Thread: Dovetail Jig Stress

Not sure how the Eurojig works, but does it expect the stock to be the same thickness as the dovetail depth. Your photo seems to show the pin stock a bit thinner than the tail stock. This may result in your gappy fit, maybe?

Originally Posted by 9Fingers

I'm with wood borer. Cut them by hand. I find I can do it just as quickly as with machines and jigs. No setup time. Mark and cut. With a little practice you'll be surprise how well you can do it.

I find that hard to believe. I did eight draws (half-blind dovetails front and back) in a day using a router and jig setup. If you can do that by hand, especially half-blind dovetails, you're pretty quick.

Originally Posted by Naf

When I bought the jig the salesman told me that the bits with the bearings weren't as good as the normal bits.

He may be right (or just feeding you a line) but what I'm suggesting is to get a good quality dovetail bit, without a bearing, then buy the bearing separately. If you're worried about it slitting you can get a lock collar (as for drill bits) but, as scooter said, I find a drop of loctite is all that's required.

Obviously on a large production run, using jigs and routers is the way to go.

When doing small quantities, you have a choice of handcut or jig. I suggest the best people to make that decision are the ones who are familiar with both methods and have access to the tools required for both methods.

The argument of which takes the least time is pointless if time and throughput is important to one of the debaters but enjoyment of spending time doing woodwork is important to the other debater.

Good quality dovetails can be done using jigs and some would argue better quality can be done by hand methods by a skilled person.

It is all personal preference but I think some people refuse to consider making them by hand because they have never tried and they think it is difficult. They are not nearly as difficult as what some people imagine.

As for 8 drawers in one day dovetailed front and back cut by hand - certainly achieveable.

Im quite aware and understand where your coming from WB, but people in my position who make everyday furniture from crapiarta dont realy need to go to the extravagance of beautiful hand cut DT's, as all of my customers wouldnt know the difference so its not worth the extra effort(time is money/wasted)as they arent on display(hand cut should be IMHO).
Latter on when I start making fine furinture for myself they will be hand cut, and prob be asking you for your advice!

Originally Posted by Wood Borer

Obviously on a large production run, using jigs and routers is the way to go.

When doing small quantities, you have a choice of handcut or jig. I suggest the best people to make that decision are the ones who are familiar with both methods and have access to the tools required for both methods.

The argument of which takes the least time is pointless if time and throughput is important to one of the debaters but enjoyment of spending time doing woodwork is important to the other debater.

Good quality dovetails can be done using jigs and some would argue better quality can be done by hand methods by a skilled person.

It is all personal preference but I think some people refuse to consider making them by hand because they have never tried and they think it is difficult. They are not nearly as difficult as what some people imagine.

As for 8 drawers in one day dovetailed front and back cut by hand - certainly achieveable.

You know what they say, never trust a man who has no power points in his workshop.

Originally Posted by Gumby

You know what they say, never trust a man who has no power points in his workshop.

Gumby, wouldja lay off dragging those hoary old chestnuts out of the dark ages...


Cheers.........Sean, generation

Originally Posted by Gumby

It's National Plasticine Week Oct 17th - 19th

A week :confused: I call that 3 days. Or is that a week for a plasticine man.


Peter.

Originally Posted by scooter

Gumby, wouldja lay off dragging those hoary old chestnuts out of the dark ages...

You leave my testicles out of this !

Originally Posted by Sturdee

A week :confused: I call that 3 days. Or is that a week for a plasticine man.


Peter.

Well, it just shows that you're the only smart one one here Pete, I wondered if it would be picked up.
signed
Cryptic Gumby

Originally Posted by Gumby

Well, it just shows that you're the only smart one one here Pete, I wondered if it would be picked up.
signed
Cryptic Gumby

I'd give you a greenie for that reply but the board tells me that I must be more promiscuous before I can do it.


Peter.

Thanks to all for the replies. After checing out the manual for the trend and cmt jigs, they both say the dovetail bit needs to be 12.7 X 20mm 8degrees angle. The bit that I was sold with the jig is 12.7 X 16mm 10degrees CMT. If this is the problem then I still dont understand why the first few boxes were fine. I wont name the business that I went to but after being told that the bearing bits are rubbish and then being sold the wrong one, I find that pretty crap for a business that specialise in tools for wood.:mad:

Nathan

I still don't understand why the first few boxes were fine.

Nathan, if the jig and bit worked fine when first setup with ½" material, and also worked fine with 18mm material, but after changing back to ½" material it doesn't, the problem is almost certainly lies with the way the jig is setup. Try disassembling the jig to the state it was when you first unpacked it, and start again. Also check that your bit is not damaged.

ian

I'm not familiar with the jig, but the thing that has me puzzled, and i havnt heard anyone give any mention to it, is the fact that the angle on the tails are different to the angle of the pins, and all done with one router bit, that is the most puzzling part to me.

Could it be the template not being the right height at each end??? holding the router at a slight angle, causeing the different angles??????

Just a thought...

Yeah, I get confused too Mick. These jigs cut both the pins and tails at the same time. Hence the relationship between the depth of the bit, the angle of the bit and the gaps in the jig comb are critical to get the final job assembled. Every dovetail jig you buy (at least for half blind dovetails, dunno about through dovetails) specifies the dimensions of the bit required, I'm pretty sure the 10 degree bit Naf has, when 8 degrees was specified, is causing the problem. How did the joints work out properly the first time? Beats me.

Originally Posted by custos

Yeah, I get confused too Mick. These jigs cut both the pins and tails at the same time. Hence the relationship between the depth of the bit, the angle of the bit and the gaps in the jig comb are critical to get the final job assembled. Every dovetail jig you buy (at least for half blind dovetails, dunno about through dovetails) specifies the dimensions of the bit required, I'm pretty sure the 10 degree bit Naf has, when 8 degrees was specified, is causing the problem. How did the joints work out properly the first time? Beats me.

Does Naf have two bits? One for ½" material and one for 18mm material.
Is he now using the larger bit to cut the smaller dove-tails?

just a thought

ian