Ok. The chatter I was referring to was the result of a loose guide bushing. It unloosened itself and I didn't notice until later.
Question2: When routing the tails, in scrap cherry, I am getting chip out on the right side of bit entry.
Is there any other way to avoid this other than using scrap wood clamped to the front?
Do you guys usually use scrap wood clamped to the front of the tail board to avoid chip out?
"Stoutman" wrote in news:459c4236$0$5238$ snipped-for-privacy@roadrunner.com:
With a dovetail saw? ;-)
I've had all kinds of fun with dovetails. Three jigs, lots of fooling around, uneven luck.
A set of sharp chisels, a couple of nice saws, and a real need to have them look perfect all contribute. But mostly, I do corner joints other ways these days.
You might try backer boards, easing into the cut, a higher speed on the router, holding your tongue just right. Or something else.
Patriarch, believing that the most expensive jigs sometimes aren't all that much better, either.
On the bit entry, and not on the bit exit? I usually put a backboard up to avoid chip out from the back.
Have you tried different router speeds and is your bit sharp?
Haven't used scrap wood in that way; the spacer board should provide some of that function. In addition, I have always used a climb cut on the right side to avoid chipout, taking very small passes at a time.
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ If you're gonna be dumb, you better be tough +--------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
Same here.
Most cuts move left to right, initial entry on the right side of the cut goes left to right. As Mark points out, it's a climb cut, so go light and hold on.
Are you sure your orientation is correct?
Most of the time with the "tail board" chipout is on the back left exit cut, and that is where you usually use the end grain of a backer board to mitigate that.
Cherry is usually pretty good about routing without a great deal of tearout, IME, so if you are indeed getting the tearout on the 'right entry cut' of the tail board, a scrap wood front board might well be your best solution.
With plywood perhaps, but not normally with cherry.
Just a clarification from some of the other posts that seem to be confusing (at least to me) about using a "climb cut" in relation to board in the Leigh jig.
When facing the jig, a climb cut is from your RIGHT to LEFT on the FRONT side of the board; and from your LEFT to RIGHT on the BACK/rear side of the board.
This comes into play more with cutting the through dovetail PIN board with a straight cutter, and the following is the suggested use of the climb cut in that situation:
You can also scribe a line along the back side of your pin board at the depth of cut if tearout on the back side is a problem.
Yes you can add the board on front however IIRC in the older manual it is indicated, perhaps yours also, the cut on the front should be initiated with a light pass going from right to left. Like Barry has indicated, this tends to be a grabby cut to go lightly. Once you get the initial ledge cut the full width proceed going in a left to right direction. again taking care on the back left side when exiting.
Also, "IIRC" chip out on the front of the board gets covered up when assembled.
Yep. I was getting it on the front right entry side (cutting tails with a dovetail bit). I noticed if I slowed down my initial entry into the board, the tear out was eliminated.
This has been a little frustrating for me getting this down (through dovetails) and I really appreciate the feedback!
My next chalenge is learning half blind then rabetted half blind.
If the problem arises for me again even with a slower bit feed rate, I will use the front scrap board. Thanks.
You're most welcome.
Here are some through dovetails I recently cut in cherry (and walnut) with the Leigh D4:
IME, the half blinds are a bit more fussy in nature with the Leigh jig, and is probably what I have used the most down through the years (drawer fronts).
What I've learned is to not get too far ahead of myself in batch routing parts with the jig, and to do more test fitting along the way.
... and the slightest bit of "unsquareness" in the edges of your boards can really throw off the fit down the road, so it pays to set up as accurate as possible, SQUARE, crosscut method in your shop - be it a miter saw, or a table saw sled - as that one step will pay off in the final results ... and that includes spacer and backer boards (no bow and square edges)!
It is not possible to do this when routing the tails (unless I am going to be making larger pins). The guide pushing is snug in the jig on the left and right side (unless I open the fingers for larger pins).
You are correct.
If you have never done half blind keep in mind that the router bit depth is very critical and used for both pieces. Never tweak the fit on anything except scraps as once the cut is made it cannot be recut. You get one shot at the fit being right.
Rabetted half blind DT's are easy once you have the blind DT's working right. IIRC you simply cut a bit deeper into the pin piece.
Have fun with that jig.
Following Leigh's instruction to note the settings in the manual saves lots of time in the future.
As a note-taking type of guy, I was impressed that Leigh gave us a nice place to record settings.
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