Today I made a post showing using a kerfmaker that I made to help make perfect dados for mating parts. But there's another way I often use that's just as quick.
The details
You'll need a gauge (of sorts) that takes into account the mating part thickness and the saw blade kerf. Here's how its done.
Set a fence stop approx. 6" from blade but this doesn't have to be exact. Once you cut the scrap length the fence stop does move.
Next, you insert the mating part (This will be the part that inserts into the finished dado) between the scrap length you just cut and the stop.
Then you cut off the portion sticking out from the left of the blade. This is now your gauge. Seen here with a "star". Save this piece. You will use it to make your perfect dado.
Set your blade height for the dado depth. Make your first cut.
Way back when I still had some memory left, and could remember which step I was at, I used to do a lot of those spacer, cut it, stop here, and insert there, kind of work arounds. Now I have got a really good dado blade, and one of these.
Thing even tells me which parts, and pieces of the Dado set to use to build it up to the correct width. The only figuring I need to do is where I want to stick the Dado. I guess I swapped memory for $$$$$. :-)
I saw your kerfmaker, and everyone should have something like it though.
To be honest, I only use one of the two tablesaw methods I mention or once in a great while a router if I have many dados to do. But far and away and most of the time I do my dados by hand tools. I can use my backsaw, chisel and router plane and have it done by the time power tool users load their blades or bits and have it set up. Just sayin' 😉
