1st dovetail joint ever & it's 1/2 blind

[bogydave]

I call it a 1/2 blind davetail. Im' practicing so I can make a 1/2 blind dovetail joint in 1-3/4 maple on 4 corners of a work bench apron. I was amazed how strong the joint is, even this one. To me it's a thing of beauty, but to all you guys, well don't laugh to loud. I read bunches of "how to make dovetail joints" but had none of the tools to do it. I bought a new router & a one 1/2" bit today ( what a step up from my 30 yr old craftsman) & had to try my idea. Here's the jig (still needs some adj but worked, the sides of the grove dish in a little & I don't know why) but worked ok.
http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj269/bogydave/dtjig.jpg[/IMG]

http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj269/bogydave/dtrout2.jpg[/IMG]

http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj269/bogydave/dtrout1.jpg[/IMG]

This is using a 2x6, in the 7/4 maple I may have to cut smaller bites.
Here's what the 1/2 blind tails look like. With a 1/2" straight bit.
http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj269/bogydave/hlfblinddttails.jpg[/IMG]

I didn't take alot of time marking the pins, which is a mistake if you want them to fit better than mine. but it was practice & hurried a little to see it all tie together. I used a pencil & a scribe, knife point, awl would make more accurate marks, but harder to see. I think the maple may show scribe marks OK. Plus the 2X6 was a little dished & hard to get flush.
I cut the pins close on a band saw. Not close enough, I had to use a file, chisel & disk sander to tune them up to fit.
http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj269/bogydave/dtpinstls.jpg[/IMG]
I'm hesitant to post the
picture of the
joint together.
Don't get hurt laughing.
Maybe I'll wait til I do a good one or at least a better one cause I'm not sure I'll ever get good at freehand dovetails but the routed sockets look good.
Sure could use a workbench & vise.
Even though it looks bad I am impressed how tight & tough the joint is. If I can get them to fit on the workbench, it should hold together. I'll just rub some sawdust in the joints.
Aw, go ahead laugh. here it is. I have no idea how to make one by hand out of hard maple, the guys who do it well are gifted & must have a good bench & vise, allot of time & patience. (& practiced allot)

http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj269/bogydave/dttogether.jpg[/IMG]






http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj269/bogydave/halfblinddavetail.jpg[/IMG]
If nothing else it's a strong joint
Hopefully I make future ones better.

[Don]

Hey, Bogy. Well done! (and you're asking for help?) Looks like you've got the mind for figuring this stuff out. But now . . . if you take it just a couple of steps further you won't have to do any machining by hand. Make a jig to cut the pins as well, and here's the beauty part. Modify the lead-in corners of your mortise jig to end up with a 1/4" radius on the corners. (looks like you are using a 1/2" bit) By doing this it will match the residual material left on the inside area of your pins. It will all fit together without any hand work if done right. Plus, it will look like a million.

Thanks for taking the time to post pics - many guys will not have the time to post comments, but if you look a the number of "views" you will see that they get a lot of face time. Guys take pictures like this and put it in the mental vault. One day they'll have reason to pull them out and use them. Plus, as long as you don't move them from your picture hosting site (and they stay in business) your work will be here for a long, long time.

I wish I had a reason to be doing something like this right now, looks like fun.

dawjr

[bogydave]

Thanks.
You got me thinking about a jig for the pins.
What if you made a perfect matching set of pins out of 1/4" plywood and used one of the router bits that contractors use to cut out the sheeting left over wondows & doors.
I saw some bits that have a bearing above the cutter edge. You may need to have a few different lenght bits & different thickness jigs to step the depth of cut on thick pins but using the original, set you could make many thicknesses of pin jigs.
Trick is going to be to make the sockets all the "EXACT" distance apart. My jig now don't do that but with a few pieces added it could.
The idea to round off the "lead in corners" really helps, even if you freehand the pins.

You could do the same for the sockets. Set the jig to get the sockets close, but leave a little material. I already have sockets, just slice of a 1/2" piece & use it for the jig & go in & trim out the little left from the first cut. Thinking & typing but lots of ways to make it work faster than teeth & chisel.
Good brain food,
Thanks, Dave

[Don]

Hey, Dave. I don't know about a top bearing bit in this situation. You've have to change out your jigs each time and that could lead to alignment errors. I think I would lean toward a plunge rounter and guide bushings for this setup. It might take just a little more work, but you would only have to make one set and then you'd have it made in the shade.

dawjr

[bogydave]

I am new to a router, I could not get the socket jig to round the corners at 1/4 radius.
Was going to make 2nd jig to round corners. Will try any sugestions / ideas.
Made new parts for jig. I put in 2spacers to move 1-3/4" over each time & cut 3 sockets the same in the end of the boards.
Made new socket & pins (pins this time 1/4" plywood)
http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj269/bogydave/newsockt-pins1.jpg[/IMG]
http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj269/bogydave/newsoc-pins2.jpg[/IMG]

What do you mean plunge router with guide bushings? Foreign language?

[bogydave]

3 socket dovetail jig with movable spacers. As you can see I had to resolve some issues.
http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj269/bogydave/3dvtjig.jpg[/IMG]

How do I fix the problem of the inside of the sockets & pins not matching up?
1. I can cut out the rounded corner in the pins on a band saw
2. I can get a "good router guy" to tell/show me how to round the corners of the sockets
3 Make another jig to round the socket inside corners?
I'm hoping for option 2.
http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj269/bogydave/dtpintemp1.jpg[/IMG]
1/2 router bit with bearing on top
http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj269/bogydave/dtpintemp2.jpg[/IMG]
New pins don't match, inside corners of sockets need to be rounded.
Like Don said, the rounded inside corner look "sharp" but I haven't figured out how to make the socket with rounded inside corners.
[http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj269/bogydave/dtpinstemp3.jpg[/IMG]

Looking for a router GURU for assistance.

[Don]

Hey, Bogy. Boy, you are learning a lot with this project, huh? You jig for the pins looks fine, using the top bearing bit means that you have to cut the entire depth at once as you found out.

Using bushings similar to these;

http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=1521&filter=router%20bushing&gclid=CObUmK-S5JACFQspFQodqC0RWA

http://www.hectorshardware.biz/shop/product.asp?dept_id=1811&sku=333446&

http://toolsandmore.us/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=2307

http://www.woodcraft.com/family.aspx?FamilyID=4855

http://www.woodcraft.com/depts.aspx?DeptID=2280

Will allow you to make your cuts a little at a time using similar jigs, of course they will need the correct "offset" built in for the collar and bit you choose to use.

The matching radius on the entrance to the sockets will be a bit of a challenge. It cannot be done using the top picture jig. This jig shows that you are using the base of the router for a guide. This means that the minimum outside radius that can be obtained it the distance from the edge of your base to the side of the bit. Let's say that is 2-1/2", that means that the router would only be able to swing around a 90 degree corner and give you a 2-1/2" radius, no good for what you are trying to do.

But, let's say that you are using a 1/2" bit and put a 5/8" bushing on your base. This now means that your jig needs to be offset by 1/16", correct? So if we design our new jig with an 1/8" radius on the lead in to the sockets, that will net us a 1/4" radius that will match the base of our pins. You will find that this setup will give you several advantages. You can use something like your multipiece jig to make your final jig. Yes, sometimes you make quickie jigs to make better jigs.

Looks like you've got it going your way now though. Thanks for taking the time to take and post pics.

dawjr

[bogydave]

You nailed that one. 2-1/2" radius is all I can get & it took me a couple hour to figure that out & start looking for a new solution.
Here is a question that will show my newbee status with a router. The bushings in the above link, they get mounted on the base of the router, Right? bogydave AKA
romanogeedave. All I've ever done with a router is put a fancy edge on a board with a roman ogee bit, Till now. The above pictures are all "1st time ever" for me. HD & Lowes woodworking pros were NO help. The above pics are me experimenting cause I want to make a dovetail that fits with repeatability. Found out cutting in maple is going to be a new challange. Smaller bites, I'm OK but the practice board is now firewood, the jig has been repaired & I don't think the bit got bent..
Can you recommend a good "router basics" book or web link?

[Don]

Hey, Bogy. You are correct. They mount in the baseplate.

Just about every router manufacturer has a bushing set for their line. Many will cross reference to several makes, most emulate the porter-cable/Rockwell originals. Failing that there are many great products out there that completely replace your phenolic base and use their proprietary collars/bushings.

As far as a router book. I'd be afraid to search, I'm sure there are too many to choose from. Maybe someone here has a recommendation. You are crossing one of the toughest hurdles first with the project you are working on. The rest of it is almost intuitive and downhill from there.

dawjr