Dovetail Router Bit Quandary

[Philip1231]

A common slope for dovetails is 1:6. This slope equates to an angle of 9.46º. I would have thought (apparently no one else did) that there would be a router bit available with this slope, but after a fairly exhaustive search, I can find 9º and 10º, but no 9.46º bits seem to be available. I'd even settle for 9.5º.

Anyone aware of a true 1:6 slope dovetail bit?

[hcbph]

A common slope for dovetails is 1:6. This slope equates to an angle of 9.46º. I would have thought (apparently no one else did) that there would be a router bit available with this slope, but after a fairly exhaustive search, I can find 9º and 10º, but no 9.46º bits seem to be available. I'd even settle for 9.5º.

Anyone aware of a true 1:6 slope dovetail bit?

If you can't find the bit you want then that leaves doing them by hand IMO.  I can't say I've seen any bits in fractional degrees but then again I haven't been looking lately,  Good luck

[DaveR1]

I only know of two 1:6 dovetail cutters. One has a 28mm cutting diameter, 50mm cutting depth. The other, 15mm dia. and 27mm depth. Would either of those work?

[tablesawtom]

Once your dovetail is completer not one will care if it is 9 degrees or 10 degrees or 14 degrees or what ever.  A 6:1 is a ratio that works if using a bevel gauge. In countries where they use a metric system I do not know if that ratio will come out at 9.5 degrees nor do I care to find out. 

As far as I know only Leigh jigs use different angled router bits for different size or styles of dovetails. And I bet that the odd angled bits are not really big sellers.

Most people do not know or care what the angle is. They go to the hardware store or home center and buy whatever is on the shelf and count themselves lucky to be able to get the bit when they need it, and in their heart  they say man was that a high priced bit. I don't know why they are so expensive.

Tom

[Tapper]

Once your dovetail is completer not one will care if it is 9 degrees or 10 degrees or 14 degrees or what ever.  A 6:1 is a ratio that works if using a bevel gauge. In countries where they use a metric system I do not know if that ratio will come out at 9.5 degrees nor do I care to find out. 

As far as I know only Leigh jigs use different angled router bits for different size or styles of dovetails. And I bet that the odd angled bits are not really big sellers.

Most people do not know or care what the angle is. They go to the hardware store or home center and buy whatever is on the shelf and count themselves lucky to be able to get the bit when they need it, and in their heart  they say man was that a high priced bit. I don't know why they are so expensive.

Tom

Somehow, I think the point is that the OP cares.

Doug

[Philip1231]

Well, some clarification is in order here.

First off: from a purely academic perspective, I wonder, given that there is some historical precedence (I am guessing here) for 1:6 and 1:8 DT slopes, why the manufacturers of DT bits did not adhere to this slope: would seem easy enough to mass produce bits at 9.46º as it would to produce 9º or 10º bits?

From a more practical viewpoint, I am thinking about a blended approach to sliding DTs where, say for example, you make the DT groove with a router and then make the male part of the joint with a DT plane/saw/chisel etc. All my hand tool accoutrements are in 1:6 slope: DT markers, DT planes, side rabbet planes modified with 1:6 shims on depth stop, etc. The router bits are all standard whole number angles. Basically they don't play well together.

Dave: that 15mm might work: I guess I missed that one in my search.

[DaveR1]

Dave: that 15mm might work: I guess I missed that one in my search.

Not in a place most folks would even know to look at. Here's the site. Not sure if there's still a US supplier for them but you could order it. It is a high speed steel cutter so sharper than carbide. Makes shavings instead of dust. If I remember correctly I have one of them but it would be packed in a box for an upcoming move.