# Are dadoes the best way?



## hitec4you (Dec 5, 2016)

I want to build a cabinet for hand held power tools like pictured. With a cubby for the tool, a cubby for the power cord. and a drawer for the tools accessories. There would be a face frame (not shown) and cabinet doors over the cubbies (also not shown). But where the shelves and walls meet is it ok to have a dado on both sides? I was planning on the shelf to be made out of 1/2" ply and the wall made out of 3/4" ply. I was thinking a 1/4" dado on both sides would give me a 1/4" left in the center. Is that going to be ok or should i go with some other kind of method?


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## Jassper (Sep 13, 2017)

Make your center upright 1", so you have 1/2" left in center.
Make your shelves dado between the outer uprights and center.
Then insert the dividers that don't go full height (to either side of center) fit between the shelves. Make a shallow dado, 1/16" on top and bottom of each shelf so the dividers slide in place. And if your feeling really froggey - Dado the entire back panel so everything locks in 

One way of doing it.


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## Toolman50 (Mar 22, 2015)

I think your plan is fine as is. When assembled, the joints will all be glued together so the 1/4" center between the two dados will all be joined together and will be strong. 
A nice project.


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## TomCT2 (May 16, 2014)

my shop work is almost complete on that problem . . . sanding/finish in final
3/4 ply all around (scraps) but (new) poplar for the banding.

oh, it's all dado'd


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## epicfail48 (Mar 27, 2014)

1/4 inch of wood in a joint is a lot stronger than you'd think it logically should be. Figure, for 3/4 stock a 1/4 tenon is the usual size, and I think we can all agree that that makes for one solid bloody joint. Just make sure everything fits snug before glue up and you'll be golden


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## hitec4you (Dec 5, 2016)

TomCT2 said:


> my shop work is almost complete on that problem . . . sanding/finish in final
> 3/4 ply all around (scraps) but (new) poplar for the banding.
> 
> oh, it's all dado'd



Looks great.


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## hitec4you (Dec 5, 2016)

Thanks for the responses. I just wanted to check before I invested time and money on this project.


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## TomCT2 (May 16, 2014)

something for your consideration.... a slot in the shelf so the circular saw sits 'flat'

had that in my original plan but decided to make&live with it a while before deciding where what would go. the shelf is tall enough I can still cut with the jig saw - likely won't be quite as neat, but . . .


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## Toolman50 (Mar 22, 2015)

TomCT2 said:


> something for your consideration.... a slot in the shelf so the circular saw sits 'flat'
> 
> had that in my original plan but decided to make&live with it a while before deciding where what would go. the shelf is tall enough I can still cut with the jig saw - likely won't be quite as neat, but . . .


Tom, 
When you have multiple shelves like the pictures above and you put a slot in an upper shelf for the circular saw; you now risk cutting the top of your hand as reach for tool in the shelf below. 
The blade can quickly be moved all the way up on most modern circular saws allowing them to sit flat in a drawer or on a shelf. :wink2:


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## TomCT2 (May 16, 2014)

my circular saw has a guard . . . manually lifting the guard out of the way to it's end stop more than rather defeats the whole idea, no?


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## Tool Agnostic (Aug 13, 2017)

TomCT2 said:


> my circular saw has a guard . . . manually lifting the guard out of the way to it's end stop more than rather defeats the whole idea, no?


I assumed that he would make the slot wide enough to accommodate the guard in its "safe" position. That is how I would do it. Obviously it is much wider than a slot for a bare blade, but it is much safer. I don't see any drawbacks. In truth it would probably make it easier to insert and remove the saw, because you would only need one hand.

There is the issue that the protruding guard could interfere with access to the item below the saw.


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## TomCT2 (May 16, 2014)

...could interfere with access to the item below the saw.

it's the ole PPPPPP. <<prior planning prevents . . . .>>


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