Full Dado with Pilot Holes?

[Nat Wheatley]

Is there a way to add pilot holes to a full dado joint?

[Jeremy Schiffer]

If this is what you're after, all you do is use a lock dado, and set the tenon thickness to 100%. Works great, we use it all the time.

[Nat Wheatley]

Thanks Jeremy. Are those the pilot holes done with the spot holes for pocket screws? If so, were you also able to eliminate the pocket for the pocket screws?

Nat

[Jeremy Schiffer]

The pilot holes are actually custom KD/RTA hole patterns, because when you choose Lock Dado as a joinery method, it wants to use KD/RTA fasteners and their associated hole patterns. So, you just make a "pattern" that is a single hole, get rid of the hardware, and voila.
I've uploaded our patterns so you can see. Change the file extension from .txt to .ptn of course.

[Nat Wheatley]

Got it, thanks very much for the help.

[Donald Thomson]

Thank you so much for providing these PTN files. A question, I'm trying to rename them to a PTN file and when I right click and select rename, and put .ptn in the name, it appears to now be a fil.ptn.txt file. How do I get rid of the .txt extension and change it to a .ptn extension? These things were always so much easier until Windows started "helping" (getting in the way of) perform tasks.

[Jeremy Schiffer]

"These things were always so much easier until Windows started "helping" (getting in the way of) perform tasks." --- you can say that again!

Not sure what version of Windoze you're using, therefore I'm not sure how much nannying you need to overcome. But this way should work: Re-download the pattern files by RIGHT-CLICKING on the link, and click Save As or Save Link As. That will (should?) give you the option to rename the file before you download it. (I'm on Win 8, and it works for me...)

[Jeremy Schiffer]

I should also mention, notice those file names: The one with 3-4 in it is for 3/4" material, the 1-2 is for 1/2" material. (can't use slashes in filenames.) So don't use the wrong one on the wrong material, or your pilot hole will be off center.

[Donald Thomson]

"These things were always so much easier until Windows started "helping" (getting in the way of) perform tasks." --- you can say that again!

Not sure what version of Windoze you're using, therefore I'm not sure how much nannying you need to overcome. But this way should work: Re-download the pattern files by RIGHT-CLICKING on the link, and click Save As or Save Link As. That will (should?) give you the option to rename the file before you download it. (I'm on Win 8, and it works for me...)

Windows 7 Pro here. Tried your idea. No go on my version of Windows. Saves it as filename.prt.txt. Not sure how to get around Windows "helping" me with this. I guess I could try it in the command shell and see if that would work....

[Donald Thomson]

Used the command prompt and it worked. Haven't used that in awhile. Took a couple minutes to remember the command line operations and their syntax. Thankfully I remembered the good old "?" to get refreshed.

[Ralph Balanik]

I use a modified kd pattern starting with the hafele model which is default. When I rename and save it the file type is applied by the software as it should be. I have attached a recent project that I did for a local business and used locked dados with my modified pattern. One other thing I will mention. THe 5mm hole which is drilled for the KD pins is not on the center of the work nor does it drill right through to the other side of the material. I have created a pattern for both 5/8 material and 3/4 material and set the depth so that the whole drills through the material but not too deep into the spoil board. I relocated the center of the 5mm hole to center on 5/8 and 3/4 in there respective patterns.I use this pattern when I want to drill pilot holes for conformat screw assembly. You do not have to use full width dados and tenons. you can keep the blind dado setting and adjust the lock dado tenon gap in construction settings to suit your preferences when designing your cabinet.

sales counter.hsf

(1.13 MiB) Downloaded 2006 times

[Denis L'Heureux]

To rename a file in Windows:
Open Windows Explorer
Select the Tools tab
Select Folder Option
Select View
Untick (unselect) Hide Extension for Known File Types.

Now when renaming a file, you can simply delete all including the .txt extension and your done.