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Post by bloonose on Nov 26, 2007 16:30:35 GMT
Looking for some advice regarding cutting through dovetails on a sideboard which is 40cm wide. Don't want to do by hand as the chance of c*ck up rather large and they need to look perfect being permanently on display. They will be various sizes and can't have the round part showing as left be some jigs / machines. I know the woodrat can do this but don't know if all of the models will cut on this wide a board? Any help appreciated.
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Post by dom on Nov 26, 2007 17:26:13 GMT
Hello Bloonose, welcome to the forum. We have a few Woodrateers, one is Alf. Personally I'd cut them by hand, carefully.  |
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Post by Alf on Nov 26, 2007 19:25:40 GMT
There's been some changes to the Woodrat line recently I believe, so I'm more than a tad out of date. Naturally Woodrat's site still doesn't make it easy to find the answer.  I think the Leigh'd do that size too, wouldn't it? But then I think there are different Leigh jigs out there now - gads, I feel so out of date. Not to mention I seem to have become unable to readily convert metric to imperial - that is about 16" isn't it? On the whole it'd probably be quicker and cheaper to do them by hand. Or change the design so they don't show... ;D Cheers, Alf |
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Post by engineerone on Nov 26, 2007 20:21:27 GMT
in principle the old style woodrat would allow you to do this by turning the part round in the jig, if it was through and through however how about a normal joint with only the dovetail at the end where it is visible??? can i think be as strong, and allow for more error room. paul |
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Post by mailee on Nov 26, 2007 22:49:31 GMT
Oh! way to go ALF, someone else who uses old money. I thought it was just me who had trouble with metrication. ;D |
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Post by colincott on Nov 27, 2007 8:33:59 GMT
Oh! way to go ALF, someone else who uses old money. I thought it was just me who had trouble with metrication. ;D No Mailee Me to and I did metric at school but as I have worked as a restorer and used old money, I some times use both when measuring up |
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Post by bloonose on Nov 27, 2007 8:40:15 GMT
Don't want to hide half the joint as this is a design feature, as will be the through dovetails on the drawer fronts. It looks like I'll be doing them by hand and just taking things very carefully/slowly or not making the item at all........
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Post by paulchapman on Nov 27, 2007 8:41:15 GMT
I thought it was just me who had trouble with metrication. ;D What's metrication  ;D |
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Post by Alf on Nov 27, 2007 9:07:43 GMT
in principle the old style woodrat would allow you to do this by turning the part round in the jig, if it was through and through iirc (and I seldom seem to be able to do so these days) you can rig up a marked batten to act as a replacement for the second fence when doing dovetails on wider stock the "Woodrat way" on said 'Rat. I think I'd be more tempted to disregard that and just cut the tails, mark up the pins as on hand work and cut them with the spiral guides set up but eyeballing to the line. The latter is surprisingly accurate and to be honest for the odd joint I think it's a bit easier than the "clever" way. You could probably rig up something similar in terms of a jig orientated much the same way as the 'Rat to cut the tails and at least remove the bulk of the waste from the pin board. Isn't there a template system that allows you to do pretty much that by making your own jig as long as you like? Is that the Stott one? Gifkins? Something like that. Anyone have the faintest idea what I'm talking about?  And I used to be 100% metricated, but what with the old tools and the 'Murrican influence in woodworking... Cheers, Alf |
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Post by misterfish on Nov 27, 2007 11:20:26 GMT
You could always have a look at the Leigh website - they have instructional videos online (including one for through dovetails) that would show you what their jigs will do. The larger jig (if I remember rightly) will cope with 2 foot wide boards. www.leighjigs.com/vids.php#MisterFish |
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Post by engineerone on Nov 27, 2007 12:02:39 GMT
sorry for being dumb, but surely if you are placing a "sliding" dovetail in the side of something, half or more will be hidden, only the front and rear being seen, and the rear may well be hidden by the back. so again i say, what about a 75% normal sliding rebate, and 25% at the front as a dovetail. it would certainly make the construction easier, as you could make the dovetail top the width of the rebate. the thing is you are talking about a decent width, whereas the drawers fronts etc are much smaller. paul |
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Post by Alf on Nov 27, 2007 13:21:01 GMT
sorry for being dumb, but surely if you are placing a "sliding" dovetail in the side of something I understood it to be basic through dovetails, not a dovetailed housing? Cheers, Alf |
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Post by bloonose on Nov 27, 2007 17:39:18 GMT
Been given the opportunity to use a large woodrat to do them if I wish, so thinking it over! Like the idea of cutting out the majority of the waste with a spiral bit and just cleaning up tidying the rest. I'm going to practice doing a few by hand while making a little box to pass some time, maybe this will give me some confidence!
Thanks for the comments......
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Post by dom on Nov 27, 2007 19:57:17 GMT
sorry for being dumb, but surely if you are placing a "sliding" dovetail in the side of something I understood it to be basic through dovetails, not a dovetailed housing? Cheers, Alf They are |
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Post by engineerone on Nov 27, 2007 21:13:24 GMT
having read the original through, it can i feel be read both ways i obviously took the thought that it might be for putting for instance dust panels, since he was mentioning the width of 40cm. in principal to me, if you mention the width of the panel, you are thinking about putting slots in the panel, rather than joining for instance the top to it paul |
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I think the Leigh'd do that size too, wouldn't it? But then I think there are different Leigh jigs out there now - gads, I feel so out of date. Not to mention I seem to have become unable to readily convert metric to imperial - that is about 16" isn't it?
