I have one of those generic dovetail jigs and need help. I have been
using a 1/2" 14 degree bit and a 7/16 bushing with 1/2" template, and
the fit is very tight, too tight to hammer together, but close. I
have tried different depth and settings with no luck. Even tried
different size bushings. I think this jig could produce reasonably
good half blind dovetails but I haven't had any success. Gotta be a
way!
There are probably a lot of these jigs out there and someone must be
able to use it to get good dovetails. Yeah, I know it is a piece of
junk but I think if I can get it set up I will leave the bit in a
spare router and just dedicate it for that purpose. No instructions
came with the unit.
What size bushing do you use and what bit? What depth of cut?
Many thanks for any advice.
Regards
Charlie Campney wrote:
> I have one of those generic dovetail jigs and need help. I have been
> using a 1/2" 14 degree bit and a 7/16 bushing with 1/2" template, and
> the fit is very tight, too tight to hammer together, but close. I
> have tried different depth and settings with no luck. Even tried
> different size bushings. I think this jig could produce reasonably
> good half blind dovetails but I haven't had any success. Gotta be a
> way!
> There are probably a lot of these jigs out there and someone must be
> able to use it to get good dovetails. Yeah, I know it is a piece of
> junk but I think if I can get it set up I will leave the bit in a
> spare router and just dedicate it for that purpose. No instructions
> came with the unit.
> What size bushing do you use and what bit? What depth of cut?
> Many thanks for any advice.
>
> Regards
If you will reduce your depth of cut a couple of thousandths, I think it
will fit OK.
Fred
Charlie,
I have an old Craftsman half-blind dovetail jig which I have used for 35
plus years. I keep an old Sears router permanently setup just for this jig.
My router bits don't give an angle, but I put a bevel gauge on one and it
appears to be exactly 14 degrees, so I'm guessing that is correct -- they
are marked 1/2" width, and that corresponds with my owner's manual (which is
available on OWWM.com BTW).
My directions call for 7/16" OD template (collar), and the spacing of the
combs on my jig are also 7/16". The manual says to start with 19/32"
extension and adjust the fit by raising or lowering the bit. I have my bit
currently just a fraction below 19/32", closer to 18/32".
--
Ken Vaughn
Visit My Workshop: http://home.earthlink.net/~kvaughn65/
"Charlie Campney" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I have one of those generic dovetail jigs and need help. I have been
> using a 1/2" 14 degree bit and a 7/16 bushing with 1/2" template, and
> the fit is very tight, too tight to hammer together, but close. I
> have tried different depth and settings with no luck. Even tried
> different size bushings. I think this jig could produce reasonably
> good half blind dovetails but I haven't had any success. Gotta be a
> way!
> There are probably a lot of these jigs out there and someone must be
> able to use it to get good dovetails. Yeah, I know it is a piece of
> junk but I think if I can get it set up I will leave the bit in a
> spare router and just dedicate it for that purpose. No instructions
> came with the unit.
> What size bushing do you use and what bit? What depth of cut?
> Many thanks for any advice.
>
> Regards