Can you make finger joints w/o a dado blade?

[navycop]

The 6" adjustable dado is what I use making 1/4" fingers. It is used on my 5/8" dado arbor, from Shopsmith. http://www.shopsmith.com/ownersite/catalog/ms_molderdadoarbor.htm
I was just nervous about using a 6" blade when the SS originally uses a 10". I guess it is okay to use a smaller blade (i.e. 6" or 8")? Have you ever heard of putting to "standard" blades together to make a stacked dado blade? :eek: If possible, what size would you recommend these blades being?:

[reible]

Hi,

A couple of things here and while they may seem nit picky but the joints that seem to be the subject of most of the posts are "box joints". Finger joints are different but similar. One often sees terms used interchangeably but for the sake of those that are new to this stuff if you go in and ask for a router bit to make finger joints when you want to make box joints... well you are going to go home with the wrong stuff.

Blades, where to start here. Blades have different purposes and the teeth of the blade can be made several different ways. To get the cuts you want for box joints the blade needs to cut a flat bottom, and without getting into the dado issues some teeth cut with do not produce what is needed. You can of course use additional operations to correct that but who wants to do that?

Ripping blades often have a flat grind, as do specialized crosscutting blades, some of which come in widths of 5/32" or 1/4" and are designed for doing exposed splines and box joints.

So the best you can say is it is possible to do box joints with any old blade but it depends on the blade as to how much "other work" might be needed to get good joints.

The current shopsmith has a top blade guard that is designed to work with 10" blades and provide kickback protection. I believe that it will work down to an 8" blade but someone should check this as my memory is not clear on that. The system is for through cuts. Once you start cutting grove's/dado's/finger joints the saw can not use the blade guard. Once in to cuts like this the restriction of blade size is gone and indeed shopsmith sells a 6" dado set.

Dado sets have center hubs which are designed to work together so you can say take the two outside 1/8" blades and put them together with off-set teeth and cut a 1/4" wide cut. If you were to take just any two blades the hubs may not match and who knows what sort of nasty things could happen. I personally don't think that is a good idea. Better safe the sorry is not a bad way to go.

Woodworking can be an expensive hobby but getting the right stuff is cheaper then a visit to the emergency room (and sometime the cost is more personal in terms of body parts).

As far as cutting box joints it is very simple to construct a jig to fit on the miter gauge that can get you started with the table saw. It can be done with scrap wood so other then time is will not cost you much. If you have a router table they are also a good option for making a cheap jig for... Lots of options.

Ed

[navycop]

Thanks reible (and everyone else). I am new to using the SS. I have had it for a couple yrs. But was always going in and out to sea w/the Navy. I recently retired and wanted to start making xmas gifts. I enjoyed the video on box joints. I really thought that was something I could do. I just didn't want to have to invest a lot of $ into it. Maybe if I sell the gifts at flea markets the blade will pay for it self. It is just, like I mentioned, I found a 6'' dado blade that I used on a Delta saw. I will put it on ss and see how it works. I got a bunch of scrap (or as some say "waste") to practice with. I will let you know. I will probally have to get or make a table insert? I think the opening on the ss is big enough. Has long as I don't make the dado to wide?

[reible]

Hi,

It is very likely that the one from the delta saw will work if it fits the arbor. I still use parts from the rockwell table saw I had before my shopsmith days started in 1976. If not the cost of a 6" dado is not all that great if you shop around for a decent blade at a great price.

If you do a search here there are several post relating to making your own table insert. Even the shopsmith one is not that expensive when they are on sale. And yes you can use the standard insert as long as you keep the width of the dado to less then the width of the cut out in the insert and make sure you have the alignment correct and everything locked down. You will know if you mess up.

I personally like the looks of box joints better then I do dovetails. It will be a good learning experience and who wouldn't want personal Christmas gifts hand made by the giver??

Ed

Thanks reible (and everyone else). I am new to using the SS. I have had it for a couple yrs. But was always going in and out to sea w/the Navy. I recently retired and wanted to start making xmas gifts. I enjoyed the video on box joints. I really thought that was something I could do. I just didn't want to have to invest a lot of $ into it. Maybe if I sell the gifts at flea markets the blade will pay for it self. It is just, like I mentioned, I found a 6'' dado blade that I used on a Delta saw. I will put it on ss and see how it works. I got a bunch of scrap (or as some say "waste") to practice with. I will let you know. I will probally have to get or make a table insert? I think the opening on the ss is big enough. Has long as I don't make the dado to wide?

[charlese]

Have you ever heard of putting to "standard" blades together to make a stacked dado blade? :eek: If possible, what size would you recommend these blades being?:
I wouldn't want to try this especially with carbide tipped cutters. You would have to devise a way to keep the blades from twisting on the arbor and knocking the teeth together.

Reible is absolutely correct! We really shouldn't have mixed up the names finger joint and box joint. However we do speak of the fingers of the box joint.

Finger joints are most often used on the end grain of two shorter boards to make one longer board. There are a lot of studs made this way. I remember when mills got the machinery and flow system in order to do this. Finger jointed studs saved a lot of wood that would have been burned up or turned into chips for pulp. Also increased profits.

[navycop]

The 6" adjustable dado is what I use making 1/4" fingers. It is used on my 5/8" dado arbor, from Shopsmith. http://www.shopsmith.com/ownersite/catalog/ms_molderdadoarbor.htm
Is the 5/8" arbor available at other places or only SS?

[JPG40504]

Is the 5/8" arbor available at other places or only SS?

I would suggest getting a SS arbor. Make sure you get the proper one 500/505,510,520. http://www.shopsmith.com/ownersite/catalog/swd_sawbladearbors.htm Scroll down for 5/8" arbors.

If you are intending to get an arbor for a DADO blade, you need this http://www.shopsmith.com/ownersite/catalog/ms_molderdadoarbor.htm

[charlese]

Is the 5/8" arbor available at other places or only SS?
Yes, it is available at other places, HOWEVER, the Shopsmith dado arbor is not only a 5/8" arbor, but it is made to the correct length to set the dado blade firmly beneath the dado table insert, that is also available from Shopsmith. You will be safer and more satisfied with the Shopsmith dado arbor.

It is a safety issue! I fully agree with JPG!

When looking at the two 5/8" arbors that Shopsmith sells, you can see the difference between the saw arbor and the dado arbor. (added length, added heavy washers and a different tightening nut)