Dovetail Joints

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Hi, I am sure this has been discussed over & over, but is there a simpler way to make a dovetail joint thatn doing with with a coping saw.. otherwise, is there another simpler corner joint??

Sam

Reply to
Sam Berlyn

Sam Berlyn asks:

Usse a dovetail saw, table saw, bandsaw, or use any of a large number of router jigs designed for the purpose, with the simplest to set up and use being the Keller and possibly the most versatile being the Leigh, with a nod towards the Porter-Cable Omnijig.

Butt joints work in light use. Dado joints work in slightly heavier use. Box joints work in almost all uses. Biscuit joints work, with or without miters. Mitered spline joints work. There is a router bit designed specifically to produce corner joints that are strong, but some people find it as complicated to use as a dovetail saw, or so it sometimes sounds.

Dado joints are probably the simplest strong corner joint. They can make for a slightly funny looking box, but work well in drawers.

Charlie Self "Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power." Abraham Lincoln

Reply to
Charlie Self

I have used the miter lock router bit, but it is touchy to get perfect, and can be easily damaged until glued.

A box joint is the simplest "fancy" joint.

Reply to
toller

Use a dovetail saw. These saws are just right for making dovetails, and good for many other applications other than making dovetails. Through dovetails are very easy to make by hand with a little practice and patience. Other than dovetail, there are many ways to make a simple corner joint. What are you making?

Reply to
Phisherman

I can't imagine trying to saw an accurate straight line with a coping saw. Although I know some people use a coping saw to cut the bottom section out, it's not a good idea to use it for cutting the sides. That said though, there's a famous picture (on-line somewhere) of an old issue of FWW (Fine Woodworking magazine) where Tage Frid (?) had a dovetail cutting bow-saw. This had a blade with a twist in it, so one part cut downwards, the other half cut sideways.

I use my best (most accurate) straight cutting dovetail saw, and practice. You just need to cut a lot of these before they start to fit neatly. In the meantime, don't worry about it - make a toolbox, use them in places where they're not really needed, but you can use for practice. Some people cut a single dovetail every morning, as a "warm up".

Reply to
Andy Dingley

If you've got a router table fence that can be moved in thousandths and has replaceable zero clearance fence inserts, a lock miter router bit is pretty easy to use - especially if you get a set up block for it or make your own once you get it set up to your liking for the stock thickness you use.

Unlike the drawer lock joint, the length of the parts doesn't have to be adjusted to compensate for the joint. Cut the parts to the finished length, route the lock miters and assemble. Here's a little about using a lock miter bit.

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Reply to
charlie b

Kinda fun to cut by hand too. Confusing, but fun.

Reply to
Australopithecus scobis

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