Replies

1. 
   highfigh | Jan 16, 2006 05:59am | #1

   If you slice wood from the edge of a piece that matches the one that needs fillers, you can shave them to fit, put some glue on the end and drive it in. Match the grain direction of what's missing and once it's sanded, planed or whatever, it should be hard to tell that you filled anything in.

   "I cut this piece four times and it's still too short."
1. 
   wchips | Jan 22, 2006 09:04pm | #13

    Hi I like highfifh's method  I do it quite often .It works real well.

                                     Have a nice day Lee

1. 
   highfigh | Jan 22, 2006 10:12pm | #14

   Actually, it's not my method. I learned about doing it that way from Deneb, who demonstrates Lie-Nielsen tools, when I was at the WoodWorking Show last year. I'd like to claim it as mine, though.
   "I cut this piece four times and it's still too short."

1. 
   wchips | Jan 23, 2006 05:30pm | #15

     Hi

    It is a good idea whoever thought it up. No one ever showed me that trick. I used to repair lots of antique furniture for several dealers, Lots of those old peces of furniture had bad miters on the trim. So i tried filling in with small shavings, It worked.so one day i was messing around with dovetails and ended yp with a few gaps so i applyed that method to filling gaps in bad fitting dovetails.

                                Have a nice day Lee

1. 
   highfigh | Jan 23, 2006 05:58pm | #16

   Since dovetails have been around for a couple of thousand years, I'm sure there's no way to find out who did it first. My guess is that it was pretty close to the beginning.
   "I cut this piece four times and it's still too short."

2. 
   joinerswork | Jan 24, 2006 05:17pm | #17

   Here in VA's Shenandoah Valley, I've had the chance to see many blanket chests, mostly made by the area's Germanic woodworkers.  What I see a lot, is that the dovetails were deliberately cut on the loose side, and then wedged.  This will definately reduce the "pucker factor" during assembly, but this pragmatic approach does not agree with our present day aesthetic which seeks perfection. 

   The pins were typically split down the middle with a chisel, and the wedge driven in to spread them until the joint was filled.  When all the pins are wedged, the effect is not disagreeable.

   Regards,

   Ray Pine

2. 
   Samson | Jan 16, 2006 06:38am | #2

   Yeah, I'll second that - Don't use filler or saw dust and glue.  Instead make yourself some thin slices of wood and fill the gap by sliding these slices - covedred with a flim of glue - into the gaps.  It will make a better looking and stronger fix.  Done it more times than I'd care to admit!  It works well.

3. 
   ring | Jan 16, 2006 08:28pm | #3

   Just to underscore what's been said - don't use filler but rather cut slips of wood from the same pieces, maybe even what you chopped out. 

   DR

1. 
   jrogerh | Jan 17, 2006 07:04am | #4

   Think I'll try the slice 'n fill approach.  Seems like the best approach.  Thanks for the tip.

1. 
   philip | Jan 17, 2006 09:39am | #5

   Definitely forget about filling with glue and gunk. Wedges or slivers are the answer, and easy to do -once you have a suitable method for making them. An ordinary person should be unable to detect what has been done, and the joint will be strong.Nip them off with a chisel and sand if you like to sand drawer sides.Philip Marcou

   
1. 
   jrogerh | Jan 19, 2006 03:00am | #7

   Hey thanks for the pics.  Looks great.  That is definitely the way to go.  By the way, I assume you put the gap filler chips inafter the glue up.  You don't do a dry fit with chips and then glue up all at the same time do you?

1. 
   philip | Jan 19, 2006 09:45am | #9

   J, for your specific project, I would glue it up with no glue on the gaps. If there are no clamps in the way then I would attend to the gap inserts-failing that then do it when all is dry and you have recovered from the glue up panic.
   Er, the above scenario has never visited itself upon me.
   When the glue is dry, I plane flush and inspect-any voids will then be most obvious and can be suitably matched with a wedge or sliver.
   You may wish to look at my web site to confirm that I am not experienced in doctoring dove-tails: http://www.collectablefurniture.co.nzPhilip Marcou

2. 
   jrogerh | Jan 21, 2006 12:08am | #10

   Beautiful work Philip.  Thanks for the advice.  I suspect I will have to wait until the glue joint is completely dry before I set slivers to fill the gap.  The dovetails I am struggling with are the kind shown in your military chest where the top and side come together: many pins and tails and somewhat larger than the drawer joints.  After cutting the pins and tails my joints did not fit together.  I had trouble determining where the binding was taking place because there were 9 pins and tails.  It was difficult to tell if a specific joint was actually overlapping or just a tight fit.  I think some of my gaps were the result of paring down the wrong pin.  Thanks again.

2. 
   Lilshaver | Jan 17, 2006 07:43pm | #6

   I concur with others in regard to the best approach. In addition I'd suggest that you redesign this jig you made or learn to saw by hand. And in regards to filling those last little bits that don't get covered by the thin shims: Learn to use hot melt fillers. These are made in shellac, lacquer, or other stuff. Mohawk has several types that are easy to learn. The sticks come in a wide range of colors and can be intermixed. I have filled blemishes from wrongly placed screws (round hole) that are very difficult to detect. They take a bit of practice, but are worth it.

3. 
   DCarr10760 | Jan 22, 2006 07:02am | #12

   In the video that comes with the boxed set of Tage Frid books on furniture making, he has a technique where you take the slips of scrap intended to fil the gaps and tap them with a happer against something hard.

   The idea is that the wood fibers will be crushed or compressed somewhat and that when driven into the crack the glue will cause them to swell back up tightly filling the void.

   Just as soon as I make an imperfect joint I'll try it!  LOL

   David C

4. 
   Pondfish | Jan 19, 2006 03:50am | #8

   "Less than perfect" dovetails?  Is there any other kind? (grin)

   Recommending the use of "Hide Signatures" option under "My Preferences" since 2005
5. 
   Glaucon | Jan 21, 2006 07:16pm | #11

   Not to be disagreeable, but wouldn't it be better to do them by hand?  It sounds as if you will spend as much time adjusting and truing your jig system.  For a piece the size that you are describing, and walnut to boot, I would think that you'd be better off hand cutting them.

   I'm not a snob about this... I'd use a jig if I were doing production runs of drawers for example, but for a carcass that is 5 feet tall, handcut would be better I think, and probably less work.  Whenever I do large cases, I tend to space the DTs farther than typically a jig would do and use fewer overall.

   I realize the learning curve for hand cutting isn't trivial, but I believe that the time it takes to fiddler with a jig on a large piece is worse and the results less likely to be satisfactory.

    

   Just my 2p,

    

   Glaucon

   If you don't think too good, then don't think too much...