Hot take: I finally tried a 3/4 inch dado stack on a maple carcass after years of using a router and jig. | Cabinetmakers - Freelance Forum - The Community for Independent Professionals

Victor Fisher · 2026-04-04T00:50:03.560338+00:00

The dado was done in two passes and left a cleaner, more consistent joint with less tear-out than my old method, so which approach do you all prefer for casework joinery?

xena_hernandez985mo ago

Ever think dados were just for rough work? This maple job totally changed my mind.

7

the_spencer5mo ago

Routers give you way more control over depth and width for tricky grain. Dados can be a real gamble on tear-out no matter how many passes you make.

3

william_craig75mo ago

My old Delta contractor saw with a Freud stack leaves a cleaner cut in plywood than any router bit I've ever used. The key is a zero clearance insert and a sharp blade. I get less chip-out on the back side of the cut with the saw. Routers can wander if you're not perfect with the jig.

3