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rwest rwest is online now
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Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: St Paul MN
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Originally Posted by zakthor View Post
Ok, I'll try and explain again. I'm sorry I've no education in woodworking, I just make stuff up. I'm looking for an easier way because what I'm doing now is excruciating.

Maybe the most complicated thing I do is the labyrinth seals for new window 'rails'. Here's some left over test scraps and end pieces:



I'm currently using a combination of table saw and router and it takes forever and its really stressful because I respect that wood. When I'm done I paint and glue in a new rubber seal and the windows lock into the frames perfectly.

I'm currently doing my own guide using clamps and it really sucks to router precisely. In contrast my ancient craftsman table saw has a solid metal fence and weighs 150# so its steady and accurate and fast to setup, its 'fine'. I can skooch it a bit until its perfect where my router clamp system is terrible.

I look on craigslist and there's 999 huge table saws, giant steel faces with big, luscious fences, etc. Why don't I see any giant router tables? Is there a way to adapt those giant table saws to hold a router?

The little things I see called "router tables" are way to small and light. At least I'm pretty sure they are, but maybe I'm just doing it wrong.

How about a 'dado blade'? Could that create smooth cuts like a router?

There was a big 200# craftsman 'shaper tool' that I almost bought but its not as flexible as a router because it doesn't have a lot of motion for the cutter, looks like its pretty specific to shaping edges and is really limited by the cutter bits you get. If a shaper's fence could move back from the spindle 6" or so it would be glorious.

Is what I'm doing strange? Am I just asking at the wrong wood stores? What I'm doing feels like it would be easy if I had a better tool.
A good dado set will easily make nice grooves- stay away from wobble types and get a stack set. They do take a bit of grunt to cut, so depending on the HP of your saw, you might need to make several cuts raising the blade a little each time.

From your pictures, I think the dado is the best way to go.
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Old 11-12-2022, 11:31 AM
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