Cnc dovetail fixture
![cnc dovetail fixture cnc dovetail fixture](https://www.woodweb.com/knowledge_base_images/zp/dovetail_drawers_on_a_cnc_router_1.jpg)
![cnc dovetail fixture cnc dovetail fixture](https://www.hschmidt.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/RDTSS50-1.jpg)
Turn a machine screw into each hole, then carefully adjust the height of each screw to match the correct depth of cut (usually 5/8″). To make the block, drill two 5/32″ holes all the way through a piece of plywood, using a drill press (the holes must be precisely vertical). Using a ruler can be very awkward-it’s much easier using a height block. One of the most frustrating parts of setting up a dovetail jig is getting the bit set to the correct depth of cut. On this jig, you can clamp bumpers directly to the comb for models without extra-long combs, clamp tall blocks to the workbench. The solution is to add blocks that prevent the router from getting to close to the brackets. The brackets that support the jig’s comb are directly in harm’s way-if you’re not sure of the router’s position, you can chew right into them. Of course, you still have to turn it off, first!Īccidentally routing right into your dovetail jig is pretty discouraging, and will ruin your bit. Once the router is perched, it stays put. This platform is just a 1-1/2″ thick block, the same size as the router’s base, with 1/4″ X 1-3/4″ sides nailed on all around. There are many ways to make one, but the main idea is that once you’ve put the router down, the bit has no chance of catching anything. When you’re constantly picking up and putting down a router with an exposed bit, it’s convenient to park the router on a safe platform. When you’ve completed the scoring pass, rout the rest of the dovetail from left to right-the opposite, and normal, direction. When you take a very shallow cut, though, that’s usually not a problem. The hazard of a climb cut is that the bit can grab, suddenly pulling the router ahead. This scoring pass is a climb cut (routing in the direction of the bit’s rotation), which is the opposite direction that you would normally move a router. To eliminate tearout inside a dovetail joint, make this your first step: Rout a shallow pass from right to left, all the way across the pin board. To eliminate drag, rub a piece of canning wax (paraffin) on top of the comb.
![cnc dovetail fixture cnc dovetail fixture](https://cdn.thomasnet.com/ccp/30600308/175830.jpg)
Your router should slide easily around the jig’s fingers, without hesitating, so you can tell which direction to push the router. When you rout a dovetail joint, your sense of feel is important.