# Help i don't know whatg to do dovetails



## robots (Apr 15, 2014)

ok so i have been woodworking now for a few years. I have been brought on to a design company where they make photos albums and they hired me to fix the display boxs. I took a look at them and in no way are they squar boxs. Not that big of a deal since the owner was making them and he doesn't know what he is doing. So he bought a leigh super 18 jig. He wants a hb tail. every time after i cut all my pieces and i'm putting in the last piece i have to pull the board over a 16th for it to go into the tails. So when i go to set my box up write its not squar and it wont lay flat. I also have a 16th over hang on corners on the top and bottom of the box. I have squared everything i can. my boards are squar and the same thickness. Is it the jig or am i missing something? I have done so much any thing will help. and i'm open to answer any questions if i haven't explaned enough or was confusing please help if you can.


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## Dal300 (Aug 4, 2011)

It would help if you showed some pictures.

I am not good at dovetails, but then I don't use a jig either. My method, which is getting better is to cut the pins and use those to measure out the tails.

I'm not sure that helped you, but I am a bit confused by your description. Please help us to help you.


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## a1Jim (Aug 9, 2008)

Is it possible you put the wood in the dove tail jig at an angle ?


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## Loren (May 30, 2008)

If you are not flattening your boards on a jointer, surface
planing them to within 1/16" of final thickness, sticker them
at least overnight and then re-jointing if needed and finish 
planing them to final dimension, you are bound to have 
some twisted boards in the lot.


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## FellingStudio (Oct 17, 2013)

I bet that you have boards that are not perfectly square, have wind (twist) in them, or are cut to different dimensions.


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## robots (Apr 15, 2014)

Dallas i wish i could show photos as of right now that is a no go. a1jim i have checked everything for squareness when putting things in the jig and that the jig is square. Loren I am not doing that. I am flattening them with a jointer planing them to my thickness and then using them in the jig. If i'm not doing what Loren is saying then you are right FellingStudio i am going to have wind in them after i start working with them even if they where square to begin with. Thank you all for you help i'm down for more if you got it.


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## robots (Apr 15, 2014)

I am happy to say i got it. there was all kinds of crazyness. Mind you I have only been at this shop for 2 weeks and asumed that everything was put together right and square. So as i said i took the super 18 apart and squared everything up. But there was way more that need to be done. The fence on my jointer was not square, the blade to my table saw was not square so my sled was not square. So after i fixed all of that. I noticed that i was holding the router towrd me when i was cutting my pins and tails. But i tilted it away from me (to the jig) so the bit made the same contacte with all the board. I have now cut four joints that are the way leigh said it should be. Thanks for all your help and info.


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