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Simplest (Dado) Jig Ever
So, I was looking for a way to make precise dadoes without having to resort to a dado set or the router table, and I stumbled upon this little gem while scouring the interwebs.

It's not only the simplest dado jig you'll ever make and use, but it's without a doubt the simplest JIG you'll ever make and use... period.

Here it is...

It's just a scrap rectangle with a single sheetrock screw embedded in one end, but it's so much more than that.

The purpose of the screw is to account for the thickness of your table saw blade. The blade doesn't really need to be anything special, but it should have square ground teeth such that one swipe cuts a flat bottomed kerf.

These are the steps required to cut a PERFECTLY sized dado...

Establish screw depth in dado jig, to match width of blade

FIRST UNPLUG YOUR SAW

Hold the jig up to your table saw blade, and adjust the screw in or out to match as closely as possible the width of a tooth on your table saw blade, to the distance from the scrap block to the flat screw head.

Line up FAR side edge of groove marking just beyond far edge of blade
(this image shows a completed dado, but you'd line up the far layout line)

Butt fence against piece to be grooved, and lock in fence

Place SCREW SIDE of spacer jig against right side of fence, then place stop block against jig and clamp the stop block in place

Cut one pass making FAR SIDE of groove

Unlock fence and slide left a bit

Flip spacer jig to NON-SCREW side, and butt against stop block

Put piece that will fit into groove between fence and spacer jig

Butt fence against piece that will fit into groove, and lock it down

Cut near side of groove, then clean up in between with a few more cuts

Make a few more passes to clean up the waste in the middle, and that's it !!
You should now have a nice, tight fitting joint

If the dado is too wide, turn the screw OUT just a tad, if it's too narrow, turn the screw IN just a tad, then retry

Once the screw depth is established, and the dado is the perfect size, the screw never has to be touched again, unless you mount a different blade, but I suggest you make one of these for each blade you typically use

Hope this helps somebody.

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So, I was looking for a way to make precise dadoes without having to resort to a dado set or the router table, and I stumbled upon this little gem while scouring the interwebs.

It's not only the simplest dado jig you'll ever make and use, but it's without a doubt the simplest JIG you'll ever make and use... period.

Here it is...

<img src="http://www.woodshopshed.com/images/DSCF0106.JPG" height=300 width=300>

It's just a scrap rectangle with a single sheetrock screw embedded in one end, but it's so much more than that.

The purpose of the screw is to account for the thickness of your table saw blade. The blade doesn't really need to be anything special, but it should have square ground teeth such that one swipe cuts a flat bottomed kerf.

These are the steps required to cut a PERFECTLY sized dado...
<ol style="margin-top: -12">

<li class="start_li">Establish screw depth in dado jig, to match width of blade</li>

<ul>
<li class="sub_li">FIRST UNPLUG YOUR SAW</li>
<li class="sub_li">Hold the jig up to your table saw blade, and adjust the screw in or out to match as closely as possible the width of a tooth on your table saw blade, to the distance from the scrap block to the flat screw head.</li>
</ul>

<li class="nxt_li">Line up FAR side edge of groove marking just beyond far edge of blade (this image shows a completed dado, but you'd line up the far layout line)</li>
<img style="margin-top: +30;" src="http://www.woodshopshed.com/images/DSCF0128.JPG" height=300 width=300>

 
<li class="nxt_li">Butt fence against piece to be grooved, and lock in fence</li>
<img style="margin-top: +30;" src="http://www.woodshopshed.com/images/DSCF0129.JPG" height=300 width=300>

 
<li class="nxt_li">Place SCREW SIDE of spacer jig against right side of fence, then place stop block against jig and clamp the stop block in place</li>
<img style="margin-top: +30;" src="http://www.woodshopshed.com/images/DSCF0130.JPG" height=300 width=300>
<img style="margin-top: +30;" src="http://www.woodshopshed.com/images/DSCF0131.JPG" height=300 width=300>

 
<li class="nxt_li">Cut one pass making FAR SIDE of groove</li>

 
<li class="nxt_li">Unlock fence and slide left a bit</li>

 
<li class="nxt_li">Flip spacer jig to NON-SCREW side, and butt against stop block</li>
 
<li class="nxt_li">Put piece that will fit into groove between fence and spacer jig</li>
 
<li class="nxt_li">Butt fence against piece that will fit into groove, and lock it down</li>
<img style="margin-top: +30;" src="http://www.woodshopshed.com/images/DSCF0133.JPG" height=300 width=300>

 
<li class="nxt_li">Cut near side of groove, then clean up in between with a few more cuts</li>
<img style="margin-top: +30;" src="http://www.woodshopshed.com/images/DSCF0132.JPG" height=300 width=300>

 
<li class="nxt_li">Make a few more passes to clean up the waste in the middle, and that's it !! You should now have a nice, tight fitting joint</li>
 
<li class="nxt_li">If the dado is too wide, turn the screw OUT just a tad, if it's too narrow, turn the screw IN just a tad, then retry</li>
 
<li class="nxt_li">Once the screw depth is established, and the dado is the perfect size, the screw never has to be touched again, unless you mount a different blade, but I suggest you make one of these for each blade you typically use</li>
<img style="margin-top: +30;" src="http://www.woodshopshed.com/images/DSCF0135.JPG" height=300 width=300>

</ol>
 
<div class="story_body">Hope this helps somebody.</div>
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