Replies

1. 
   dwyer | Jun 08, 2007 06:18pm | #1

   This might be what you're looking for;  Popular Woodworking  Dec. / 06

    

   http://popularwoodworking.com/articleabstract?aid=14608

1. 
   spitfire | Jun 11, 2007 08:25pm | #8

   Well more like this in this pic

   
2. 
   daverichards | Jun 08, 2007 08:33pm | #2

   Could you do it as in this drawing? First cut the 3/4" wide dado, hog out some of the waste with a straight bit and finally make a third pass with the DT bit.

   
1. 
   DonaldCBrown | Jun 09, 2007 03:50am | #3

   Spitfire and Dave-Nice illustration, Dave. A good picture frequently IS better than words.Spitfire-I've not seen this joint before. What are the advantages? With 3/4" stock, I'd worry that the socket is chewing up most of the thickness.

1. 
   bladeburner | Jun 09, 2007 03:08pm | #4

   "I've not seen this joint before. What are the advantages? With 3/4" stock, I'd worry that the socket is chewing up most of the thickness."

   Valid point. I've only used the housed DT on stretchers and they do seem to move the stress point away from the neck of the DT.

2. 
   mbholden | Jun 10, 2007 03:34pm | #5

   Don,

   This is an attempt to recreate the joint used in 18th century casework.

   However, in these, only the first few inches are dovetailed, the rest is just a board in a dado. The dado goes all the way back, the dovetail does not.

   Advantage is that the dovetail holds the case together, and you do not have to worry about wood expansion across a sliding dovetail joint when gluing up - that can be a nightmare as the board freezes solid partway and you can neither insert fully nor remove. Usually means its time to start over with new boards. (thats why sliding dovetails have a taper, but how much is an educated guess)

   The short dovetail at the front is much easier to deal with and if kept to two or three inches (50-75mm), taper is not required. If you are inserting a frame, then the face board depth is dovetailed. The sides would be inset the height of the dovetail so it rides in the dado. Usually there is no glue beyond the dovetail to allow for expansion.

   Mike

    

1. 
   DonaldCBrown | Jun 10, 2007 04:28pm | #6

   Mike and bladerunner-Thanks for the explanations. It seems to be a good solution in several ways. Don

2. 
   spitfire | Jun 11, 2007 08:30pm | #9

   Don, You are correct, the dado goes all the way to the end of the case sides but the dovetail extends only about 2-3 inches.  It looks good , holds the case together nicely.  I just swear there is an article on using a router with a collar guide to cut those things perfectly each time.

   You also do not use the dado as the guide, at least I do not think so.  I think you use a board on top of the case sides and the collar runs agaisnt it.

   Thanks for your help.       

1. 
   joinerswork | Jun 12, 2007 01:53am | #10

   spitfire,

   What I did, instead of using the collars, was to make a guide for my router's base, that I can clamp in place on the case end.  It consists of two 1" x2" rails a bit longer than the case ends are wide, screwed and glued to a perpendicular 1" x 2" crossbar about a foot long that holds them parallel to one another.   The resulting "U" shaped guide's parallel arms will lie across the case end, and the bottom of the "U" gets  butted against the case end's edge, and held in place with clamps at each end of the guide bars. 

   To use, you can either work the dadoes first, with dado head on the table saw (this is how I prefer to do it, then you don't have to change the set up of the router), or with a straight bit in the router, using the guide described above.  If using the router throughout, the diameter of the straight bit should be the same as, or just slightly larger than, your dovetail bit. 

   For instance, using a 1/2" dia straight (and dovetail) bit, and 3/4" stock, you'd locate the guide's arms 1/4" farther apart than the diameter of your router's base.  1/2" bit, plus 1/4 " 'slack' between the router base and the rails, equals 3/4" wide dado (and dovetail).  Thickness your drawer rail (shelf, whatever goes into the dovetail) stock to fit the dado, and work the dovetail from both faces of the stock, so it is centered.

   Couple of points:

   1- the far ends of the legs of the "U" need to be anchored, with clamps, tacked with nails, or something, to keep them from springing apart as the router is slid along first one arm, then the other. 

   2-It's a good idea to get out the stock for the case ends 1/16" or so wider than final dimension, as the router bit wants to break out as it exits the channel.  A pass across the jointer (or two or three passes with a plane) cleans things up afterwards.

   3- once you've made a trial run on scrap stock, it's a simple thing to line up the dado you've routed across the crossbar with the layout line locating the position of the joint.  For dovetail alone, (without the dado,) you just knife a line on the crossbar, to index to your layout line.

   4- fitting the dovetail to the routed socket is a finicky job. Start "fat" and sneak up on a good fit.  But remember,  any adjustment in fitting gets doubled, since to keep things centered, you must cut both sides of the tail.  Get out some scrap stock to the same thickness, to use for setting up.

   Ray

2. 
   KiddervilleAcres | Jun 12, 2007 03:44am | #11

   Ray,

   I've filed this one away.

   Thanks,Bob @ Kidderville Acres

    

   A Woodworkers mind should be the sharpest tool in the shop!

3. 
   joinerswork | Jun 12, 2007 05:10am | #12

   Bob,

   I guess a file will work, but I use a shoulder plane.  ;-O))

   Ha,ha

   Ray

2. 
   spitfire | Jun 11, 2007 08:17pm | #7

   exactly!