I'm trying to nail down the best technique for cutting rabbets on my table saw. Typically, I've been laying the board flat and making the crosscut for the groove first, then standing it up to finish the vertical cut. Recently, I've spotted videos suggesting starting with the vertical cut instead. Does one method offer more accuracy or is it just a matter of preference? Does the order of cuts really make a difference?
3 Answers
I thought the way to go was to just keep making crosscuts like you would with a dado, using a miter gauge or sled. It feels easier, but I might have to try out the sacrificial fence method!
There's no single 'right' way to cut a rabbet, but I usually keep the piece flat and use a sacrificial fence. You don’t need anything fancy; a simple flat piece of plywood or MDF clamped to your fence works great! Here's a quick video that shows my method: https://youtu.be/ITznLrvJKR8?si=cn-j43kpDVKtwLgW
I prefer using a dado stack that's a bit wider than the rabbet size and combine that with a sacrificial fence. This way, I can get the cuts just right, which makes a big difference in how clean the rabbet turns out.
Yeah, I do a similar thing. I clamp a board to the fence to help keep the pressure down on the work. It really helps with accuracy!