half blind dovetail

Re: half blind dovetail

Brian retired gunsmith from Colorado

That would be true. Cannot cut a dovetail shape blind with straight edges with a router bit. Router bits can cut a straight edged through dovetail.

Re: half blind dovetail

eliot

Well, this is the problem I'm asking about : how come the router-based dovetail systems ( you know, Rockler, Porter Cable, Leigh, etc.) show Youtube videos and whatnot that show completed half blind dovetail joints --with straight edges --right off the jig?

Re: half blind dovetail

Henry (Raleigh NC)

Unsure of your exact question...

The tails are cut the same way as through dovetails, but not to full thickness of the drawer side. One end of these tails is in fact 'rounded', the portion that is inserted into the socket; it's a convex curve (when cut with a router/jig.

Then the sockets are cut into the drawer front with a height and depth to match the height and depth of the tails. These sockets have a rounded 'interior' end as well - a concave curve (when cut with a router).

These matching curves are buried (internal to the joint) and not seen.

Hope that helps - I am sure a diagram would help but a browser search ought to give you that,

Henry

Re: half blind dovetail

Brian retired gunsmith from Colorado

Beg to differ but the one that the Rockler video points to from Woodworkers Journal shows VERY clearly rounded tail innards and rounded sockets. In all the set up test cuts and the final cuts. I have used the Porter Cable version of this jig and I have rounded tail innards and rounded sockets.

Re: half blind dovetail  *LINK*

John McGaw

This is how Leigh explains it:


Leigh Half-Dovetail Procedure

Re: half blind dovetail

AZ in Colorado Springs

The simple answer to your post is: you are correct -- they don't.

As explained in another post, you don't see the rounded portions, as they end up inside the assembled joint.

AZ in Colorado Springs nailed it

Howard in Toronto

Rounded part = inside

Straight-loong edges = visible