I’ve got a stack of drawers to dovetail, and have experimented a bit with Steve Latta’s method of combining hand and machine work to streamline the process. It works, and is very efficient – at least for me. The article detailing this is available here: http://www.taunton.com/finewoodworking/FWNPDF/011152056.pdf
I’ve been using a regular sawblade to cut the tails, but that leaves a bit of waste in the corners that needs to be chiseled out, thereby defeating some of the efficiency gained by using the tablesaw in the first place. Ideally, one would get a blade ground to the angle needed in order to produce clean and orderly tails.
Forrest Manufacturing sells a “dovetail grind” blade, but it’s about $120.00, and that’s a bit rich for my blood right now. Other options are to take one of my old blades to a local sharpener (and I don’t even know if there’s one around anymore), or to find another company that sells a more reasonably priced blade.
Anyone know of a source for this specialty item?
Zolton
If you see a possum running around in here, kill it. It’s not a pet. – Jackie Moon
Replies
Hey Zolton,
Only place I know of is here. They have the best prices I have found for Forrest blades, but it is still 120. I liked the article also, but the custom grind was alot of money for me also.
http://www.forrestsawbladesonline.com/product_595_10_40_Tooth_DOVETAIL_JOINT_GRIND__Specify_Angle__Left_or_Ri.html
Back from my 28 miles of training on the hills, have been out since 4:45 and it is 88 outside. Time to go work.
Morgan
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Morgan,
Thanks. That's the link I'd been looking at. I just can't justify spending that amount of dough on a blade that I'll only use very infrequently.
My next tack is to take a small blade - maybe an 8 or even a 7 1/4 - to a local sharpener, if I can find one still in business, and see if he'll do the job for me. I'll let you know how I come out.
We were rained out of our club ride last night. Torrential downpour, fierce winds, lightning, dogs and cats living together. So this afternoon I've got a solo 42 miler planned to make up for what I missed..
ZoltonIf you see a possum running around in here, kill it. It's not a pet. - Jackie Moon
You do realize that you need 2 blades don't you? One for each side of the dovetail.
I would think that you could flip the board around and cut from the other side.
Regards,Bob @ Kidderville Acres
A Woodworkers mind should be the sharpest tool in the shop!
I think your thinking is correct! I was thinking that since most would do all the layout on one face, that they would make their cuts the same way. But if he used Mark Duginskie's band saw method (or variation/combination to the one he's using) then there wouldn't be a need to have a special blade for the tablesaw. I think.;)
Methinks mebbe I overthought that!
I like the bandsaw method as well when doing a bunch of DTs. Use a 1/2" blade on the 14" BS and a 1/8" on the 10" BS to take most of out the waste, then pare with chisel(s).
But prefer doing them manually.
Regards,Bob @ Kidderville Acres
A Woodworkers mind should be the sharpest tool in the shop!
Bob,
You're right. The stock does get flipped to do the opposite side of the dovetail pin boards. I'll have to check into the bandsaw method of doing the cuts, though I'm pretty fond of the very clean cuts that can be achieved using the tablesaw. It'll be worth the look though, I'm sure.
ZoltonIf you see a possum running around in here, kill it. It's not a pet. - Jackie Moon
Not a direct answer to your question, but I use a similar process on dovetails when I don't feel like cutting them purely by hand, or if they are large through tails that will be exposed.
I use a stop block on the cross-cutting sled for the first edge of the first tail, then i stack spacers (adding one for each pass) between the piece and the stop block to nudge it over for each additional tail. The space needs to be the width of the wide end of the tail, plus the space between. Then I flip the board and cut again, pulling the spacers out one at a time. I fit's a through joint, I do the same thing on the band saw for the pins, because they are essentailly the same spacing from edge to edge...
The nice thing is once you can mill up a set of spacer blocks for each size of tails you normally make, and a sample board for each, you can use the sample board to quickly set up the stop block and start cutting in a matter of a couple minutes. This is especially true if your drawers are common sizes.
This won't solve your corner clean-up problem, but it is better than trying to re-set your fence for each cot on each tail. Especially if you are doing through tails and using the same spacers on the band saw to cut the pins.
Of course you still need to clean out between the pins and tails, but that's almost fun if your chisel is sharp.
Nice idea with the moving stop blocks. Very logical and effiecient. I think I understand you have blocks for doing standard drawers, say one set for a 6" drawer and another for a 7 1/2" etc. You use a setup board so you can set the first stop. Quick indeed.
You don't post very often, are you a hobbiest or do you run production work. Your description leads me to think it is the latter. A set of pictures, would be welcome, always worth a 100 words.
Thanks for posting, AZMO <!----><!----><!---->
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True, just posted the first time this week. I'm a hobbiest, though like every guy with a table saw I wish I could do it more seriously.
I'll try to snap a pic if I get some time soon.
Thx.
Since you have been around since 2004 you are light years ahead of me. I talk a lot, get in trouble, and Sarge or FG will get me out of trouble. Glad you started posting, amazing bunch of folks here on Knots. Just don't get in the middle of a Sh....ac war ;>)
Thanks for taking the time to post some pics, ahead of time. Do you ever do large drawers that way, like a pantry drawer that is 3 ft wide and 24" deep. Always wondered about holding a long board using the crosscut sled.
Morgan <!----><!----><!---->
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Very interesting idea to use a uniform set of spacers to set the dovetail widths and spacing! Sounds like a good project for a snowy day when nothing else is going on in the shop to set up a system like that. Thanks for the idea..
ZoltonIf you see a possum running around in here, kill it. It's not a pet. - Jackie Moon
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