Dado or just 1/4" blade


  #1  
Old 11-24-18, 10:01 PM
Q
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Canada
Posts: 1,657
Received 1 Upvote on 1 Post
Dado or just 1/4" blade

I have some 1" thick floorboards that I am restoring.
i need to recut a tongue and groove on all of them but am wondering how to do it.
I keep seeing stuff about dado sets but couldn't I just go out and bit a single 1/4" thick blade and then make these on my table saw adjusting the depth of the blade to do the 2 sides to form the tongue?
 
  #2  
Old 11-25-18, 12:19 AM
XSleeper's Avatar
Group Moderator
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 27,061
Received 1,910 Upvotes on 1,716 Posts
The best way to make a matching tongue and groove is with a router bit set.
 
  #3  
Old 11-25-18, 12:24 AM
Marq1's Avatar
Member
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: USA MI
Posts: 9,745
Received 1,210 Upvotes on 1,098 Posts
Ive personally never used a Dado set so others would have to comment but I have used my table saw to cut grooves when doing a flooring project but it takes several cuts to complete.

I know they make router sets.
 
  #4  
Old 11-25-18, 03:52 AM
Q
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Canada
Posts: 1,657
Received 1 Upvote on 1 Post
Is a router table needed as well? Is there a router bit for thicker wood then standard?

I already have a table saw so thought it would be cheaper.
do they sell 1/4" thick blades so I don't have to buy a dado set?
 
  #5  
Old 11-25-18, 04:06 AM
A
Member
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: U.S.A.
Posts: 1,902
Received 73 Upvotes on 66 Posts
You can do it on your table saw, using the blade(s) that you have, by making two passes or with intersecting cuts. Edge cutting can be be a bit finicky, keeping it tight to the fence, and any significant bowing can make it tougher, so setting up for two passes might be the simplest approach. Unless a router is already on the wish list and in the budget I would use the table saw. With the money you'd save on that though now would be a good time to buy or build an outfeed stand.
 
  #6  
Old 11-25-18, 04:08 AM
M
Forum Topic Moderator
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: USA - N.E.Tn
Posts: 45,659
Received 835 Upvotes on 732 Posts
How many boards do you have to do? I've cut tongues before using my table saw, 2 cuts will approximate one 1/4" cut.
 
  #7  
Old 11-25-18, 04:50 AM
A
Member
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: U.S.A.
Posts: 1,902
Received 73 Upvotes on 66 Posts
Forgot to mention, but a couple other things to go along with an outfeed support, Featherboards can make the job easier and safer, and can be bought, but you can make them out of any 3/4 scrap that you might already have. And any c clamp or woodworking clamp that you have will suffice in holding them in place. If it doesn't have one, you might also want to add a sacrificial board to the side of your fence, and, again, a piece of scrap can suffice, as long as you have something straight and long enough. This way you can cut your dado along the side closest to the fence rather than away from the fence. So a few things to help the job along, but very little if any additional cost, and a whole lot less than a router and bits.
 
  #8  
Old 11-25-18, 05:02 AM
Norm201's Avatar
Member
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: United States
Posts: 10,956
Received 721 Upvotes on 640 Posts
If only few cuts then use the saw, but if you have more than just a few buy the router and chalk it up to part of the project cost.
 
  #9  
Old 11-25-18, 05:05 AM
Q
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Canada
Posts: 1,657
Received 1 Upvote on 1 Post
At least 100 boards I think.
will the router bits work for 1" thick boards?
Most flooring is thinner nowadays.
 
  #10  
Old 11-25-18, 05:41 AM
Marq1's Avatar
Member
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: USA MI
Posts: 9,745
Received 1,210 Upvotes on 1,098 Posts
The table saw option is doable but requires 3-4 passes for each groove and with that thick of material probably 3-4 on each side for a tongue so it's slow going.
 
  #11  
Old 11-25-18, 07:13 AM
Q
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Canada
Posts: 1,657
Received 1 Upvote on 1 Post
What bit so you need to make the tongue on a 1" board? 1/4" tongue
 
  #12  
Old 11-25-18, 07:30 AM
XSleeper's Avatar
Group Moderator
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 27,061
Received 1,910 Upvotes on 1,716 Posts
  #13  
Old 11-25-18, 08:35 AM
A
Member
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: U.S.A.
Posts: 1,902
Received 73 Upvotes on 66 Posts
If you do go with a router, a couple of things to keep in mind. Routers will remove wood in either direction, but for safety and efficiency they are directional. Facing the board, and routing the edge closest to you, you're going to move from left to right. If for example you found it easier to route the edge away from you, you would move the router from right to left. Also, you should have clean, smooth, cuts. If you see burn marks on the wood, or discoloration on the bit you probably have the router speed set too high or are moving it too slowly along the edge.
 
  #14  
Old 11-25-18, 10:42 AM
XSleeper's Avatar
Group Moderator
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 27,061
Received 1,910 Upvotes on 1,716 Posts
You also don't have to use a handheld router. You often will get better results by using a router that is fixed... mounted in a table.
 
  #15  
Old 11-25-18, 11:21 AM
Tolyn Ironhand's Avatar
Group Moderator
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: United States
Posts: 14,329
Received 877 Upvotes on 740 Posts
Since you have a table saw a dado blade might make more sense. They do not make blades with a 1/4" kerf other then a dado blade. If you set up the saw correctly you should be able to make the tongues with two passes and only one set up.

The grove I would recommend also making two passes to make sure the grove is perfectly centered. It is the Norm from the New Yankee Workshop technique of running the board through, then turn it around and run it through again.

It will take some time but I suspect 100 boards will only take a few hours to mill.
 
  #16  
Old 11-25-18, 01:54 PM
Marq1's Avatar
Member
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: USA MI
Posts: 9,745
Received 1,210 Upvotes on 1,098 Posts
I am not sure what type of wood you have but if it's oak it will quickly dull even the best of blades.

My last oak flooring job I came across this blade, it;s for laminate and hardwood and it's got diamond dust on the tips vs carbide and it's the most phenomenal blade I have ever used.

By the end of the job, both my miter saw and table saw were cutting the boards like butter.

However the blade is not 1/4 thick, so back to the multi passes for each cut!

https://www.doityourself.com/forum/a...1&d=1543182865
 
Attached Images  
  #17  
Old 11-26-18, 02:17 PM
Q
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Canada
Posts: 1,657
Received 1 Upvote on 1 Post
For 3/4" stock do you need a 1" bit?
willa 3/4" bit not be good enough? The floors would be sanded after to be flat...
 
  #18  
Old 11-26-18, 02:23 PM
XSleeper's Avatar
Group Moderator
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 27,061
Received 1,910 Upvotes on 1,716 Posts
You said previously that you had 1" stock. If you have 3/4" stock you need the bit that says it is for up to 3/4" stock.
 
  #19  
Old 11-26-18, 04:42 PM
Q
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Canada
Posts: 1,657
Received 1 Upvote on 1 Post
Yeah I remeasured but some arms just slightly thicker then 3/4 so will the tongue be off center?
 
  #20  
Old 11-26-18, 05:22 PM
XSleeper's Avatar
Group Moderator
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 27,061
Received 1,910 Upvotes on 1,716 Posts
The whole point of using a router is so that everything will match PERFECTLY, assuming you run it all through in the same direction and don't change the bit height until you have run all the boards through. With a table saw, you would likely be changing the fence and blade height multiple times, along with flipping the stock as your rip it.... keeping it tight to the fence as you rip it... hoping none of the boards are bowed as you rip them, etc. All of these things can introduce user error.

With a router, the tongue height will be consistant in relation to ONE SIDE of the trim. (The bottom) So the tongue would only be off center if you flip your pieces upside down. Any difference in thickness (the top) will need to be sanded down after the floor is installed.

I assume that up to 3/4 means up to 3/4... not up to 13/16. But it depends on the bit you buy. It should say. So you would either need to run all your boards through a thickness planer if you want them to be consistent, or do it as explained above.
 
  #21  
Old 11-26-18, 07:07 PM
R
Member
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: United States
Posts: 5
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
I just went through this same nightmare with some T&G ceiling and to make it worse, the material I was matching was also V joint. I had it use 1X6 pine to mill it .The router is the only way to go. The cutter will be referenced at the point of contact for more consistant results. You will just have to figure it out ,but going off the top of the boards I found was best. You can get a good tongue using a simple straight cutter and pick up a slotting bit for the groove..It is also used to cut biscuit slots The reason the table saw didn't work for me was the length and condition of the rough stock. Your boards would have to be perfect to get away with that method ,and flooring is not ,typically.Good luck and be ready for some trial and error. One more thing, bearing guided bits are fine but I found that a short piece of straight 1X4 clamped to the router base and adjusted correctly made transitioning on and off the boards a lot smoother. It's a hand held router table and it works. Very small C-clamps are the ticket for that. You'll get some looks but pay no mind. Like I said ,Good luck.
 
 

Thread Tools
Search this Thread
 
Ask a Question
Question Title:
Description:
Your question will be posted in: