How to cut the Dado for the Back Panel

Cutting The Dado

Now for the dado. Rabbets are cut on the end of a board, dadoes are cut somewhere in the middle of the board. To cut the dado, set your saw to ¾". This time, it's ¾" from the right side of the blade. Run the other end of one of your sides through. Make sure you cut the dado on the same face side of the board. Here's what you're cutting this time: [fig]

Do the same to the other side panel then set your fence so that it is 1 ½" from the left side of the blade. Run both boards through. You have now cut your extremes which should measure ¾". Again, move your fence 1/8" closer to the blade and run both pieces through. Continue to move the blade 1/8" and cut until all the wood between your outside cuts is gone.

Dado For The Back Panel

Set your fence to ¾" and double check that the fence is ¾" from the right side of the blade. You have to be careful here that you dado matching sides. When the two pieces face each other, all the dadoes and rabbets should match each other like a mirror image. If you cut this dado on the wrong side, you'll have to remake that side. Here's what you're making:[fig]

Note the grooves in the back. So run both pieces through accordingly, then move the fence 1/8" away from the blade and run them both through again. This will give you a ¼" dado or groove. It's a good habit to run the top and bottom piece through with each cycle as well, that way things line up nicely. Then you'll have this:[fig]

Note that this view is of the back of the cabinet. This last dado is all that is cut in the bottom and top pieces.