Gaps in half blind dovetails
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Hey all
Been working on my half blind dovetails. For some reason I keep getting a gap along the baseline of the tails. Tried 4 or 5 times now (even being super extra careful) and still this keeps happening. I’m sure I’m mismeasuring somewhere, and I think it has to do with the small recess I’ve made on the tailboard with the router plane, or possibly I’m chiseling the tail waste out of square. Anyways, see the attached picture and any advise is much appreciatedBen
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You must be logged in to view attached files.11 January 2016 at 10:57 am #133795Are you “measuring” or using the tail board to lay out the half blind sockets?
After cutting the tails, lay the tailboard on the side of the drawer front. Hold it tight and in proper alignment. Use a vice or clamps for this.
Then use a marking knife to carefully trace around each dovetail.
Then very carefully chisel out the waste staying slightly inside the marked lines. Test fit then remove more as needed.
You still may be able to save this. Cut sockets a little higher to eliminate the bottom gap and see if you have increased the side gaps beyond fixing.
11 January 2016 at 11:17 am #133799From the pic Ben, it seems to me as if the pins are marked out of square and also a tad, 1mm or so, too long. Have you checked the square for squareness?
13 January 2016 at 9:12 am #133881That’s quite a chunk really Ben, assuming it’s about 6″ long. It can be fixed easily enough if it’s a combi square but I’d re-purpose it if it’s a tri-square or you’ll forever have these issues.
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