Any tips on how to avoid chipping of hardwoods, w dovetail/jig/router

What jig are you using? Can you use a backing board? Another tip that should work across most jigs, use clear plastic tape on both faces of the board to reinforce the edges, and peel off the tape pulling it toward the board end so that it doesn’t peel up any loose fibers.

-- "Bordnerizing" perfectly good lumber for over a decade.

Douglas, Thanks for the tips about the clear tape I’m gonna try it by the way the jig is a woodstock intr. inc. dovetail jig. I’ve made alterations so I can run long stretches of dovetails. Have a project that requires four feet of strait dovetailing. Any jigs out there for no limitations like this. Or is it better to just make your own. As I am new to using joinery in projects other than cabinets or furniture..Heck just really new to joinery… Reading about it forever, but reading about it and doing it are two far different animals. I was doing them all by hand, but kept getting tired the time involved didn’t balance out. For what I have in mind, cutting 120. WILL let you know and post pictures when I figure this out and have the finished product. Thanks, patrick.

-- PJM.`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸ ><((((º> ""BY HAMMER AND HAND ALL ARTS DO STAND""1785-1974 nyc Semper Fi, Patrick M

Woodnut. I saw one at a woodworking show. and what you did was make a spacing pattern on a piece of scrap wood. I believe with saw cuts and then you moved their dovetail jig down the spacing. The jig itself was maybe only 6-9” long you just cut a dovetail and moved it down.

Here it is It’s called Chestmate. Price is 99.00 on their web

-- I've been blessed with a father who liked to tinker in wood, and a wife who lets me tinker in wood. Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †

Woodnut, take a look at these threads. There’s some info that might help.

What's your 2 bits on router bits?
dovetail joints
Porter Cable 4216 Dovetail jig

Summary of things to try –
- try cutting a small line with a marking knife at the cut line. This pre-cuts the fibers and helps avoid tear out at the surface
- masking tape / packing tape along the cuts. helps hold the fibers in place as the bit exits.
- use a spiral bit. The shearing action cuts along the fibers rather than just across the fibers, less tearing
- use backing boards. make the cuts out of the workpiece into a sacrificial backing board. The backing board holds the fibers in place as the bit exits. Use backing boards anywhere the bit exits as needed. You can use the same backing boards for multiple pieces.

I always use a backing board to support the fibers, and also, for the shoulder cuts on the tailboard, I always use a strip on both sides of the workpiece (has to be square of course) to keep the shoulders from tearing out. Another way to do it is to score your line with a marking gauge to give an interruption in the fibers. Just some things I’ve used. They all take a little time in the setup, but are worth it in the outcome. Blue take works sometimes too, but the backer board seems to be the most consistent.

-- You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation. (Plato)

Awsome::::: You guys are great> The Backing board and tape worked out for me The marking cuts I think really saved the day!!! I always just thought marking knives where just for marking… and what a difference. I makes perfect sense now that you’ve all explained it . Just never really had any show me “any” woodworkin’ tricks like the stuff I’ve found here. Sure tricks w/ a circ saw, but this site is great ! I thank you all so so much and hope ya had a great christmas. And carson Thanks again I’m gonna check out that CHESSMATE”.. Looks pretty cool for future projects. THANKYOU!

-- PJM.`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸ ><((((º> ""BY HAMMER AND HAND ALL ARTS DO STAND""1785-1974 nyc Semper Fi, Patrick M

I use the leigh d4r, i always try to score a line and use tape. I also try to make a light pass down the entire length before going any deeper and then go all th way through into the backer board and make another light pass across the back. this usually works pretty well for me.
Take the extra time to make light passes, the wood will appreciate the extra tenderness

-- Joey, Magee, Ms http://woodnwaresms.com

score a line, use a backer board, use a woodside bit, take your time…. I also prefer a leigh jig, but there are so many that work

-- making sawdust....

Wow, that thing from Prazi looks like a real Rube Goldberg device. I just watched their video. What a plow.

-- You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation. (Plato)