Replies

1. 
   Jimurock | Mar 06, 2009 02:46am | #1

   Long ones can be a bit of a nightmare.  If they're a tight fit, as they should be, you can get the darn things half on during the dry fit, and have the devil's own job moving backwards or forwards.  As I mentioned on another thread, I use polyurethane glue for them, both for lubrication and for the longer open time.  If the pieces fit for the first few inches of the joint, that's enough of a dry fit for me.  I use a router plane to make sure that the groove is deep enough for its entire length, and relieve the corners of the tail where they can't be seen.  To avoid hammering the piece in I try to use a pair of Bessey clamps first, on table tops or shelves where 2 joints are going in at the same time, making sure that the pressure is equal on both sides.  Sometimes you have to clamp the sides of a carcass together (or apart) to make sure the grooves are in line for the tails.  Lots of fun.  A lot of people use a tapered groove just to avoid these problems.

   You don't say exactly where or how long your dovetails are.  Short ones aren't usually that much of a problem.  I've used them vertically on drawer fronts, and tapped them together with a mallet and conventional glue.  Good luck.

   Jim

1. 
   milehigh | Mar 06, 2009 03:18am | #2

   Thanks Jim. I have messed around with this joint just enough to know that there can be problems even thought it is a great joint. These are 5 1/2 " long joining the aprons to the legs. I went throught the beating out stage with one dry fit last night, only to have the apron piece slip out of my hand and then,in trying to catch it, knocked the leg flying off the bench to the cement floor.

   I like your idea of poly glue. It seems to lubricate the pieces and should not swell the pieces like yellow glue. Don't have a router plane, so might have to get in there with a chisel. Hope to glue up this weekend.

    

   Paul

2. 
   stantheman | Mar 06, 2009 03:32am | #3

   milehigh

   curious, how do you cut the DTs?  Router?  Would like to find a good jig for the aprons.

   I like to use sliding dovetail joints for apron-to leg joints too.  However, almost never get a perfect fit.  End up using epoxy for fill purposes often.

3. 
   Routerman | Mar 06, 2009 05:38pm | #4

   Can be done.

1. 
   milehigh | Mar 06, 2009 08:20pm | #5

   Fit the joints last night. Learned a valuble lesson that i did not know, that i will try and remember. When fitting the joint(the night before while milling), i was cradling the apron piece under my left arm, while trying to slide the leg socket on with my right hand ,all the while sneaking up on a good fit.

   Last night, i clamped one of the milled legs on to the bench and the apron slid right in. I realized that tryng to fit the joint with pieces in both hands "racked" the joint and made it hard fitting. From now on,while fitting any joints i will try and have one part secure. Probably joinery 101, that most of you know, but i didn't, and am passing it along.

   Tried milling the dovetails originally with a "pos sliding dovetail jig" that i had bought a couple of years ago. 3 hours of frustrating setups and no square shouders,back in the box it went(never to see daylight again). Saw a piece of particle board in the wood rack, and made a makeshift high fence on my router table and milled my tails that way. Removed the tall fence and raised the bit just a" touch" so the tails would not bottom out in the socket. Went through a lot of scrap during set up and with my fine adjusting deadblow milled the sockets.Had to do 3 different setups because my legs are rectangular in cross section.

   All and all, i am satisfied,but was "shocked" to find that all the joints slid together last night when i clamped the legs down (lesson 947)Of the 8 joints,one is loose enough for epoxy(thanks for that tip), 4 or 5 were perfect, and the other ones were acceptable.

   Paul