Dovetailed Draws

[Mike 55]

Hi all,

It's been a long while since I took out my Leigh jig. I need to make 10 draws. I want to use half blind in the front. Can I do the same for the back? The book hints on using through dovetails. What makes the difference? 

Also, when I cut the grove for the bottom can I just go all around on each side? Do I need to plan the front to make sure it goes through the pin? For some reason I can't visualize it. I have enough extra wood to practice on. I just ordered the D4 vacuum system. I hope it works like the video. Making dovetails makes a mess!

Thanks

Mike

[Halfathumb]

Mike,
Over the past 15+ years I've had 2 Leigh jigs and finally decided to sell the jig and cut DT by hand. Just because I felt like I was using more craftsmanship. Just my desire to do so. Made new cabinets for my kitchen and cut all DTs by hand. It's a little slow at first but with experience it goes faster and easier.

I think the manual suggests through DT in the back just because it's a little bit easier. I have used BTD on all 4 corners of a drawer. It's just a matter of preference.

As far as cutting a slot for the drawer bottom. I try to vision if the slot will show. Normally the slots on the front & back won't show.

FWIW if I was going to get another jig it would certainly be the Leigh jig. BTW, I have called Leigh couple of times with questions and always got useful information with someone that was very nice to work with. Maybe they can answer your question about the through DT on the back of drawers.

Hope this helps

Jim

[Mike 55]

Mike,
Over the past 15+ years I've had 2 Leigh jigs and finally decided to sell the jig and cut DT by hand. Just because I felt like I was using more craftsmanship. Just my desire to do so. Made new cabinets for my kitchen and cut all DTs by hand. It's a little slow at first but with experience it goes faster and easier.

I think the manual suggests through DT in the back just because it's a little bit easier. I have used BTD on all 4 corners of a drawer. It's just a matter of preference.

As far as cutting a slot for the drawer bottom. I try to vision if the slot will show. Normally the slots on the front & back won't show.

FWIW if I was going to get another jig it would certainly be the Leigh jig. BTW, I have called Leigh couple of times with questions and always got useful information with someone that was very nice to work with. Maybe they can answer your question about the through DT on the back of drawers.

Hope this helps

Jim

Jim,

Thanks for the feedback. I guess my concern is two different setups. Since I already have the blind dovetails set up I could just keep going. Many years ago when American Woodworker magazine had great shows I watched a guy cut DT's by hand. He was almost as quick as a machine.... almost. I said then I would love to do that. That was 30 years ago. Maybe after this project I will give it a try. Hell, I'm retired so I have the time.

Thanks

Mike

[rwe2156]

Not really an answer to your question but I've used a hybrid method that is fast enough for me, and allows me to at least think I've done them by hand.

That is, using the tablesaw to cut the tails, then cut the pins by hand. The method is well described by Steve Latta and Mike Pekovitch. It involves a dedicated rip blade with teeth ground to the angle of the tails, and a miter gauge with a tall fence. It can be done using a jig on the fence, but I prefer a miter gauge.

I have done batches of these by ganging 4 sided together and cutting all the pins at once. I can cut the tail on 4 sides in literally a couple minutes.

I saw and chop the pins by hand (this satisfies the hand tools gods). A router set up can also be used to efficiently and accurately remove the waste.

You want the grooves to line up with the bottom of the tail (or the space above the bottom pin on the front).

[Halfathumb]

Jim,

Thanks for the feedback. I guess my concern is two different setups. Since I already have the blind dovetails set up I could just keep going. Many years ago when American Woodworker magazine had great shows I watched a guy cut DT's by hand. He was almost as quick as a machine.... almost. I said then I would love to do that. That was 30 years ago. Maybe after this project I will give it a try. Hell, I'm retired so I have the time.

Thanks

Mike

Mike,

I'm retired and not in a hurry. I am lightening fast by any means. Unfortunately I don't have a need to cut Dts very often, so I run at a relatively slow speed. But have some accuracy. 

Jim

[jteneyck]

Hi all,

It's been a long while since I took out my Leigh jig. I need to make 10 draws. I want to use half blind in the front. Can I do the same for the back? The book hints on using through dovetails. What makes the difference? 

Also, when I cut the grove for the bottom can I just go all around on each side? Do I need to plan the front to make sure it goes through the pin? For some reason I can't visualize it. I have enough extra wood to practice on. I just ordered the D4 vacuum system. I hope it works like the video. Making dovetails makes a mess!

Thanks

Mike

I've seen plenty of drawers in hotel dressers with half blind DT's all the way around.  

John

[lincmercguy]

With a jig, I would do them both front and back since you already have it setup. I have done this before and you never see the back ones anyway. If it were by hand, I would use through dovetails in the back since they're easier.

[Scoony]

If I was using a jig, I would do half blind DTs all the way around. The groove can be placed so it is hidden.