I recently built a workbench and made the top from a > piece of > > > > scrap > > > > kitchen countertop with Formica on it. I will just address > building > > > > the > > > > drawer, because the way I built it was very simple. > > > > > > > > The face plate on the workbench below the front edge of the > > > > countertop was a > > > > 1" x 6", which is 5 ½" high. I built the drawer by cutting the > > > > opening the > > > > face plate before I assembled the workbench. The opening for the > > > > drawer was > > > > 3 ¾ high and 18 ¼" wide. Here is the simple method I used for > > > > building the > > > > drawer: > > > > > > > > I bought an 8 foot piece of 1" x 4" pine relatively clear of > knots. > > > > The > > > > first thing I did with this board was run it along my fence of > my > > > > table saw > > > > and cut a groove in the bottom about 3/8" deep, 3/8" from the > edge > > > > of the > > > > board. Since the saw blade isn't quite a ¼" wide, even with the > > > > carbide > > > > tip, I moved the fence over slightly and ran the board across > the > > > > table saw > > > > one more time and ended up with a grove 3/8" deep and ¼" wide. > Then, > > > > I cut > > > > the board into two 18" long pieces for the sides of the > drawer, and > > > > two 16 > > > > ½" pieces for the front and back of the drawer (when > assembled, I > > > > have an > > > > 18" by 18" outside dimension drawer). I bought a ¼" thick > piece of > > > > plywood > > > > and cut it to fit into the slot all the way all four sides of > the > > > > drawer. > > > > So, with an 18" by 18" drawer, the inside dimension will be 16 > ½" by > > > > 16 ½", > > > > and if you could measure inside the slot you cut all the way > around, > > > > that > > > > dimension is 16 ½" plus 3/8" plus 3/8" in each direction, > which 17 > > > > ¼" . So > > > > I cut the ¼" plywood 17 1/8" square so it will fit inside the > > > > grooves with a > > > > 1/16" tolerance all the way around. > > > > > > > > I drilled and screwed the front rail to the side rails, making > sure > > > > that > > > > slot is lined up all the way around these three pieces. Then I > set > > > > with the > > > > face down and slid the ¼" plywood into the slots. Then I added > the > > > end > > > > piece and drilled and screwed it on. After that, I built a face > > > plate, > > > > which is about ½" larger than the front of the drawer, or 4 ½" > by > > > > 19", and > > > > screwed it to the front of the drawer from the inside. That is > > > > basically > > > > how I built the drawer - very simple, and you don't have to > worry > > > > about > > > > tongue and grooves or anything like that. > > > > > > > > I won't go into the mounting except to say I bought metal and > roller > > > > guides > > > > that attach to the sides of the drawer and allow you to pull the > > > > drawer > > > > completely out without it falling out. These are available at > Lowes, > > > > Home > > > > Depot, etc. and mounting instructions are included. > > > > > > > > Good luck, > > > > > > > > Tom > > > > > > > > _____ > > > > > > > > From: > > <mailto:blindhandyman > %40yahoogroups.com>[email protected] > > [mailto:<mailto:blindhandyman%40yahoogroups.com>[email protected] > > > > ] > > > > On Behalf Of Scott Howell > > > > Sent: Friday, July 18, 2008 8:23 PM > > > > To: <mailto:blindhandyman%40yahoogroups.com>[email protected] > > > > Subject: [SPAM][BlindHandyMan] making a drawer > > > > > > > > Hey folks, I am finally relocating in the house to gain > additional > > > > space. I've got a plan for a desk/work surface, but I was > trying to > > > > figure out how I could make a good solid drawer. I guess I could > > > > figure some of this out like making a groove in the sides to > fit the > > > > bottom into and if I did this, what router bit would be best > suited > > > > for making that type of groove and I imagine I'd have to find > one > > > that > > > > is the same thickness as the board I want to fit all the sides > on > > > too. > > > > Now as far as getting all the sides connected. I guess I could > just > > > > run some screws into the ends and that would work, but is > there a > > > > better way or a way that might not necessarily be better, but > might > > > > make for a stronger drawer? I did a little reading on dovetail > > > joints, > > > > but I suspect this is way out of my skill level at this point. I > > > > believe those joints are like fingers that interlock at a 90 > degree > > > > angle and are I imagine either glued or just pressure fitted. > In any > > > > event, any thoughts appreciated. > > > > If anyone is interested, I'm going to take two counter tops and > > > use a > > > > piece of melamine (however that's spelled) and use that to > make the > > > > corner piece of the l which will keep me from having to rip > the edge > > > > of the counter top partially off or trying to rip a 90 degree > > > angle on > > > > both halves. That is how it looks like they did the counter > tops in > > > > our kitchen. They cut the two tops at a 90 degree angle and > slapped > > > > them together. Nothing wrong with this but gee I got this nice > scrap > > > > lying here, might as well try to put it to good use. Well > actually > > > > this does bring up one other question. If I wanted to cut the > top > > > at a > > > > 90 degree angle, how would I use the miter cross cut tool on my > > > table > > > > saw? I know that might seem like a silly question, but I haven't > > > used > > > > the gage yet so not sure exactly how I would use that while > pushing > > > > the wood through. > > > > > > > > tnx > > > > > > > > Scott Howell > > > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] <mailto:s.howell%40verizon.net> net > > > > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Scott Howell > > > <mailto:s.howell%40verizon.net>[EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > > > > > ------------------------------------ > > > > > > Send any questions regarding list management to: > > > > > <mailto:blindhandyman-owner%40yahoogroups.com>[EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > To listen to the show archives go to link > > > > > <http://www.acbradio.org/pweb/index.php?module=pagemaster&PAGE_user_op=view_page&PAGE_id=33&MMN_position=47:29 > >http://www.acbradio.org/pweb/index.php?module=pagemaster&PAGE_user_op=view_page&PAGE_id=33&MMN_position=47:29 > > > Or > > > > > <ftp://ftp.acbradio.org/acbradio-archives/handyman/>ftp://ftp.acbradio.org/acbradio-archives/handyman/ > > > > > > The Pod Cast address for the Blind Handy Man Show is. > > > > > <http://www.acbradio.org/news/xml/podcast.php?pgm=saturday>http://www.acbradio.org/news/xml/podcast.php?pgm=saturday > > > > > > Visit The Blind Handy Man Files Page To Review Contributions From > > > Various > > > List Members At The Following address: > > > > > <http://www.jaws-users.com/JAWS/handyman/>http://www.jaws-users.com/JAWS/handyman/ > > > > > > Visit the archives page at the following address > > > > > <http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/>http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ > > > > > > If you would like to join the JAWS Users List, then visit the > > > following > > > address for more information: > > > <http://www.jaws-users.com/>http://www.jaws-users.com/ > > > For a complete list of email commands pertaining to the Blind > Handy > > > Man list > > > just send a blank message to: > > > > > <mailto:blindhandyman-help%40yahoogroups.comYahoo>[EMAIL PROTECTED] > ! > > Groups Links > > > > > > __________ NOD32 3281 (20080718) Information __________ > > > > > > This message was checked by NOD32 antivirus system. > > > <http://www.eset.com>http://www.eset.com > > > > > > > > > > > > >Scott Howell > ><mailto:s.howell%40verizon.net>[EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > >[Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > > > > >No virus found in this incoming message. > >Checked by AVG - http://www.avg.com > >Version: 8.0.138 / Virus Database: 270.5.2/1562 > >- Release Date: 7/19/2008 2:01 PM > > John > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > > Scott Howell [EMAIL PROTECTED] [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG. Version: 7.5.524 / Virus Database: 270.5.2/1562 - Release Date: 7/19/2008 2:01 PM [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
