Re: Akeda jig Sliding Dovetails

[gb]

I hope you can help me with a project problem. I am using my new Akeda DC to make a wall hanging shelf with 1/2" poplar stock (final project will be

3/4" cherry). Through dovetails will join the four corners and a sliding dovetail will be the joint for the one shelf.

In my test piece, I have cut the through dovetails but I am having trouble with the sliding dovetail. After fixing some sloppy setup measurements, the shoulders (depth if cut) are okay but, the socket is a consistent, almost,

1/16" wider than the pin from top to bottom.

I am using the 11 degree bit set at a depth of 13/16" (9/16"+1/4"-- I have ribbed guide rails and I want the joint to be 1/4" deep). I change nothing on the router between each cut. The shelf is registered against two tail guides with the housing joint template installed for the cut. I used the front guide rail as the fence. The socket is cut with the boards in the horizontal position. All cutters and the guide bushing are from Akeda. My PC 690 does not appear to have bad bearings, the cutter and the guide bushing are tight.

What am I missing?

[charlieb]

The only things I can think of are - that the bit is slipping a little during the socket cut so the depth of cut on the male part of the joint is slightly deeper. The effect is to double the error

-------|/ \|----- DOC of male dovetail part -----|/ \|---- DOC of socket / \ +---------------+ - the plastic guide is in upside down and while the guide may be against the front "fence", it's the shank of the bit that's riding against the plastic guide on the other side Correct installation of plastic guide. Note: Traps the brass guide on the router between the front fence and the plastic guide. BIT Fence Guide Guide Plastic insert -----+|| | | ||+----------- | || | | ||| | | | + | | | \-------------

Plastic insert put in upside down. Note that the brass guide still rides against the front fence, but it's the shank of the bit that's riding against the plastic insert. The slop between the two could account for your results - the male part of the joint being narrower than the socket

-----+ || | | || | || | | || +-------- | | | / | | | + | | | |_______________

Haven't used the AKEDA for this application yet but it's an interesting problem.

BTW - you'll find that sliding dovetails stick as you insert the male part due to all the friction surface area. If you saw out some of the male part to leave only 2 or 3 3/4" to 1" male dovetails parts ever couple of inches you keep most of the pull together strenghth of the joint without having to dead blow hammer things together.

Also, if you bevel the edge of the non showing remaining male dovetail edges just a tad it makes assembly a bit easier.

I've done sliding dovetails - but using a router table and fence. On the JoinTech fence set up you can move the fence in 0.001 increments so you can cut either the socket a tad wider or the male part of the dovetail a tad narrower to make assembly easier.

charlie b

[pat]

[gb]