How to Build a Groove in a Piece of Wood

Raise the table saw blade as high as it will go and remove the throat plate around the blade with a screwdriver, turning the screws counterclockwise to remove them. Wedge a block of wood behind the blade and use a wrench to turn the arbor nut in the center of the blade counterclockwise to remove it.

Lift the blade from the saw. Open your dado blade set box and consult the chart typically pasted inside the lid of the blade bo, to calculate how many blades you will need to create the desired width of dado. This may vary from set to set, so consult the manufacturer's chart for best results or use a tape measure to measure blade thickness.

Stack the blades as needed, placing a chipper blade on both the inside and outside of the stack. The chipper is the coarse tooth blade that aligns the others. Fit the whole stack of dado blades onto the arbor spindle and tighten the arbor nut by twisting it clockwise. Tighten the nut with the wrench to lock the blade in place.

Set the depth of the saw blade to the desired depth of the groove, or dado, and replace the throat plate. Position the fence the correct distance from the blade to make the groove where you want it in relation to the edge of the wood. Lock it in place.

Start the saw and allow the dado blade to come up to speed. Run the wood over the blade, with its edge firmly against the fence and the face pressed down to the table. Use a push Stick to complete the pass to keep your fingers clear of the blade. Stop the saw and wait for the blade to stop turning. Inspect the dado and run it again if your groove is not smooth enough.