Cutting dovetails in birch plywood..

[Ron]

I'm planning on using birch plywood for my current kitchen cabinet project. Going to use 1/2" (9 ply) for the sides and 3/4" front & back. I've been experimenting with my new half-blind dovetail jig and using of scrap

3/4" 5-ply maple plywood and getting some really poor results.

The rounded portion on the pins(?) are breaking off (1-ply worth) and this seems to be causing the joint to flex a lot.

I'm using a Freud 1/2 14 deg bit in a Bosch 1617 router.

Should I expect better results with the better quality birch plywood - OR - is this just a bad technique (inexperience) on my part.

I not planning on having a lot of birch leftover and don't want to experiment on it too much.

ThankX Ron

Is this just poor technique on my par

[James D. Kountz]

Try this, it worked for me and made ALL the difference. First start by taking a pass along the front edge of the guide fingers to define the cut. Then start on the right and work the router very slowly into the half pin cut. Move to the next guide finger and run the router in following the RIGHT side of the opening between the guide fingers. Bring the router straight back out and then run the left side of the same opening. Don't ever try to go in on one side and back out on the other in one sweep. Guide it on right, then on the left and go slow around the round portions of the guide fingers always right to left. Whenever I try to go left to right the end of the tail ALWAYS snaps off. A little trial and error and the jig should perform flawlessly. I can send pics if you want to see the results. Hope this helps.

Jim

[Wayne Cattanach]

[Ron]

I give this a try. The instructions which came with the jig, suggest cutting the pins from left to right. Also, I think the collar/guide on the router is just about the same size as the openings between the teeth on the jig. But, I'll check again.

ThankX Ron