Cut dados with a Festool track and router

In this video I will show you how I cut dados in wide boards using a Festool router and track.

[@philipperoue3760]

Thank you to this video and the technical point with your FESTOOL router.

[@DarrensWorkshop]

Hi Philippe. You are welcome, thank you for leaving a comment.

[@jeannejanicki1152]

You have the best tutorials on KZbin

[@DarrensWorkshop]

Thank you Jeanne.

[@ajkustoms5386]

Thanks for this!! I have the same router and i have not had a chance to make a cut like this with it just yet. And i need to make one tomorrow at work on a very important piece for a job we are doing. While watching this video, i was doing a dry run on how to actually set up for a cut like this so that i dont look like a moron at work in front of everyone lmao. So again, thank you for this tutorial!!

[@DarrensWorkshop]

You are welcome AJ. Have a great day.

[@mtericktucson]

Appreciate the instruction, your set up is spot on!

[@DarrensWorkshop]

Thanks Mark. Have a great day.

[@dannymaloney6300]

Thanks for your time to share your knowledge love the enthusiasm 👌

[@DarrensWorkshop]

Thanks Danny. Comments like this keep me coming back with more. Have a great day.

[@Tool-Meister]

Get a down-cut spiral bit. You’ll love the cleanliness of the cut for dados.

[@DarrensWorkshop]

Yes, they are great, I have one and an uncut too.

[@murphyrp01]

Looking to get a Festool router as have had terrible run with my Dewalt. Will get the guide accessories that you used here. I recall there is a support piece that I have seen used to keep the router level when not fully supported on track. I noticed you didn’t use it. Thanks again. Good video. Good Australian made content.

[@DarrensWorkshop]

I get that question a lot. The answer is here kzbin.info/www/bejne/pWXdlaqOmN2Airc

[@mrkrause3]

Great job!

[@DarrensWorkshop]

Thanks Ken

[@roberthiday3342]

nice, thanks. It is my understanding that with the OF1400 there is a base you can get that compensates for the depth of the track, just like the 2200, although the 1400 does come standard with the foot.

[@DarrensWorkshop]

Hi Robert. Good to know, thanks.

[@jeffeverde1]

the rail guide kit for the OF-2200 also includes a special base plate (which Darren mentions in an older response). At 3:58, look closely at the base where it meets the squiggly line for the dado. At the front and back edges of the base you can see the "notch" where the outer half of the base is two layers thick, while the half closest to the rail is a single thickness. This step in the base allows you to position the router close to the rail, with the base of the router partially overlapping the rail.

[@ko6128]

Do you think it’s just as good to use only one of guide stop adapters on the rail versus using both of them? I learned the hard way that those undersized plywood bits suck, too much variance in that bit and the plywood so I’m left with lose dados. I’m going to try using a smaller spiral bit.

[@DarrensWorkshop]

Hi KO, you can use both adapters if you want as long as they don’t get into the way of your cut. Spiral bits will definitely give you a cleaner cut, but if your dado is too loose I suggest just sneaking up on the width so initially it will be a little bit too tight and then you just remove what you need to to end up with a perfect fit.

[@r.llynch4124]

You could use the woodpecker parallel guide to set your cut lines, then remove it and your on the money. Also,, the track stops can be used for dado's that don't go all the way thru. Get 2 undersized dado bits for your 1/2 and 3/4" and make one pass

[@ko6128]

Good info. Wondering why not use a bit that is width of dado that’s needed? Is there a standard depth for dadoes?

[@DarrensWorkshop]

Because the thickness of the wood is not the same as the diameter of any of the router bits I own. You’ll find this is more often the case and so this method will keep you covered for different eventualities.

[@ko6128]

Darren's Workshop got it. Thanks

[@jeffeverde1]

Darren - when using an undersize bit to do the two-pass method, it's not necessary to visually align the router bit to the second line (assuming you know your *actual* material thickness). The adjuster dial is marked in 1/10mm increments. In your example of a 10mm bit and an 11.7mm dado -- after making the first pass, just advance the dial 1.7mm and make your second pass. If you don't have a way of *accurately* measuring your material thickness, do a test cut in a piece of scrap to verify by test-fitting. P.S. - I like your high-visibility hose sleeve. No missing that when your hose is on the floor!

[@DarrensWorkshop]

Thanks Jeff, I couldn't agree more, but as you said, "assuming you know your actual material thickness". I have found ply

[@Benmeglei1]

Was that the actual decibel level of the router or you lowered the volume in post. Thank you for the video. 👊🏻

[@DarrensWorkshop]

Hi Ben, I usually lower the volume of machines in post. I think it makes the video more pleasant to watch (listen to). Have a great day.

[@ChristopherClaudioSkierka]

Hi there, good video :) can I ask you how deep did you go on each pass?

[@DarrensWorkshop]

Thanks Christopher. I set the maximum depth of cut and then just made 3 shallow cuts, but I took off roughly 2mm per pass.

[@ChristopherClaudioSkierka]

@@DarrensWorkshop thank you, I have seen others do what you do in one pass which seems too much. Can I ask you also ..do you think the 1010W ferstool router is also good enough for this type of work? I am trying to make my mind up between the 1400w (the one you have) and the 1010w watt machines

[@DarrensWorkshop]

Hi again Christopher, I have the OF1010, it is a good little router. The large one I have is the OF2200, also great. The OF1400 sits between these two as a general all purpose router. If you don't own a router at the moment, and only intend to buy one, then this would be the one I would recommend. Cheers Darren.

[@ChristopherClaudioSkierka]

@@DarrensWorkshop that is what I was thinking also :) thank you

[@jeffreycarlson1882]

It appears that you're using a router base with two thicknesses in order to compensate for the thickness of the track. Is this a Festool accessory or one of your own making? I also like to (sometimes) use the router instead of the table saw to make dados, but I don't like the uneasy, wobbly-ness of the router on the track due to the gap between the router and the material caused by the router riding on the track, up above the material. Your 'filler' base pad solves that problem! I'd like to use that solution on the OF 1400 router.

[@DarrensWorkshop]

Hi Jeffrey, Yes that is a genuine Festool offset base. It comes in the accessory kit for the OF 2200. I believe that the OF 1400 has a drop down leg that is meant to accomplish the same thing.

[@MrTresto]

@@DarrensWorkshop if you buy the 492601 rail guide for OF1400, it also comes with a drop down support leg that screws in and will add thickness to the side of the router away from the track. I know because I have a OF1400 and I have the rail guide too.

[@GNU_Linux_for_good]

05:22 *Damn it* - dead on !

[@DarrensWorkshop]

Cheers. Nice scenery in your Feathered Friend video. Where is that bridge?

[@TheAlogoc]

Can it run on makita rail?

[@DarrensWorkshop]

Hi, sort of. Festool tools will fit on a Makita rail, but the fit is not as tight so there is some potential for a less accurate cut.

[@georgescholey8978]

Shouldn't you have had the foot on the router to make sure it was 90 deg vertical? George South Yorkshire

[@DarrensWorkshop]

Hi George, The OF2020 doesn't have a foot like the OF1400. Instead I have an offset base installed on the router that compensates for the height of the track.

[@georgescholey8978]

Darren's Workshop ok thanks. Learn something every day!

[@johnmutton799]

Shim the bars at the back to get the bars parallel to the base. Then run the router on the work piece, not the guide rail. If you do not shim the bars the bars will lift at the back, so when used on the guide rail it tilts the router. Shim the bars and when you run on the work piece the cutter is perfectly 90° to the base. It is then like engineering in wood. Running it as you are the router is tilted., so the cutter is not cutting at 90°. Put a engineering square against a straight bit and you will see for yourself that the base and cutter is in perfect alignment. So shim the bars and see for yourself! And enjoy!

[@DarrensWorkshop]

Hi John, I am using an offset router base that compensates for the height of the guide rail, so there is no need for shims.

[@jeffeverde1]

Apparently you are not familiar with Festool rail guide for the OF-2200 (FESTOOL GUIDE STOP FS-OF 2200 494681). The lot includes a removable base for the OF-2200 which raises the router so that the it is inline with block that rides on the guide rail. This base has a cut-away bottom so that the router can be positioned with the bit just clear of the rail edge. At 3:58, look at the base where it sits on the squiggly line of the dado, and you can make out the stepped base. The right side of the base has a double-thickness of phenolic, while the left side is a single layer.

[@claudemaximus9409]

Your are missing the foot support on the router.

[@DarrensWorkshop]

No I wasn’t. It’s a Festool 2200. It doesn’t have a foot like the smaller routers. It uses an offset base, which I was using.

[@icecoldusa]

That's a very long process!

[@jeffeverde1]

Compared to the time to install a dado stack in your table saw and tune it to your undersized plywood? Darren was doing a one-off cut, and qoing step by step to explain everything =Typically, I have my router guide dialed in to a simple offset from the rail edge (like 10mm), and I just add 10mm to my actual dado positions when doing my layout lines. =Add a rail square to your setup and you don't need to mess with the long lines and checking for parallel - just make a tick mark at each dado position =If you're using an undersized bit and doing two passes, there's no need to measure a second time as Darren did. The adjuster knob is marked in 1/10mm increments, so you can quickly dial in the exact offset for your second pass =If you're doing a batch of the same parts, add parallel guides to your setup, with a set of flip-up stops to quickly make a series of repeatable series of cuts