Help! Leigh Dovetail Jig
 

Hello,

I'm working on an end table right now and I am going to do half blind on the
front of the drawer and through on the rear. Anyway, I messed around with
some scrap to figure out how to use the jig (just bought it a few weeks ago)
and the scrap came out great (first try on HB and 3rd try on TD). Problem
is, I cut my first HB for the actual drawer yesterday (both tail pieces and
one side of the front for the pins) and they don't fit. The only
adjustments you can make according to the book is the depth of fit (too
shallow or too deep -- you move the template in our out to compensate). But
that's not my problem, when I start to set the tails in the pin sockets
(excuse my misuse of terminology if I've botched that) the tails get crushed
going in (their just a bit too wide). But I've looked through the book and
considered what I can change and I can't think of a thing. I even put the
pieces back in the jig and ran the router over them again to see if there'd
be any new wood cut -- nope, the bit didn't even touch anything. Ugh. I
didn't mess with the fingers once they were set and flipped them over for
the pin side and that worked fine.

Help!! Other than paring the tails down with my chisel (not interested in
that really) I can't think of how to fix this or more importantly what went
wrong. Anyone with experience that can point out my mistake would be
greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Mike

Help! Leigh Dovetail Jig
 

Ok, with any jig that is this style, if your tails are being crushed during
assembly, you are cutting too deep. For looser fitting joints make a
shallower cut. Too loose, cut deeper.

The problem is that you are cutting too deep and this makes the slots too
narrow. If you raise the bit to cut shallower the slots will widen and the
tails will be narrower. When you get it just right always use this depth of
cut for "this" bit. If you buy another bit of the same size, start with
this depth setting and adjust from there.

And by the way... as you know now, you cannot reroute blind dove tails.
Once cut, that's it. Work on scraps until the fit is right.

"Mike in Idaho" wrote in message
...
Hello,

I'm working on an end table right now and I am going to do half blind on
the
front of the drawer and through on the rear. Anyway, I messed around with
some scrap to figure out how to use the jig (just bought it a few weeks
ago)
and the scrap came out great (first try on HB and 3rd try on TD). Problem
is, I cut my first HB for the actual drawer yesterday (both tail pieces
and
one side of the front for the pins) and they don't fit. The only
adjustments you can make according to the book is the depth of fit (too
shallow or too deep -- you move the template in our out to compensate).
But
that's not my problem, when I start to set the tails in the pin sockets
(excuse my misuse of terminology if I've botched that) the tails get
crushed
going in (their just a bit too wide). But I've looked through the book
and
considered what I can change and I can't think of a thing. I even put the
pieces back in the jig and ran the router over them again to see if
there'd
be any new wood cut -- nope, the bit didn't even touch anything. Ugh. I
didn't mess with the fingers once they were set and flipped them over for
the pin side and that worked fine.

Help!! Other than paring the tails down with my chisel (not interested in
that really) I can't think of how to fix this or more importantly what
went
wrong. Anyone with experience that can point out my mistake would be
greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Mike

Help! Leigh Dovetail Jig
 

The height of your dt bit above the base is the means to adjust the problem
you are having. Check your manual. It is a very good piece of technical
writting. Set your bit to cut a little shallower. Make very small
adjustments.


--
Bill Rittner
R & B ENTERPRISES
Manchester, CT



"Don't take this life too seriously.......nobody
gets out alive" (Unknown)

Remove "no" to reply
"Leon" wrote in message
m...
Ok, with any jig that is this style, if your tails are being crushed
during
assembly, you are cutting too deep. For looser fitting joints make a
shallower cut. Too loose, cut deeper.

The problem is that you are cutting too deep and this makes the slots too
narrow. If you raise the bit to cut shallower the slots will widen and
the
tails will be narrower. When you get it just right always use this depth
of
cut for "this" bit. If you buy another bit of the same size, start with
this depth setting and adjust from there.

And by the way... as you know now, you cannot reroute blind dove tails.
Once cut, that's it. Work on scraps until the fit is right.

"Mike in Idaho" wrote in message
...
Hello,

I'm working on an end table right now and I am going to do half blind on
the
front of the drawer and through on the rear. Anyway, I messed around
with
some scrap to figure out how to use the jig (just bought it a few weeks
ago)
and the scrap came out great (first try on HB and 3rd try on TD).
Problem
is, I cut my first HB for the actual drawer yesterday (both tail pieces
and
one side of the front for the pins) and they don't fit. The only
adjustments you can make according to the book is the depth of fit (too
shallow or too deep -- you move the template in our out to compensate).
But
that's not my problem, when I start to set the tails in the pin sockets
(excuse my misuse of terminology if I've botched that) the tails get
crushed
going in (their just a bit too wide). But I've looked through the book
and
considered what I can change and I can't think of a thing. I even put
the
pieces back in the jig and ran the router over them again to see if
there'd
be any new wood cut -- nope, the bit didn't even touch anything. Ugh.
I
didn't mess with the fingers once they were set and flipped them over
for
the pin side and that worked fine.

Help!! Other than paring the tails down with my chisel (not interested
in
that really) I can't think of how to fix this or more importantly what
went
wrong. Anyone with experience that can point out my mistake would be
greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Mike

Help! Leigh Dovetail Jig
 

I'll second that. I got my jig in December and spent the first two
days hating it! But once I got the hang of it, I have learned to love
it and have ploughed through a 7 drawer chest in no time.

The key was to get the depth just right, which unfortunately meant
going through a lot of scrap wood making tiny adjustments each time.
Once I found the magic depth, it helped that I did all my drawers in
one go, never changing the bit depth on the router. Save your
successful test cut for next time - it will help you find the right
depth with that bit.

Last note - make sure you have the proper bit for doing half blind
dovetails. My set didn't come with the right bit, just one for through
dovetails that will not work for 1/2 blind (because of the angle I
think?) Check the manual.

-Marc-


"Bill Rittner" wrote in message news:ViSZb.10390$iB.6051@lakeread06...
The height of your dt bit above the base is the means to adjust the problem
you are having. Check your manual. It is a very good piece of technical
writting. Set your bit to cut a little shallower. Make very small
adjustments.


--
Bill Rittner
R & B ENTERPRISES
Manchester, CT



"Don't take this life too seriously.......nobody
gets out alive" (Unknown)

Remove "no" to reply
"Leon" wrote in message
m...
Ok, with any jig that is this style, if your tails are being crushed
during
assembly, you are cutting too deep. For looser fitting joints make a
shallower cut. Too loose, cut deeper.

The problem is that you are cutting too deep and this makes the slots too
narrow. If you raise the bit to cut shallower the slots will widen and
the
tails will be narrower. When you get it just right always use this depth
of
cut for "this" bit. If you buy another bit of the same size, start with
this depth setting and adjust from there.

And by the way... as you know now, you cannot reroute blind dove tails.
Once cut, that's it. Work on scraps until the fit is right.

"Mike in Idaho" wrote in message
...
Hello,

I'm working on an end table right now and I am going to do half blind on
the
front of the drawer and through on the rear. Anyway, I messed around
with
some scrap to figure out how to use the jig (just bought it a few weeks
ago)
and the scrap came out great (first try on HB and 3rd try on TD).
Problem
is, I cut my first HB for the actual drawer yesterday (both tail pieces
and
one side of the front for the pins) and they don't fit. The only
adjustments you can make according to the book is the depth of fit (too
shallow or too deep -- you move the template in our out to compensate).
But
that's not my problem, when I start to set the tails in the pin sockets
(excuse my misuse of terminology if I've botched that) the tails get
crushed
going in (their just a bit too wide). But I've looked through the book
and
considered what I can change and I can't think of a thing. I even put
the
pieces back in the jig and ran the router over them again to see if
there'd
be any new wood cut -- nope, the bit didn't even touch anything. Ugh.
I
didn't mess with the fingers once they were set and flipped them over
for
the pin side and that worked fine.

Help!! Other than paring the tails down with my chisel (not interested
in
that really) I can't think of how to fix this or more importantly what
went
wrong. Anyone with experience that can point out my mistake would be
greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Mike