DIY Wood Groove

Setting up the Saw

• 1

  Unplug the table saw so that it cannot accidentally restart. Fit a piece of wood behind the blade to hold it still and turn the arbor nut in the center of the blade counterclockwise with a wrench to remove it.

• 2

  Consult the instructions that came with the dado blade and stack the correct number and type of pieces together to form the thickness of dado, or notch, that you want. Typically, the blades cut 1/8 inch and both outside blades must be "chipper" blades, which have coarser teeth.

• 3

  Set the height of the blade as desired for the depth of the groove in the wood. Measure from the outside edge of the wood piece to the point where you want the groove to be positioned. Adjust the table saw's rip fence so that it is spaced from the blade to position the groove according to the measurement and lock it in place.

Cutting the Groove, or Dado

• 4

  Plug the saw back in and start the blade. Carefully run the wood over the blade, keeping it firmly down to the table, and against the fence, to cut the groove. Stop the saw and wait for the blade to stop before retrieving the wood. Inspect the groove and run it again if the bottom is not as smooth as you need.

• 5

  Sand the bottom of the dado smooth with 150-grit sandpaper. Repeat the process as needed to fit the remaining parts of your project.

• 6

  Remove the dado blade and reinstall the normal cutting blade when the groove is complete, to prevent damage to materials in future cutting.