I don't have a dado stack for my table saw. (I need to get one.) The good news is, when you're working with stock this small, you don't really need one.



The objective here is to cut a groove that the bolt will slide through, freely. I know that the dimensions for my bolt are 1/2" x 1/4"... so the groove needed to be just a hair over 1/2" wide (on center), and a hair over 1/4" deep.



Now... lemme show you a lil' trick I learned in prison:



The way I set the cutting depth on my table saw is to use a combination square. Set the square for the desired cutting depth (in this case, just over 1/4") and use the bubble level to figure out when the blade has hit the appropriate height. Note: All this will do is get you in "the ball park." There will almost always be *some* fine tuning required. (See pictures for advice)



Set the fence so that the blade runs 1/4" inside the edge of the strip. (1/4" of material being left on each side of the groove leaves you with channel 1/2" wide.)



Use a piece of test wood to calibrate the cut. Once everything is set correctly, run your stock through on one side, and then the other (sets the edges of the groove). Then all you have to do is remove the wood in the middle.



Use a chisel to clean up any edges, and test fit with one of the bolt pieces you set off to the side. If it slides freely without rubbing on the sides of the groove, and doesn't rest above the edges of the groove, you're good to go.



Cut the gooved pieces to length. For each latch, you'll need one piece of grooved material that's 1 1/2" long, and another piece that's 1/2" long.