![]() Once you have a good fit, use the bit to set the depth stop shown in the photo on the opposite page. Half-blind dovetails are cut using the dovetail bit with both the front and side in the jig at the same time. Then, flip the template around and switch to a straight bit to cut the pins. You cut the tails first, using a dovetail bit. (Use the long pieces of extra stock you prepared earlier to make test cuts.) You’ll need to adjust both the bit height and template position until you have a tight-fitting joint.įor through dovetails, both pieces are routed in the upright position, secured in the front of the jig. The three photos below show you the basic setup. Taking care to center the stock will keep the spacing balanced, like the joints you see in the photo below. I use a piece of stock to set the position of the plate so that I’ll get a joint with half pins on the drawer fronts and full tails on the sides. They also register the edge of the pieces when routing through joints. In addition to installing the template, you’ll also need to attach the smaller alignment plates (photo below) The plates maintain the proper offset between the drawer side and front when routing a half-blind joint. By starting with extralong pieces, you can simply cut off the ends and use them over until you get the perfect fit. You can use these for setting up the jig and zeroing in on the bit height and spacing. In addition to making all the parts for my project, I also make a couple of long test pieces. It’s always a good idea to prepare plenty of thin stock before you get started. A palm router has all the horsepower you need to make great-looking miniature dovetails. And you can leave your big router on the shelf. Everything works on the same principles used for cutting normal-size dovetails, just on a smaller scale. The nice thing about using the jig for miniature work is that there’s not much of a learning curve. You also get a pair of replacement alignment plates for routing half-blind joints. The miniature kit includes a template for routing both half-blind and through dovetails, small dovetail and straight bits, and a guide bushing. Series jig, you can buy the miniature package on its own. To buy the full kit with the miniature capability, look for the As for the minimum width, if you really want to push the limits, you could go all the way down to a 5 ⁄ 8 "-tall drawer that features a single tail on each corner. The length of the pieces needs to be at least 5" in order to be held securely by the clamps on the front and top of the jig. And I’m very pleased with the results.īefore going any further, let me take a moment to define what I mean by “miniature.” The jig allows you to make dovetails in stock as thin as 1 ⁄ 8 ". Series jig, I couldn’t wait to give it a try. ![]() So whenĭeveloped a miniature dovetail template for their popular Until recently, none of the conventional dovetail jigs offered a solution, leaving hand cutting of small dovetails as the only option. But what do you do when you want to make small drawers for a jewelry box or other projects? After all, it’s often these smaller projects that really benefit from that kind of detail. A dovetail jig makes routing dovetails for drawers and cabinets a simple operation.
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