# How to make dados and rabbets without a router or TS?



## Chris Curl (Jan 1, 2013)

I need to make a couple of drawers for my son's dresser, and have chosen 1/2" ply for the wood. I have a router and table saw, but I'd rather make them with hand tools. All I have right now is chisels and "standard" hand planes; i.e. - I don't have any specialized planes for dados or rabbets.

I want to use the locking rabbet joints. I can (and have) made drawers with these joints using my router. But I would prefer to use hand tools if I can.

Can I make the drawers with those kinds of joints with the hand tools I have? I know dovetails are an option, but I absolutely suck at them, and I don't even know if 1/2" ply would be adequate for dovetais.

Even if I do dovetails, I would still need to make grooves for the lauan for the drawer's bottom.

Please advise.


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## Art Smith (Oct 16, 2012)

Take an old allen wrench and a block of wood and make a router plane


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

Practice with a backsaw and a crank neck chisel.









 







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## firemedic (Dec 26, 2010)

Come up with a different plan.


I think you should consider large box joints / finger joints. They glue well on plywood and are easy to cut.

Its a losing battle to try cutting drawer lock joints in ply with a saw and chisel. The plys make it very difficult to cut to a line with accuracy.

Or use solid wood... Do you need me to resaw some poplar drawer parts for ya?


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

firemedic said:


> Its a losing battle to try cutting drawer lock joints in ply with a saw and chisel. The plys make it very difficult to cut to a line with accuracy.


Don't be so hard on yourself. Just practice a little bit more.:yes:










 







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## Greg in Maryland (Jan 6, 2011)

firemedic said:


> Come up with a different plan.
> 
> I think you should consider large box joints / finger joints. They glue well on plywood and are easy to cut.
> 
> ...


+1 to that one. If you were using solid wood any number of hand tools could do the job. With plywood, you are pretty much limited to power tools.

Greg


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## Dave Paine (May 30, 2012)

If you want to practice with a Stanley 45 or 48 hand plane, I would be happy to lend you mine. I restored the 48 and purchased a decent 45 without cutter to replace the body I broke.

The 48 will do dado's. The 45 would take longer to make dado's.

I can also provide a small booklet I recently purchased from Lee Valley on using the 45. A reproduction of Stanley's original instructions.

I am not looking to sell these, but happy to lend out for a project.


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## Chris Curl (Jan 1, 2013)

sigh. never mind ... i'll just use my router. 

thanks folks.


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## firemedic (Dec 26, 2010)

cabinetman said:


> Don't be so hard on yourself. Just practice a little bit more.:yes:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Uh huh, maybe you could show me how it's done, huh Mike? :smile::huh:


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## mengtian (Nov 8, 2012)

Chris Curl said:


> sigh. never mind ... i'll just use my router.
> 
> thanks folks.


Try using sand paper....it might take awhile but still a hand tool:laughing:


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## GoIrish (Jan 29, 2012)

I practiced dados the other day to see if I could do it. Used a back saw to cut the sides and chiseled out the middle. Worked OK but used a shoulder plane to clean up the bottom. Not sure what you could do with one so narrow.


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

GoIrish said:


> I practiced dados the other day to see if I could do it. Used a back saw to cut the sides and chiseled out the middle. Worked OK but used a shoulder plane to clean up the bottom. Not sure what you could do with one so narrow.


That works just fine. Crank neck paring chisels work wonders for cleaning the bottoms. Just as a reminder...handtools were all that was used not long ago.









 







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