Table of Contents
How does a dovetail joint jig work?
Every dovetail jig has adjustable stops that set the distance between the first pin and the bottom edge of a workpiece. One stop is on the left side of the jig, for routing “left” corners; the other stop is on the right side, for routing “right” corners.
How do you use a dovetail jig?
How does a dovetail template work?
The tails of a through dovetail joint are routed on an adjustable template. One end of each pair of fingers forms a parallel slot for cutting tails with a dovetail bit. The other end of the fingers are angled to guide the pin cuts of the joint using a straight router bit.
What is a dovetail jig and why is it used?
The dovetail jig helps the woodworker to easily make dovetail or finger joints when constructing boxes and furniture items. Each template will use specific router bits, to cut dovetails on one side, and pins on the other side. Joined together, the two pieces form a dovetail joint that is strong and durable.
Do you need a dovetail jig?
When looking to increase the craftsmanship of your woodworking projects, a dovetail jig could be the answer. These jigs allow you to create strong and accurate dovetail joints for boxes, drawers, and furniture without fasteners. In fact, you could consider a dovetail jig an essential tool for any woodworking shop.
What are the disadvantages of a dovetail joint?
The disadvantages of dovetail joints are that they can be fairly difficult to mark out and cut, and if they are made badly these joints lose the advantages listed above. Depending on the project, function, and design, there are a number of different types of dovetail joints to choose from.
What tool makes dovetail joints?
Dovetail joints can be cut by hand as they have been for thousands of years, but power tools such as a table saw or a router and jig make the job much faster and accessible for total beginners.
What is the strongest wood joint?
Mortise and Tenon Woodworking Joints One of the strongest woodworking joints is the mortise and tenon joint. This joint is simple and strong. Woodworkers have used it for many years. Normally you use it to join two pieces of wood at 90-degrees.
How deep should a dovetail joint be?
For the basic sliding dovetail, that height should be about two-thirds of the width of the case side. If you’re making a shouldered dove- tail, allow for the 3/16″ shoulder depth in your layout.
Can you dovetail plywood?
The dovetail joint is a classic, beautiful, and strong method for connecting two pieces of stock. Using dovetails to connect plywood would considerably increase the chances of delaminating the plywood when testing the joint while dry fitting. What if you didn’t have access to a dovetail jig and a router?Aug 14, 2020.
How many dovetails do I need?
For drawers, boxes or trays 2″ or less I generally like a single dovetail. For 3″ to 3 1/2″ and less two dovetails, for 4″ three dovetails, for 5″ to 6″ four dovetails and for 6″ four or possibly five.
Are dovetail joints glued?
Dovetail joints show the care and craftsmanship applied to woodworking projects. A few simple gluing and assembly tips make dovetail joint easier to put together. The glue can be applied while the pieces are completely separate, which is easier, but can be messy and difficult to fit joints together.
What is a French dovetail joint?
French dovetails have sliding joints and are shorter in height. A piece of furniture with a curved front will always have French dovetails, because English dovetails will not work with that shape. If you see one dovetail on each side, they’re French dovetails.
When did they stop making dovetail furniture?
Wider, uniform machine-cut dovetails were common in factory-made pieces from 1890 until the modern era. If a piece has no dovetails, it can still be a candidate for refinishing if it’s sturdy and well-designed, but it’s not likely to be an old piece with antique value.
How is dovetail spacing measured?
Generally, the widest portion of the pin should be equal to 1/2 the thickness of the material. The angle of the dovetail is generally between 15° and 20°. The spacing (space between the pins) is usually twice the width of the pins.
What is the most common dovetail angle?
Most commonly, woodworkers design their joinery using either a 1:6 or 1:8 dovetail angle.
What sort of gauge would you use to mark out a dovetail joint?
For scribing the baseline I use a Tite-Mark wheel gauge and/or a Hamilton marking gauge. Both are excellent and highly recommended. I like to use several marking gauges and leave each one set to do a specific task. I use dividers to space out my dovetails.
What does a dovetail bit do?
Use a dovetail bit in your router table or along with a dovetail cutting jig for the easiest way to cut dovetail joints. For machining dovetails, there’s really only one choice, but it’s a perfect one. Dovetail bits make dead-on angled slots in a single pass, and they can be used with a number of jigs and templates.
What angle is a dovetail router bit?
Dovetail bits come in an array of cutting angles—usually 7-14°—and heights (see photo, above), on both 1⁄ 2 ” and 1⁄ 4 ” shanks. Generally speaking, the greater the cutting angle, the stronger the joint.
What is a dovetail pin?
A series of ‘pins’ cut to extend from the end of one board interlock with a series of ‘tails’ cut into the end of another board. The pins and tails have a trapezoidal shape. Once glued, a wooden dovetail joint requires no mechanical fasteners.
