Replies

1. 
   rcs47 | Jan 06, 2010 09:26pm | #1

   John,

   Yes, you can make sliding dovetails wider than the bit. I just did it on a cabinet using this jig. It’s the same jig I would use to make dados for a shelf with a router.

   I started with cutting the two base sides, making sure they were half the router plate plus the top fence material. I glued and screwed the two pieces on my table saw to make sure they would be as flat as possible. Then put in the same diameter straight cutting bit that matched my dovetail bit shank. Since I had ½” shank dovetail bits, I used a ½” bit to cut the sides to size.

   DO YOU LIKE THE PICTURE? I DO!! THE PICTURE WOULD HAVE SHOWN THE JIG CLAMPED TO A BOARD. YOU CAN SEE THE TWO SIDES WITH FENCE PIECES, ALONG WITH HOW THEY ARE ATTACHED TOGETHER.

   Then I attached the two together on both ends. One side is fixed on each end, and one with a carriage bolts/wing nuts.

   THIS WOULD HAVE SHOWN A PICTURE WITH THE TWO SIDES PUSHED TIGHT AGAINST A BOARD.

   Clamp the jig to your line. Put the shelf into the jig to set the size of the dovetail (or dado), and tighten the wing nuts to set the size.

   Drop the dovetail bit down to the material to be cut, and then set your depth of cut.

   Make your passes needed to cut you sliding dovetail.

   THIS PICTURE WOULD HAVE BEEN FROM BELOW, SHOWING THE WIDE SPACE COMPARED TO THE DOVETAIL BIT.

   I used the same bit in my router table to cut the matching tail on the shelves. I set it a hair shallower than I cut the groove. Start with just a little of the bit sticking out of the fence (I put an extension on my fence, making it 14” high and blocks in the back to hold it square). I had a couple of cut off pieces from the shelves that I was running along with the shelves. They were always the first ones I’d cut and test with each fence change.

   If you are talking about a dovetail breadboard edge, the answer is still yes. I assume you are using a router table. Because you don’t want to take more than ¼” at a time, and you want more than that in the edge, start with a straight bit, removing most of the material. Then go to your dovetail bit to give you the dovetail profile. Feeding is one way, flipping it, and feeding it again will give you wider than the bit dovetail.

   I hope this helps, and good luck.

   Doug

   I hope they fix/improve the picture posting soon.

1. 
   flairwoodworks | Jan 06, 2010 10:31pm | #2

   Doug,

   Until the picture posting gets fixed, I guess you'll have to use a thousand words.