Rant: I had to pick between a $200 dado stack and a router jig for a big batch of drawer boxes.

Karen Hernandez · 2026-03-28T15:55:07.947947+00:00

The job was for 24 identical drawers, and I went with the dado stack to save time, but the tear-out on the plywood edges was a nightmare. I ended up spending more time sanding and fixing than I would have setting up the router. What's your go-to method for clean, repeatable dados in sheet goods?

holly635mo ago

@beth_green that zero clearance insert really that big of a difference?

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the_john6mo ago

My buddy in Austin ruined a whole sheet of birch ply the same way.

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beth_green6mo ago

Ever think the real problem was your feed speed or blade quality? A sharp dado stack with a zero clearance insert and painter's tape on the cut line should leave almost no tear out.

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