Cutting a rabbet is a basic operation on a table saw or router table. Here’s the process:

1. Determine Rabbet Dimensions: Decide on the width and depth of your rabbet. A common rule is to make the rabbet's depth one-third to one-half the thickness of the board. The width is often determined by the thickness of the mating piece.
2. Set Blade/Bit Height: On a table saw or router, set the height of the blade or bit to the desired depth of the rabbet.
3. Set the Fence: Position the fence to control the width of the rabbet. The distance from the outside of the blade/bit to the fence will be the final width of the cut.
4. Make the First Pass: Run the workpiece through with the face held flat against the table. This cuts the depth of the rabbet.
5. Make the Second Pass (if needed): For a table saw, a second cut is needed to clear the waste. Place the board on its edge and run it against the fence to cut away the cheek and complete the L-shaped groove. A dado stack or router bit can often cut the full rabbet in one pass.

• Rabbet: An L-shaped groove or recess cut into the edge of a workpiece.
• Shoulder: The internal corner of the rabbet cut.
• Cheek: The vertical face of the rabbet cut.
• Dado Stack: A specialized set of wide blades for a table saw that can cut the full width of a rabbet in a single pass.
• Rabbeting Bit: A router bit with a bearing on the end, designed specifically for cutting rabbets of a certain width.

"A rabbet joint's strength comes from its mechanical support and its large glue surface. When you're using a rabbet to join case sides, like in a cabinet, the joint itself helps keep the carcase square during assembly. It's a much stronger and more reliable method than a simple butt joint. For inset cabinet backs, a rabbet is non-negotiable. It gives you a perfect lip to register the back panel and provides a wide area for glue and fasteners, making the entire structure more rigid." - Professional Cabinetmaker

Inset Cabinet Back: You are building a cabinet from 3/4" plywood and want to inset a 1/4" back panel.
You would cut a rabbet that is 1/4" wide (to match the panel) and about 3/8" deep (half the thickness of the cabinet side) into the back edges of your cabinet pieces.

Picture Frame: You need to create a recess in the back of a picture frame to hold the glass, artwork, and backing.
A common size for this is a 1/4" wide by 3/8" deep rabbet. This provides enough space for the contents while leaving enough wood for the frame's integrity.

• Cutting Too Deep: Making the rabbet deeper than half the board's thickness can significantly weaken the corner.
• Inconsistent Depth: If the workpiece is not held flat on the table saw or router table, the depth of the rabbet will be inconsistent, leading to a poor fit.
• Tear-Out: Cutting rabbets, especially across the grain in plywood, can cause splintering. Using a backing board or scoring the cut line first can help prevent this.
• Incorrect Width: A rabbet that is too wide for the mating piece will be loose and weak. One that is too narrow will prevent the joint from closing.

• Cabinet Backs: The most common use, allowing a back panel to be set flush into the back of a cabinet carcase.
• Shiplap: Cutting rabbets on opposite faces of two boards allows them to overlap neatly.
• Picture Frames: Creating the L-shaped recess to hold the glass and artwork.
• Drawer Construction: A rabbet can be used to join drawer fronts to the sides for a strong, clean look.