Help me cut this groove

9 years ago

See the attached photo. I have two pieces of moulding that come with a groove cut in them. I'm trying to cut a groove across the solid part to connect the grooves and I want the groove to match. Trying to make it look seamless.

I tried to do this with a Dremel but I struggled to make a straight line even though I used a doohickey that came with my Dremel for making straight lines. The doohickey is very flimsy, and I possibly didn't use the right bit.

Is it possible to do what I want with a Dremel or do I need a different tool to achieve this? I need to reliably do this about 20 times because each time I screw up will cost me $20.

Any advice?

Featured Answer

klem1

9 years ago

last modified: 9 years ago

"I am clearly not experienced in this department so dumbing things down for me will help me understand how to do it."

Well that certainly doesn't make you a bad boy. Would you believe ol Mac and me were in the same boat back about,,,,,,,well that's another story. (: Now that we know you don't have many woodworking tools,we'll figure out another way of doing it. Help us out here Mac,what did you use when you were young and broke? I'm thinking the Dremel will do it with a little help. The first thing you need is a guide,hopefully the "doohicky"you already have.Here it tis.( DAG NAP IT,I HAD A PIC IN MY POST AND IT"S GONE NOW) One guide base,aka doohicky. Never mind that bit,it is for cutting tile.Pick up a 6 inch Irwin Quick Grip clamp at Home Depot or Lowes. You will use this clamp every time you turn around and wonder how you made it this far in life without one. I wager Mac own's no fewer than a dozen,I have more than I want my wife to know about. He who has the most clamps when he die's win's. Glue a straight piece of 1/4tr to 3/8ths thick X 6 to 12 inches long X 1 to 3 inches wide wood to a piece of 1/16th to 1/4tr hardboard/plywood leaving a few inches between wood strip and edge of plywood. After glue dry's,clamp the assembly to workbench/dining table with plywood overhanging edge of bench more than radius of doohicky. Mount chosen bit in Dremel,lower bit below doohicky base at least thickness of plywood. Starting at one edge,run doohicky against wood strip and cutting off excess plywood. Now if you draw a straight pencil line on material then clamp home made guide so that line barely peek's from beneath edge of guide,running doohicky against wood strip on plywood will perfectly remove line. If bit isn't wide enough to cut goove in a single pass,you can precisly adjust guide for multilple passes. Can you handle it?

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Comments (6)

User
9 years ago
Router and guide. You will need to make the guide and use a straight bit with a flat bottom profile.
User
9 years ago
^^ THAT ^^

take the grooved thing to the store with you to select the right size bit.
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klem1
9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Do you have a router and guide? Is it a common size and shape groove found on common bits? Will you use the new bit profile enough in the future to justify buying it? I ask because there's other ways of skinning this cat (non are better or quicker,just more economical).
uscpsycho
Original Author
9 years ago
I do not have a router or a guide. And I haven't a clue about how to make a guide, as was recommended above.

The width of the groove is either 1/8 or 3/16 and it is square. I believe a dado bit is what I would need to make this exact cut. I would never use the bit again after this project but I can't imagine the cost of a bit being prohibitive. Depending on how much they cost, buying a router and guide is another story.

I am clearly not experienced in this department so dumbing things down for me will help me understand how to do it.

Thanks!
User
9 years ago
What klem posted will work, but a more simple way is to use a router base like this one

and a straight edge like this one.

and a router bit Like these--the bigger one

Or a straight edge and two clamps.

Actually, I bought a Ryobi router for $15 and a 12 piece bit set for $6 for the first time I needed to do dado's. I already had a table saw, a radial arm saw, and a small belt sander.