Best Way to Notch 2x4s for a Modular Shelf?
Asked by CraftyCat87
I'm working on a shallow shelf system that's intended to be modular and I need to make about 80 notches that are 1/2" deep and 3.5" wide, spaced every 4" apart. I have a few tools at my disposal: I could either chisel the notches, use a 3/8" dado blade on my table saw, or go with a palm router. I consider myself fairly skilled with a chisel, so I feel that might work better than trying to manage it all on the table saw, but I also thought about creating a jig for the palm router. What do you all think?
Answers
If your palm router can take a collar, then definitely make a jig and use that! The table saw is okay for the dados, but setting that up could be tricky for spacing them accurately. Another method is to take a handsaw and cut the walls on each side of the notch, then add a couple of kerfs in between. You can chip away the middle section and then flatten the bottom with a chisel—this method gives you a lot more control for accuracy. I think you'd find it useful!
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Chiseling 80 dados sounds like a major headache! I'd recommend using the table saw with a dado blade along with a miter gauge. You can use a box joint jig for this—set up a sacrificial fence on the miter gauge, cut your first dado, slide the board so the cut sits in the index, and just keep repeating. It'll save you so much time!
ChiselNinja38: Lol thanks! I had totally forgotten about that technique ?
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ShelfBuilder99: Yeah, I’m leaning towards using the router... The 2x4s are 80" long, so I think it'll be awkward on the table saw.