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My first dovetail joint that didn't look like a beaver attack | Cabinetmakers - Vivisector

My first dovetail joint that didn't look like a beaver attack

I've been building cabinets for about 5 years now (self taught, mostly) and dovetails have always been my nemesis. Last Saturday I was out at a woodworking show in Charlotte and watched this old-timer named Pete do a demo. He was using a simple router jig he made himself from scrap plywood, nothing fancy. The trick he showed was to take a really shallow cut first (like 1/8 inch) and then sneak up on the final depth in 3 passes. Tried it on a poplar drawer box when I got home and it came out almost perfect. First time I didn't have to fill gaps with sawdust and glue. Has anyone else found a specific technique that made dovetails click for them?

2 comments

2 Comments

elliot_roberts1mo ago

I mean, that's a solid tip from Pete, but shallow passes might not be the whole story. One thing that gets overlooked is how the router bit's bearing follows the jig. If the jig's template is even a hair off, those shallow passes just cut a precise gap that's still off by that same hair. You'd be better off checking the jig's alignment with a square before any cutting. Another thing is the wood's grain direction on the tail board, if it's running the wrong way, it'll chip out no matter how many passes you take.

pat_roberts551mo ago

That old-timer Pete sounds like a real gem, @elliot_roberts, and I feel your pain on those dovetails. I have been there more times than I care to count, staring at a joint that looks like a chipmunk went to town on it. You are totally right about the router bit bearing and the jig alignment, I learned that the hard way on a cherry chest of drawers last year. The grain direction thing is a killer too, I had a tail board chip out on me once and I felt like throwing the whole piece across the shop. It is good to know someone else gets how frustrating this can be, but that shallow pass trick from Pete is definitely worth trying.