Replies

1. 
   robkelly1 | Oct 08, 2003 11:13pm | #1

    Tell us about the bit (HSS or Carbide, size, angle, age, shank diameter, previous use, etc.) and router speed. What kind of wood? Rob

2. 
   HenryVIII | Oct 10, 2003 03:17am | #2

   I have done and still do a lot of dovetail joints, and my solution has been to use a straight bit set just slightly shallower than the final dove tail depth -- referring to the distance the bit sticks down through the bottom of the router.  After clamping your wood in the jig, run the straight bit through first.

   After that, use the regular dovetail bit to take out the "wings" and the last sixteenth of an inch of depth.

   I do wax the bottoms of my routers and have "tuned" the surface of the jig so that it is smooth.  I use Slipit on the aluminum jig that the routers ride on, to keep from having to push the router as the bit is doing its work.

   You can use a cheap nasty old router for the straight bit -- I have an old one I bought cheap 20 years ago, and that has bearings that sound like a dishpan falling into a gravel pit, but it doesn't matter because the final cut is made with a pretty good one.

   Keep a sharp bit in the routers, and use carbide rather than HSS.  The cost difference is well worth it if you're going to be doing this at all often.

   Hope this helps.

3. 
   ron61 | Oct 10, 2003 04:03am | #3

   Does it matter If it burns? When assembled its not going to show is it?

   Sounds like the bit is dull or your to moving to slow with the router

   My carbide bit does not burn and have cut lots of Dovetails with it.

   Who Ever Has The Biggest Pile Of Tools When You Die Wins