Start At The Drill Press
1. Drill a shallow hole with a Forstner bit at the start and stop locations. Use a bit that’s slightly larger than the groove.
Dropping The Board
2. To start the groove, place the hole in the board over the bit (top photo) and hold it firmly in place while turning on the router. Then rout the groove until you come to the hole at the opposite end of the piece. Turn off the router and wait for the bit to stop.
A Time Saver
3. Stopping the groove means less work when putting the boxes together. You’ll have no holes in the sides to fill.