Clarke CDTJ12 Instruction Manual

WARNING: Read these instructions before using the machine
OPERATION & MAINTENANCE
INSTRUCTIONS
LS0111
DOVETAIL JIG
MODEL NO: CDTJ12 / CDTJ24
PART NO: 6462170, 6462175

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INTRODUCTION
Thank you for purchasing this CLARKE Dovetail Jig.
Before attempting to operate the machine, it is essential that you read this
manual thoroughly and carefully follow all instructions given. In doing so you
will ensure the safety of yourself and that of others around you, and you can
also look forward to the dovetail jig giving you long and satisfactory service.
GUARANTEE
This CLARKE product is guaranteed against faulty manufacture for a period of
12 months from the date of purchase. Please keep your receipt as proof of
purchase.
This guarantee is invalid if the product is found to have been abused or
tampered with in any way, or not used for the purpose for which it was
intended.
Faulty goods should be returned to their place of purchase, no product can
be returned to us without prior permission.
This guarantee does not effect your statutory rights.

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CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION ............................................................... 2
GUARANTEE .................................................................... 2
CONTENTS ....................................................................... 3
OVERVIEW ....................................................................... 4
PREPARATION FOR USE .................................................. 5
Assembling the Jig................................................................ 5
Mounting the Jig................................................................... 5
Setting the End Stops............................................................ 6
Placing the Timber into the Jig............................................ 7
Setting the Template Position.............................................. 7
Setting the Backstop Position .............................................. 8
CUTTING A DOVETAIL ..................................................... 9
Preparation of Timber........................................................... 9
Setting the router Cutter depth .......................................... 9
Cutting the Joint ................................................................... 10
TROUBLESHOOTING ........................................................ 11

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OVERVIEW
NO DESCRIPTION NO DESCRIPTION
1 Locking Clamp Handle 7 Backstop Locking Screw
2 Eccentric Cam 8 Horizontal Stop
3 Eccentric Bar 9 Vertical Stop
4Clamp 10Backstop
5 Clamp Adjusting Screw 11 Template
6 Template Securing Screw

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PREPARATION FOR USE
ASSEMBLING THE JIG
Screw the front and top handles into
the eccentric bars.
• The workpieces will be locked
when the top locking clamp
handle is pushed away from
you and when the lower
locking clamp handle is pushed
downwards.
MOUNTING THE JIG
There are four holes provided in the base for mounting the jig.
1. Mount the jig to a bench as
shown and secure using suitable
screws (not suppled).
• The jig must be mounted flush
with the front edge of the
workbench.
• Make sure there is enough
space behind the jig to
accommodate the longest
length of timber you are likely
to work on.

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SETTING THE END STOPS
1. Use a set square to draw a pencil
line halfway across the first finger
of the template
• The line must be square to the
edges of the template.
2. Line up the inside edge of the left
horizontal stop with the line you
just drew on the template.
• Use a set square to ensure the
stop is square to the jig.
3. Offset the vertical stop 1/2” to the
right of the horizontal stop.
• Ensure the vertical stop is
square to the top of the jig.
4. Mirror these settings on the right
hand side of the jig.

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PLACING THE TIMBER INTO THE JIG
1. Align the timber so that the side of the workpiece is mounted in the front
vertical clamp.
• It should extend above the front edge of the jig by the thickness of
the piece to be mounted under the top clamp (front or back of the
drawer).
2. The piece of timber in the top
clamp is then butted up to this, so
that both pieces are flush under
the template.
3. The two pieces sit in the jig as
shown on the right.
• Make sure that both pieces are
butted up against the
horizontal / vertical stops.
4. Use the locking clamp handles to
secure the wood to the jig.
• You may need to adjust the top
and front clamp bars to suit the
thickness of the timber using
the clamp adjusting screws at
either end of each clamp bar
so that the wood is held firmly in
place
• When narrow pieces of wood
are being used, place another piece of wood (exactly the same
thickness) underneath the clamp bar at the opposite end to ensure
an even grip on the wood and to avoid distorting the bars.
SETTING THE TEMPLATE POSITION
1. Unlock the two template securing
screws and position the template
so that the tips of the fingers sit
3mm back from the edge of the
vertically mounted timber.
2. Lock the template into position
using the two template securing
screws.

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SETTING THE BACKSTOP POSITION
The distance the backstop needs to be positioned from the front of the
template fingers depends on the size of router base fitted to your router,
The formula to calculate this is:-
EXAMPLE
Using a router which has a base diameter of 160 mm, making a drawer that
has sides 18 mm thick and using the standard cutter supplied with a tip
diameter of 14.8 mm.
The distance from the tips of the template fingers to the vertical face of the
backstop should be set at 108.6 mm.
1. Set a micrometer or vernier
caliper to the calculated depth
and adjust the backstop as
shown.
2. Lock into place using the
backstop locking screws.
• It is not essential that this setting
is exact at this stage as final
adjustments can be made later
on.
• Ensure that the template and back stop stay parallel with the front
edge of the jig during this setting procedure.
cutter tip diameter
2
2 x width of the drawer sides )-( )
router base diameter
2
()+(
cutter tip diameter
2
2 x width of the drawer sides )-( )
router base diameter
2
()+(
14.8 mm
2
2 x 18 mm )-( )
160 mm
()+(
7.4 mm
)-( )
80 mm
()+(
Distance = 108.6 mm
2
36 mm

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CUTTING A DOVETAIL
PREPARATION OF TIMBER
As with all detailed joinery the components must be sized, cut and squared
accurately.
• It is preferable that the width of the timber is in exact steps of 1/2" as
this will give a series of fully-formed dovetails.
The joints on the right of the project
(1 + 2) are cut on the left hand side of
the jig.
The joints on the left of the project
(3 + 4) are cut on the right hand side
of the jig.
• It is a good idea to identify the
drawer pieces as shown, so
that they are positioned
correctly in the jig.
The front and back pieces are mounted in the top of the jig with the inside
edges facing upwards and the top, butting up against the horizontal stop.
The left and right pieces are mounted vertically in the front of the jig with the
inside edges facing towards you and the top butting up against the vertical
stop.
SETTING THE ROUTER CUTTER DEPTH
1. Fit the bearing guided router bit securely into the router collet
2. Adjust the cutter depth, until the
bottom of the router bit protrudes
10-11 mm below the template
fingers.
• You may need to fit a packing
piece between the template
and the timber to ensure good
contact between the bearing
and the slots in the template.
• The cutting depth is critical to
the final fit of the joint, with as little as 0.5mm change in depth
making all the difference.

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CUTTING THE JOINT
You should carry out the initial cuts on two trial pieces of timber of the same
width and thickness as the final components. This will allow you to alter various
settings in order to get the joint to fit perfectly.
1. Position the router on the template with the cutter clear of the timber and
switch on your router.
2. Make the initial cut from the right, across the work, almost touching the end
of each finger.
• Avoid heavy-handed contact with the template, allow the router to
do the work.
3. Make the remainder of the cuts by following the template in and out of the
finger guides working from left to right.
4. When completed, switch the router off before lifting it from the jig.
5. Remove the pieces from the jig, make a trial fit and then, if necessary fine
tune the joint by making the following adjustments:
FINE TUNING THE JOINT
6. Having made the necessary adjustments we recommend that you make a
second trial cut.
7. Once the correct settings have been made then production runs of joints
can be undertaken,
• The settings will need to be checked periodically to maintain
accuracy.
CAUTION: DO NOT LIFT THE ROUTER FROM THE JIG WITH THE ROUTER STILL
RUNNING.
Problem Solution
Pins are too loose Increase the cutter depth by 0.5 mm.
Pins are too tight Decrease the cutter depth by 0.5 mm.
Pins stand proud of the joint Move the back stop further backwards.
Pins sit too deep in the joint Move the back stop further forward.
Pieces do not line up Adjust the horizontal/vertical stops