by Tommy Gambon

Created on: October 01, 2010

There are several methods that will work for cutting notches in wood. The method you will use depends on the type of notch you need to cut. The most basic notch of all would have to be a rabbet notch. A rabbet is a notch that runs along the edge of the piece of wood, forming an L-shape. Rabbets are most often used in cabinetry work, when it is necessary to recess the back panel of the cabinet. A rabbet is cut around the inside perimeter of the cabinet and the panel is laid in place.

To cut a rabbet use a router and a rabbeting bit fitted with a ball bearing guide. Install the bit in the router and adjust the depth of cut to the size of your back panel thickness. Start the router and while maintaining a firm grip move it into position, pressing the bearing against the woods surface. Move router from left to right along the panels edge, use caution when nearing the end of the cut, as the bearing will continue around the corner and ruin your work piece.

The next type of notch is called a dado, a dado is a "U" shaped notch across the middle of a piece of wood. Dadoes are often used in cabinetry to add strength and support to non-adjustable shelving. After marking the position of the dado using a square and a pencil. Fit the router with a flat bottom dado bit the size of the shelf material. A dado bit lacks the guide bearing of the rabbeting bit.

For this cut you will need to clamp a straightedge to the workpiece to guide the router. With the router unplugged from the power, measure the distance from the edge of the router bit to the edge of the routers baseplate. This number is the distance from the cut line where you will clamp your straightedge to the workpiece. The straightedge needs to be at least eight inches longer than the workpiece is wide. This way when you start and stop your cut you still have something to guide the router.

Set the bit to the depth of the cut you wish to make, plug the router back in the wall, turn on. Holding the router firmly and moving from left to right, move the router against your straightedge, then begin your cut. Be sure to keep the router pressed firmly into the straightedge until the cutter is completely clear of the workpiece.

To cut a wider dado such as used in a half lap joint, use a circular saw with a fine cut carbide blade. Set the depth of the blade to exactly half the thickness of the wood. Here's where you probably want to test with a piece of scrap wood first. If your depth adjustment is not set just right your joinery will show it, either too deep or too shallow. Mark your work piece where you want your cuts to be with a square and pencil. Cut along the inside of both pencil lines first, using care to not go past the lines you drew. Too wide of a cut looks just as bad as too deep or too shallow does. Take your time here, it will payoff in quality workmanship.

After you make the two outside cuts, make a series of closely spaced (1/4"-1/2" apart) cuts to remove the excess material in the joint. Using a hammer and a wood chisel knock out all the waste inside the joint. Clean up the bottom of the joint with the chisel, using care to not cut too deeply. Cut the adjoining piece to match the first one.Put the two pieces of wood together and test fit the joint and adjust as necessary. 

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