Dovetail cutting

[kcc2012]

I just purchased some bass wood from a guy whose moving off island. His business is to make Icon panels for painting religious Icons on. One of the things he does is to make two dove tail cuts on the back and then he inserts oak braces in the cutout's. This is to prevent warping and cupping. My questions are; Are any of our bits capable of making dove tail cuts?, can we use a dove tail router bit purchased from a hardware store?.

Thank you
Ambrose Stapleton

[DocWheeler]

Ambrose,

It could be done, but I believe it would be the wrong tool to use.
Even a small dovetail bit would require quite a bit of energy.
Perhaps in that soft wood you could get away with it,
but a router or table saw would be better I think.

You would have to buy a dovetail bit and tell the machine it
is perhaps a 3/8" or larger bit, one pass at full dovetail depth.

What would you use to create the piece that you would slip into the dovetail route?

[kcc2012]

I have no idea I hadn't thought that far ahead. I was just curious but sounds like more trouble then it would be worth. One day Ill get a router and table and become a real wood worker.


What would you use to create the piece that you would slip into the dovetail route?[/QUOTE]

[blhutchens]

It looks to me like you could achieve what he did with just a straight daddo, then you could cut the fillers with the table saw.
I have also just screwed and glued them on top.

[Digitalwoodshop]

I remember watching NORM do a long dovetail and he first did a straight bit to remove the center material then went back and did a dovetail to final width and profile to take the pressure off the dovetail bit. This IS a Good Idea.... I would be careful with the GLUE in a Cross Grain and only glue a small section of the insert to prevent cracking with expansion and contraction. Norm's favorite saying.... "A Cross Grain Situatiuon"...

[DocWheeler]

Ambrose,

Gathering tools is a life-long process, don't get cheap stuff for the main tools.
I did not get a good router and table until I was about seventy - too late to really enjoy it.
Never had a good table saw either; wish I had gotten one when I was much younger.
Since I worked with iron there was more need for tools to work with metals.

A router and table can do a great deal of things, don't put off getting them too long.
But, in reality, tools don't really make you a woodworker, a woodworker is a craftsman.
This can be seen by many of the posts on this and other forums.
Become a Craftsman with the tools you have and then buy other tools as needed.

[kcc2012]

I agree Doc and I'm trying. At this point my tools are the CarveWright, a couple of hand saws, a small battery powered dermal tool and a skill saw. I have lots of tools to work on vehicles but I was never a wood worker.

[want2b]

Ambrose,

Gathering tools is a life-long process, don't get cheap stuff for the main tools.
I did not get a good router and table until I was about seventy - too late to really enjoy it.
Never had a good table saw either; wish I had gotten one when I was much younger.
Since I worked with iron there was more need for tools to work with metals.

A router and table can do a great deal of things, don't put off getting them too long.
But, in reality, tools don't really make you a woodworker, a woodworker is a craftsman.
This can be seen by many of the posts on this and other forums.
Become a Craftsman with the tools you have and then buy other tools as needed.

Appropriately said, I was told " The tools don't make the man(craftsman), the man makes the tool". Most of the items we make today with sophisticated tools were made by true craftsmen with basic hand tools.
Rick H

[Capt Bruce]

I'd consider buying a simple hand held router without too many bells and whistles. No router table necessary. Combined with a straight edge and the two router bits mentioned you'd be well on your way to making the sliding dovetail cuts you need as well as the ability to edge route profiles on plaques you make on the CW. Just for what it is worth.

[blhutchens]

I agree Doc and I'm trying. At this point my tools are the CarveWright, a couple of hand saws, a small battery powered dermal tool and a skill saw. I have lots of tools to work on vehicles but I was never a wood worker.

I have built many pieces of furniture and cabinets with just a "skill saw" a hand plane and sand paper. it just takes longer.
Screwed the skill saw to a piece of plywood and plunged the blade through, flipped it over and presto a table saw.
Same thing with the router…………….