First attempt with dovetail jig

[LB75]

So tonight I made my first attempt at dovetail joinery using my Leigh jig. I'm pretty happy with the results but am curious about what the general consensus is for cleaning up the pins and tails if they're a little long. I know I can use a sander but assume that a block plane would be quicker and cleaner? Am I also correct in assuming I would want to use a low angle block plane? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

[ehpoole]

When I do finger jointed boxes I use a 1/2", or larger, upcut spiral flush trim bit (carbide or HSS) in my router table to bring everything flush (an upcut spiral bit pulls the workpiece into the table and draws the waste under the table; "upcut" is relative to freehand routing where the waste would be drawn up and out of an otherwise groove or dado cut and holds the router firm to the workpiece). It is quick, easy, and reliable, even in very stubborn hardwoods, like Purpleheart, that are otherwise prone to shattering easily).

In many respects, making things a bit long is the best policy if you want your final project to be perfectly flush because it is easy to shorten the oversize pins/tails but very hard to make them longer afterwards unless want to resort to aggressively sanding the sides thinner to match!

 

[Michael Mathews]

looks great George! Makes me want to get my jig out and cut some!

 

[minnehahas]

So tonight I made my first attempt at dovetail joinery using my Leigh jig. I'm pretty happy with the results but am curious about what the general consensus is for cleaning up the pins and tails if they're a little long. I know I can use a sander but assume that a block plane would be quicker and cleaner? Am I also correct in assuming I would want to use a low angle block plane? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

View attachment 17566

Which Leigh Jig did you buy? Been thinking about getting one.....

 

[red]

I usually sand them flush with a ROS but i don't let mine stick out as much. In time you will be able to make them almost flush where sanding is a breeze. The Leigh jig is nice. I have an older one (D3?) and love it.

Red

 

[Jeremy Scuteri]

+1 to using a router to clean up the proud parts of the joint.

 

[Bill Clemmons]

When I do dovetails I usually try to leave them about 1/32" too long, then clean them up w/ a low angle block plane. I've tried using my ROS to bring them down, but I usually end up rounding over the edge a little more than I like. I haven't tried the router method, but I think it would work just fine.

 

[joec]

I just sold my Leigh jig but used to use it. I would do a trial fit and adjust the finger board either frontward or backward to make a perfect fit. The scale gives fine increments to move this, and can be relatively easy to get a perfect fit with some practice.

 

[LB75]

Thanks everyone, I definitely have some more practicing to do but I'm pretty happy with how it turned out.

Which Leigh Jig did you buy? Been thinking about getting one.....

I went with the Super 18 and love it. Solid jig and it came with what is probably the best instruction manual I have ever seen. The manual walks you through every step with very clear directions and diagrams.

 

[Gofor]

Like Bill, I try to leave mine about 1/32" long. If it is too much longer, i use a flush cut saw but first lay a strip of blue painters tape just past the edge of the protruding pins/tails for the saw to rest on. This raises the saw enough that the kerf marks will smooth out when you get the joint flush. I finish leveling it with planes: a sharp block plane for small items, and have used a low-angled bevel up jack plane on larger items. Trick is to plane into the joint from top, bottom and end to prevent tear-out. If you have to plane toward the edge, chamfer the edge slightly first.

If sanding is your option for the final leveling, I recommend you do it by hand. Adhesive backed sandpaper on a flat board (not a rubber pad) will give you control and produce a flat, true result. Again, using the flush cut saw will greatly speed things up.

The one time I used a router, I ended up with tear out. Lesson-learned for me was to chamfer the trailing edge first. It worked okay after that, but as I seldom have the router out, I usually just go with the planes.

I have not been able to get a satisfactory results with just a ROS, although i do use one for final prep for finishing.

Go

 

[Touchwood]

Always use a flush cut router bit on mine...1/32 to 1/16 proud seems to work fine for me. Looking good!!!

 

[danmart77]

George I don't know if you can do any better than that. I don't have a jig so I'm in the saw and chisel mode. I cut my pins a tad long like some to the others. To get the end grain protrusions flush I have used a block plane pushing on a skew angle back in towards the box-- never outwards or you can tear away that unsupported grain. I don't hesitate to use a file on other occasions. Just be careful and don't get too aggressive and it works well.

With that jig it looks like you are about to make a bunch of boxes in short order. Good Luck

Dan O'S

 

[Charles Lent]

I think the fastest and best way is to use a flush cut straight bit with a bearing in a router table, and after trying several other ways I keep going back to the router table. I do the same thing when making box joints. Then a light sanding finishes the sides and the corners perfectly flush.

Charley