# Dovetail joints



## MadcapMagician (Nov 3, 2017)

Hey guys,
I am looking to learn how to do dovetails. I have an old 8” Craftsman dovetail jig and I fried the 1/2 side of the template. Going to try the 1/4 side tomorrow. Any tricks or tips I should know about. If I mess up the new side, who makes a decent priced jig.

Thanks in advance


----------



## Toolman50 (Mar 22, 2015)

You cannot use the template without installing a guide on your router first. Without a guide your bit will eat your template.


----------



## johnep (Apr 12, 2007)

The Leigh often said to be the best jig. Try ebay/craigslist.
johnep


----------



## MadcapMagician (Nov 3, 2017)

I actually had the guide installed and it still ate it. Practice makes perfect


----------



## TomCT2 (May 16, 2014)

I purchased the Porter Cable short time ago - other choices at various woodworking supply houses. however one user comment sold me on the Porter Cable: "all metal" 
I'm not anxious to find out five years from now one of the (plastic) templates has warped / taken a set / whatever . . . .


----------



## MadcapMagician (Nov 3, 2017)

Infigured out what I did. I had the 1/4 dovetail guide whilst trying to do the 1/2 dovetail.


----------



## canarywood1 (Jun 9, 2016)

You need a 1/4 inch bushing or you'll do the same thing to that side.


----------



## WeebyWoodWorker (Jun 11, 2017)

You could just do it by hand. Then you don't have to worry about routers chewing up your jigs. It would be so much more work but it might beat chewing through a couple hundred dollars of a jig. I don't exactly do dovetails often so it's not worth me getting a router jig if you intend to do them often than yeah best learn how to use a jig. 



Also on a side note every time I see your username I automatically read it as MagikarpMagician, just figured I'd point that out for the heck of it.


----------



## jburchill (Feb 22, 2014)

Toolman50 said:


> You cannot use the template without installing a guide on your router first. Without a guide your bit will eat your template.



What do you mean guide? I have a bosch router, and what type of guide do I need if I want to use it with a template? I am new to this so I'm trying to figure out what I need to start making dovetails.


----------



## canarywood1 (Jun 9, 2016)

jburchill said:


> What do you mean guide? I have a bosch router, and what type of guide do I need if I want to use it with a template? I am new to this so I'm trying to figure out what I need to start making dovetails.


Maybe this will help you understand.


https://www.woodmagazine.com/woodworking-tips/techniques/routing/understanding-guide-bushings


----------



## Chris Curl (Jan 1, 2013)

I would much rather cut dovetails by hand. It takes some time to learn how, but in my opinion, the time spent is well worth it. They take a little longer than a jig, about 2 minutes per dovetail, but I find it to be much more satisfying and less stressful. My reasoning has to do with the whole thing about having to put on ear, eye and lung protection for woodworking, and then having to clean up the fine dust that routers kick up into the air off of everything in the garage ... takes the enjoyment out of it.

That is just me. Sorry if it is not 100% on topic.


----------



## jburchill (Feb 22, 2014)

canarywood1 said:


> Maybe this will help you understand.
> 
> 
> https://www.woodmagazine.com/woodworking-tips/techniques/routing/understanding-guide-bushings



Thanks! I just started reading that.


----------



## jburchill (Feb 22, 2014)

Does this look like a good guide kit for Bosch router
http://www.internationaltool.com/bo...MImOa1zPyM2AIVRLbACh3LJwj0EAQYBCABEgJgT_D_BwE


----------



## canarywood1 (Jun 9, 2016)

jburchill said:


> Does this look like a good guide kit for Bosch router
> http://www.internationaltool.com/bo...MImOa1zPyM2AIVRLbACh3LJwj0EAQYBCABEgJgT_D_BwE


I'd say it's a pretty good deal, as the adapter alone sells for $19.00


----------



## jburchill (Feb 22, 2014)

One more question. Looking at the porter cable jig. That looks to go up to 12 inch boards. How do you go beyond 12 inches?


----------



## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

If I needed to go beyond 12" I would buy a jig that went to the size I needed.

George


----------



## TomCT2 (May 16, 2014)

jburchill said:


> One more question. Looking at the porter cable jig. That looks to go up to 12 inch boards. How do you go beyond 12 inches?


how? pretty simple, you don't.
never tried it, but I suppose you could match up two narrower boards for glue edge and dovetail alignment, then cut the two narrow boards separately and glue together into something wider than 12"

there are long/longer "fingerboards" available that one simply clamps to the work piece.
after cutting the first 2 feet, you can move the fingerboard and cut the next 2 feet of pins/tails
the set up is infinitely more painstaking.


----------



## Terry Q (Jul 28, 2016)

If there is a way to do it I’m sure YouTube will have videos. Leigh dovetail jigs come in different capacities.

Truth be told, 90% of the projects you do using a dovetail jig will probably be under 12 inches. You will find that, even with a dovetail jig, fitting together eight or ten dovetails along the edge of the board can be a difficult fit. 


In woodworking there is always more then one way to accomplish something.


----------



## jburchill (Feb 22, 2014)

Reason I ask about length is I was thinking of making a toy box and joining the sides. Wasn't sure if I was going more than 12 inches.


----------



## TomCT2 (May 16, 2014)

there are several styles like this
http://www.testequipmentdepot.com/general/wood-working/jigs/861.htm?

they clamp on, you can slide them along any length, the downside is a tedious setup for accuracy.
the instructions are on there in pdf - you can take a look and see if it fits you needs.


----------



## kjhart0133 (Feb 4, 2009)

Do 'em by hand. Once you master the technique (and it's not hard) you'll toss out all those clumsy jigs.

I suggest you start with this video:
https://www.amazon.com/Dovetail-Drawer-Frank-Klausz/dp/1561587044/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1513526668&sr=8-2&keywords=frank+klausz
Practice on a couple of scraps and soon you'll be a Dovetail Master. You can then extend these techniques to half-blind and other custom dovetails. I've done quite a few drawers this way and now I can complete a whole drawer in about an hour. That's cutting the boards to width & length, and four dovetail joints by hand!


----------

