Cleaning Out And Assembling The Housing Dado — Joint Variation: Stopped/Stepped Housing Dado

Removing the ridge from a stopped housing uses the same methods as a through housing. However, you can only work from one end, and the stopped side must end crisp and square to the length of the recess, especially if the housed piece won’t have a notch to conceal the end of the recess.

Take out the bulk gradually from the top with a sharp chisel that fits comfortably in the recess and work your way down to the bottom. Use a double handed grip on the chisel to take controlled forward jabs until you are approximately level.

Take the centre ridge off gradually with a medium size chisel, but take care to stay level

Use a double handed grip on the chisel and work to your depth line

Make sure the walls are cut to depth all the way up to the stopped end

Set the router plane to just above your final dado depth and use it to even out the recess. Use the knife in the corners to remove the fuzzy bits. Trim the stopped end of the recess with a sharp, wide chisel. Ensure the walls are down to depth all the way to the end, and carefully lift up the waste.

Be particularly careful when paring the very end of the joint; this is long grain and you must exercise great control to direct the cutting edge where you want it, because it will naturally want to take the path of least resistance.

Route out the bottom of the recess for a guaranteed level surface

Go back in with the knife if the walls aren't deep enough

Trim the stopped end carefully since this edge will be visible

Finish severing off any fibres still attached using a sharp chisel

Lift out the debris to stop anything holding up the joint from seating properly

Once you have cleaned out the stopped end of the recess, assemble the housing dado. Use a chisel hammer to ensure the housed piece bottoms out in the recess. There should be no gaps along the front. If there are, take the joint apart and trim as necessary.