Jointech Clincher fence machine Manual

FULLY ILLUSTRATED WITH OVER

200 DETAILED FULL-COLOR

DRAWINGS AND PHOTOS,

PLUS NUMEROUS SHOP TIPS

AND TECHNIQUES.

SETUPS for CABINET MAKING OPERATIONS

•Edge Jointing •Frames •Raised Panels

INCLUDES COLLECTION OF SIXTY,

16” long TEMPLATES and FULL SIZE

PLANS FOR MAKING:

•Box joints •Double-Double Box joints

•Half-Blind Dovetails •Double Dovetails

•Through & Double Through Dovetails

•Jointech’s exclusive BoxtailsTM

•Plus 18 Scales for repetitive cutting

Cutting intervals range from

8”

up to

8”

Complete Instructions and Setup for

Clincher Fence Machine

and SmartFence

®.

Manufactured by:

Jointech, Inc.

P.O. Box 790727

San Antonio, TX 78279

Customer Svc : (210) 524-9104

Facsimile: (210) 377-1282

email:[email protected]

MADE IN THE U.S.A.

CLINCHER

FENCE MACHINE.....................................................................................2

Templates and scales

Fence Machine Systems

Warranty

OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES.........................................................................................3

SYSTEM SETUP and ASSEMBLY...............................................................................4

Mounting

CLINCHER

Mounting Fence

Dust Collection Attachment

Vertical Push Fixture assembly

X-Y Stop Block operation

Cutting Profile Inserts

EDGE JOINTING......... ................................................................................................6

SHAPING OPERATIONS .............................................................................................7

Frames

Raised Panels

MAKING THE PERFECT JOINT ................................................................................10

Getting Started

Selecting the right Template for your project

Installing and using

CLINCHER

Templates

Centering for perfect symmetry - Using the

Rabbit

....................................11

Steps for centering

Determine Pin and Tail Cuts.......................................................................12

Template Alignment

BOX JOINTS..............................................................................................................13

Setting Depth of Cut for Box Joints

HALF-BLIND DOVETAILS..........................................................................................14

Setting Depth of Cut for all Dovetail Joints

THROUGH DOVETAILS.............................................................................................16

DOUBLE DOVETAILS................................................................................................18

DOUBLE-DOUBLE BOX JOINTS...............................................................................20

BOXTAIL JOINTS.......................................................................................................22

THE MITER SPLINE JOINT.......................................................................................24

SLIDING DOVETAILS.................................................................................................24

REPETITIVE SCALE TEMPLATES.............................................................................24

•When using a power tool with

CLINCHER,

follow the safety instructions in the tool’s

instruction manual. Use any safety guards

required for their safe use. Remember that all

power tools are inherently dangerous. Make

sure that you thoroughly understand their

operation and their safety features before you

use them.

•Always wear safety glasses and hearing

protection when operation of power tools.

•Always turn off power to any other tools prior to

any adjustment of

CLINCHER.

Allow a cutting

tool to come to a complete stop before

repositioning of fence, sliding section or profile

insert.

•If

CLINCHER

is mounted to a moveable base,

always secure base to work surface by

clamping, screws, or otherwise fastened before

using.

•Always tighten SmartFence sliding sections

clamping knobs before any cutting operation.

Avoid applying excessive force when clamping.

When using a profile insert, always securely

engage between both sliding sections.

•Always align center of SmartFence to center of

router and cutter. Never use a cutter larger

than 4” in diameter nor greater than 2” in height,

including any bearing.

•Before making a cut, always make sure that the

CLINCHER

cam clamp is fully locked down and

machine setup is secure in place.

•Whenever a cutting operation requires that your

hands come near or over a bit or blade,

ALWAYS USE A GOOD PUSH BLOCK or push

stick to protect your fingers.

•Before performing any cutting operation,

carefully think it through. Anticipate any

situations that can be potentially dangerous,

such as: grabbing, kickback, splintering, or

exposed fingers, and take steps to insure that

they don’t happen.

SSAAFFEETTYY--RREEAADDAALLLLIINNSSTTRRUUCCTTIIOONNSS

Introduction

Setting Up

Cabinet Making

Operations

Joint Making

Operations

With Jointech leading the way, the method of router table woodworking and

joinery has become the most exciting and sought after means to perform

shaping and cutting operations with high precision. The Jointech Ultra-

Precision Woodworking System which you have purchased will be the best

investment that you have made over any other tool in your shop. Far superi-

or to any other in quality, workmanship and versatility, the accuracy that this

new tool brings to your woodworking shop is unprecedented.

The CabinetMaker’s System is capable of jointing, routing, rabbeting, dado-

ing, making raised panels, and rail and stile frames. It can function as a saw

table fence, drill press positioner and much more. This one System will give

you the versatility needed to perform fine joinery and all cabinet-making

operations.

The Jointech Template Collection includes sixty, 16” long templates and

scales, plus step-by-step instructions to guide you through the use of the

templates to make box joints, half-blind dovetails, through dovetails, double

dovetails, double-double box joints, and the exotic Jointech Boxtail

.Even

the novice, who perhaps has never made a simple dovetail or box joint, will

quickly be able to produce beautiful and intricate joinery in their projects.

Made entirely in San Antonio, Texas, Jointech’s American-made

Woodworking Systems have been met with enthusiastic approval of many

thousands of woodworkers, hobbyist and professional, as well as leading

experts in the field.

We thank you for choosing Jointech.

CLINCHER Fence Machine

CLINCHER Templates and Scales

JOINTECH warrants this product for five years from date of purchase against any defects that are due

to faulty material or workmanship. Please return the complete unit, transportation prepaid (proof of pur-

chase may be required) for free replacement or repair at our option. This warranty does not apply to

accessories. This warranty gives you specific legal rights and you may have other rights which vary

from state to state. Should you have any questions, contact Jointech, Incorporated.

HOME USE WARRANTY

(A FULL FIVE YEAR WARRANTY)

MICRO-ADJUST THUMBWHEEL

Each detent represents .001” of fence movement.

Decal indicates which direction fence will move

during rotation. After an adjustment, it’s scale sleeve

can be re-calibrated to Zero. Use thumbwheel only

when the cam-handle clamp is in the micro-adjust

position.

CAM-HANDLE CLAMP POSITIONS:

1) UPRIGHT - Carriage is released from leadscrew for full movement over its range.

2) 45 DEGREES - Position to make micro-adjustments with thumbwheel.

3) DOWN - Carriage is fully locked in place for a cutting operation.

ANTI-PARALLAX CURSOR

Visually align both top and bottom

hairlines to scale or template to

eliminate parallax.

CENTER FINDER

(RABBIT)

The

Rabbit

and TRU-Center Scale are used to find the

exact center of a board. Follow directions on page 11

to achieve joint symmetry using any of the Jointech

templates. Once the TRU-Center Scale is calibrated to

a given cutter or blade kerf, only the Rabbit is used to

find center regardless of board width.

T-SLOT

A 5/8” wide flat nut

or a 1/2” - 14 deg.

dovetailed block

combined with a

handle or thumb-

screw can be

inserted into this

slot to make a

convenient carriage

handle and/or stop.

The

CLINCHER

Template Collection includes 48 joint-making templates,

9 dual scales for making repetitive cuts, infeed and outfeed fence scales and

a blank inch scale for custom use. They are made from a special, high-

strength vinyl and will give many years of satisfactory use. The two printed

sheets comprising the 60 templates and scales are partially die cut and need

to be separated for insertion into the pockets provided for in this handbook.

Although they should separate easily by peeling apart, because of tolerances

in materials and manufacturing processes it may also be necessary to use a

sharp knife or razor blade.

The fit of a template or scale in a

CLINCHER

slot may become too loose

over time. If this occurs, make a mild kink in one or more places along its

length to add tension when replaced in slot. You cannot damage a template

or scale in doing this.

If your templates become dirty, simply wipe them with a damp cloth. DO

NOT attempt to clean the templates with alcohol or any other solvent as this

may damage the printing.

Fence Featherboard

Combination Featherboard and Stock Pusher locks into

dovetail on all Jointech fences. Holds workpiece firmly

down against table surface for consistent cuts.

Prevents kickback and keeps fingers safely away from

cutting tool. Reversible feathers for shaper or band

saw use.

Cat. No. FB-1

SmartFence Profile Inserts

6-pack of blank inserts for SmartFence. Packaged in a

sturdy hardwood case with plexiglass cover for

convenient storage. Inserts cut to the exact profile of

bit give smoother and safer cutting operations.

Cat. No. SF-6PI

Fence Panel Raiser

Panel Raiser makes vertical panel raising safer and

easier. It adapts quickly to SmartFence to support

large panels for all vertical panel raising operations. Kit

includes support brackets and hardware.

Cat. No. SF-P24 (fits 24” SmartFence)

Cat. No. SF-P32 (fits 32” SmartFence)

Table Featherboard Kit

Table featherboard kit includes two adjustable feather

assemblies, a dovetailed oak runner board and two

clamps to mount to router table top. Feathers can be

positioned to hold workpiece against both infeed and

outfeed faces of fence for consistent cuts. Prevents

kickback and keeps fingers safely away from cutting

tool. Feathers can be reversed for shaper or band saw.

Cat. No. FB-24 (for 24” wide tables)

Cat. No. FB-32 (for 32” wide tables)

Spline Jig

The dovetail spline joint is the simplest way to reinforce

a mitered corner. Jointech’s Spline Jig will allow you

to easily create beautiful spline joints, from a small

jewelry box to a large chest. Making the splines are a

breeze using your micro-adjustable

CLINCHER

.For

use on both router table and table saw.

The 60 minute

Spline Jig Video which is included shows how to

do it all plus gives ideas for projects.

Cat. No. SJ-1

Woodworker’s Notebook

Put your Jointech System to use right away! Book

includes over 300 photos and illustrations and

complete plans for twelve original and

practical

projects, including the Jointech Routing Center and

Sliding Crosscut Saw Table with Vertical Miter Fixture.

Many tips and techniques in general woodworking are

also included such as stock preparation, making

frames and panels, drawer construction, joinery and

several plans for useful jigs and fixtures.

Cat. No.WN-12

Jointech Project Videos

This series of project videos from Jointech give visual instructions

to take you through every operation to build a nice project using

your Jointech System. These full-length videos cover tool

selection, material preparation, resawing, table saw setups, router

setups for jointing and joinery, inlays, rabbeting, sanding, gluing

up, finishing and more. After a methodical, step-by-step

explanation, a final review is made to give you confidence to

begin the project.

Featuring Master Woodworker, Jay Hilgeford

Jay Hilgeford has been a woodwork instructor and teacher for 16 years. He

is a technical advisor and contributor to Hands-On magazine, co-designer

of corporate-sponsored Master Wood-worker Program, technical advisor on

the DIY television series on Woodworking, and recipient of Instructor of the

Year award in 1986. Not only a master craftsman, Hilgeford is a master

teacher. While his style is relaxed and informal, he conveys complex

instructions with enthusiasm, precision, and clarity.

Making Decorative Boxes

Double dovetails are featured on the corner joints of this

beautiful yet functional box. This decorative box will

make a beautiful jewelry case or storage chest for any of

your treasured items.

(VHS 120 min)

Cat. No. JPVID-1

Jointech Routing Center

This beauty speaks for itself! It will support your

Jointech System and provide storage for all your

Jointech accessories. Video covers the complete

construction of the router cabinet featured in the

Jointech Woodworker’s Notebook. Any woodworker

would be proud to have this project in their shop.

(VHS 126 min)

Cat No. JPVID-4

Making a Pendulum Clock

This beautiful pendulum clock will go just about

anywhere in your home - the mantle, table or mount on

the wall. The case features box joints and the drawer is

dovetailed and all done with your Jointech System.

(VHS 99 min)

Cat. No. JPVID-2

Shaker Style Video/CD Cabinet

The CD/Video tape cabinet is not only good looking, but

it’s functional too! In this video you will learn just how

easy through dovetails can be made with the Jointech

System. Also covered is

raised panel door

construction.

(VHS 83 min)

Cat. No. JPVID-3

Making a Display Table

This elegant, yet simple to make display table will look

nice in any room of your home. The video covers such

topics as mortise and tenon construction, tapering legs

on a jointer, decorative edge treatments, and a simple jig

for crosscutting wide panels.

(VHS 80 min)

Cat No. JPVID-5

Making a Humidor

A handsome home for fine cigars. What better way to

protect your investment than this beautiful humidor.

Featured are spline dovetails made with the Jointech

spline jig (or plans found in WN-12), as well as many

other helpful woodworking tips and tricks.

(VHS 98 min)

Cat No. JPVID-6

DISCONTINUED

Fasten the

CLINCHER

machine directly to your worktop surface or to a

movable base using the wood screws and washers provided. A movable base

should be

1/2”

3/4”

thick (

1/2”

maximum when using Joinery Fence), 8 - 10

inches wide and about as long as your top is wide if you plan to use C-clamps.

A slotted baseboard with carriage bolts and clamping knobs is easier to use

and provides a more finished appearance to your setup. Regardless of method,

the

CLINCHER

must be mounted to an absolutely flat surface for optimum

performance and to prevent binding of carriage during movement. Additionally,

the fence mounting end of machine must remain parallel to table surface over

its entire range to prevent binding of fence against table surface. Check each

corner before tightening screws and add shims as necessary to achieve this

important first step. Check carriage movement and parallelism after tightening

screws.

Mounting Clincher

Fasteners Supplied

4 ea. - #10 x

3/4”

wood screws

4 ea. - #10 flat washer

1. Adhere an adhesive-backed nylon glide piece to bottom surface of fence at

each end. Position them so that they contact the table surface near its outer

edges;

For Joinery Fence, cut the glide pieces into narrow

strips and place only on rear edges of fence.

For SmartFence, cut into four short pieces and place

into the front and back shallow slots on bottom of fence.

2. Attach fence to the

CLINCHER

fence mounting plate using the two 1/4-20

machine screws, flat washers and heavy hex nuts provided. Insert the two

nuts into the appropriate T-slot and slide toward center. (On SmartFence,

you may need to temporarily remove the two small fence-section clamping

knobs from one side.)

3. With the

CLINCHER

fence machine securely mounted in place, align the

exact center of fence to the center of your router, insert screws with washers

through fence mounting plate to engage nuts and tighten. Check for

squareness of fence face to your table top. (With the SmartFence, you want

the square to touch the center of the black split sections since they protrude

out from the main fence by .005” - .010”.) It may be necessary to use shims

between machine and fence to achieve this one-time setup.You can use

adhesive-backed tape as shim stock adhering it to the fence mounting plate.

Move the

CLINCHER

to the center of its range before final tightening of

screws.

4. Move

CLINCHER

back and forth over its entire range to check for a smooth

travel without lifting or binding. Any dragging or binding over all or part of

the range may be a indication that the machine was not mounted level and

true or that there is a slight unevenness or twist in the table’s surface. This

condition can be corrected by one of two ways;

a) At the center of the

CLINCHER’S

range, loosen fence fastening

hardware and temporarily place a thin shim under each fence

end under glide strip (or under the side that binds) to slightly

raise fence.

Re-tighten screws, remove shim and check movement again.

Repeat with a thicker shim and/or at different fence positions if

necessary.

b) Reduce gib tension on

CLINCHER.

The two outer #10-32

socket cap screws on the base at back of machine determine

the freedom of

CLINCHER

movement in the unclamped state.

Tightening of these two screws will restrict movement while a

veryslight loosening of each will allow a more free movement

and alleviate binding of the fence. (Loosening of these gib

adjustment screws will not affect the performance during

micro-adjust or clamping force in the fully locked position of

cam handle. However, cutting SmartFence profile inserts

becomes more of a challenge when the fence has excessive

side-to-side play in its micro-adjust or unlocked position).

Fasteners Supplied

1 ea. Nylon glide strip, 2

1/2”

long

2 ea. 1/4-20 x

1/2”

machine screw

2 ea.

1/4”

flat washer

2 ea. 1/4-20 nut, heavy hex

Mounting Fence

IMPORTANT NOTE:

It is VERY IMPORTANT that you follow the above steps to minimize friction in your final fence setup. When you place the

Cam-handle in its micro-adjust or fully locked position, you are engaging the 1/32” threads of a brass quarter-nut to the

stainless steel lead screw. For the threads to properly engage, the entire carriage setup with fence accessories (including

attached workpieces to VPF) must be able to move as much as 1/64”,orhalf that of the thread pitch

This engagement will

take place if you have followed the procedure above. However, if there is excessive friction in your system due to binding of

the fence or carriage, then it is possible that the threads may not fully engage and mesh together.

Therefore, take all the initial steps necessary to establish your fence machine setup to have the least amount of friction

possible. To insure that you achieve proper thread engagement it is also suggested that you visually check each setting by

carefully observing that the cursor hairlines are coincident to every template cut line or scale marks in the micro-adjust

position and after locking the cam handle. If you do not get proper engagement in the micro-adjust position, simply nudge the

carriage left or right with your hand.

Nylon Glide

Nylon Glides

1/4-20 nut

1/4-20 screw

flat washer

Gib Adjustment Screws

Joinery Fence SmartFence

SYSTEM SETUP and ASSEMBLY

The vacuum port on the SmartFence is the size of a standard 1

1/4”

P.V.C. pipe. When a 1

1/4”

fitting

such as an elbow is attached, the O.D. is 2 inches which will accommodate most 2”, 2

1/4”

and 2

1/2”

hoses with hose clamps. If a larger O.D. is desired or required simply use PVC bushings and

fittings to increase the final O.D. size. For a more perfect fit to a non-standard hose duct tape may

be used to build up its outside diameter. P.V.C. fittings are available in most hardware stores and

home improvement centers.

Notes:

1. A standard shop vac should have sufficient vacuum for all SmartFence operations.

2. Vacuum MUST be used continuously when doing edge work to prevent chip buildup

within fence.

3. Tapered design of vacuum port on fence will provide a snug fit with only light

pressure applied when connecting hose fitting.

Dust Collection Attachment

The black anodized aluminum face plate is attached to the VPF frame with the four drywall

screws. Start all four screws through the plate and into the pilot holes in frame assembly.

Tighten evenly until snug.

Insert the two 1/4-20 nylon thumbscrews into the threaded holes located at the top inside

frame adjacent to the dovetail runner. Install the VPF onto the fence. Adjust thumbscrews

until both just touch fence surface to remove side-to-side play of fixture. Over tensioning will

cause binding and may lift fixture entirely off table.

Check for squareness of fixture from table surface and from face of fence. If necessary, use

adhesive-backed tape as shim stock between frame and face plate to achieve squareness of

fixture.

Vertical Push Fixture

Fasteners Supplied

4 ea. - #6 x 1

1/4”

drywall screw

2 ea. - 1/4-20 x 1” nylon thumbscrew

The X - Y stop block is

adjustable both vertically and

horizontally. Two scales are

provided for accurate setting of

the stop to limit the length of a

cut at a precise distance from

either edge or center of a cutter.

They can be found in the

template set immediately after

No. 57. The scales are installed

in the top of the fence next to

the dovetail slot. Cut off any

excess after their installation

into fence.

The steps shown here

calibrate the outfeed scale to

the front cutting edge of bit.

1. Orient bit cutting edges to run parallel with

fence.

2. Insert stop block on infeed side of fence.

Lower the sliding vertical section and slide

stop forward on fence until its front edge

just contacts the outer cutting edge of bit.

Temporarily tighten top thumbscrew..

3. Slide outfeed scale under stop block and

align its Zero to the front edge of stop block.

4. Loosen top thumbscrew. Raise vertical

section and slide stop block forward on

fence until centered over bit. Lower the

vertical section to allow a small clearance

between bottom edge and top of bit.

Securely lock in place with side

thumbscrew.

5. Now set the desired length of cut by sliding

the stop block forward and reading the scale

at the backedge of stop.

Cutting SmartFence Profile Inserts

GENERAL INFORMATION

1. Profile inserts do not have to be used. Also,

they do not offer any benefit in joinery. However,

they do add safety and improve cutting

performance for most cutters. Inserts cannot be

used for jointing or shaping operations whenever

fences are offset.

2. Always align centerlines of insert and fence to

center of router.

3. Never turn on router when cutter is within

profile of insert without first manually turning

cutter to insure clearance.

4. To remove insert, loosen infeed sliding section

and pull apart. If necessary, use a slot blade

screwdriver to pry apart. Be careful not to

damage or nick sliding section.

5. Once fence is centered to cutter, if you do not

loosen both sections simultaneously, inserts

will always remain centered to router.

6. Certain intricate cutter profiles may cause slight

chipping of insert when initially being cut. This

can be prevented by clamping a scrap board on

fence to bridge insert and cutting through both.

7. With blank insert installed and centered in

SmartFence, your

CLINCHER

machine is moved

forward and into running cutter until profile has

been completely cut through. Profile inserts can

also be cut on a scroll saw or band saw.

SETUP FOR CUTTING

1. Move entire

CLINCHER

setup as close to cutter

as possible. Align centerlines of insert and fence

to center of cutter and clamp in place.

2. Remove insert from SmartFence. Using

CLINCHER

, move fence forward to a position

where cutter would have profiled the insert

completely through.

3. Clamp a stop block on table top in front of fence

at this position to limit length of travel to protect

inside rear of fence body from damage.

4. Move fence back and re-install blank insert. You

are now ready to make your cut.

CUTTERS WITHOUT BEARINGS

1. First determine the precise height of cutter

through trial and error. This should be done with

insert removed and each sliding section closed to

within

1/8”

of cutter.

2. Position fence close to cutter and turn on router

and dust collection system.

3. With

CLINCHER

cam handle in the micro-adjust

position, use its thumbwheel to advance fence

until cutter passes completely through insert.

4. Unlock

CLINCHER

cam handle. Make several

passes through insert while gently pushing and

pulling fence laterally to slightly enlarge opening.

This will make it easier to use in future setups.

CUTTERS WITH BEARINGS

1. Without an insert, first determine the height of cutter

through trial and error. Measure this height

including bearing and threaded stud. Save your

profiled workpiece for a later setup.

2. Remove cutter from router and install a straight bit

having same diameter as the rub-collar bearing on

the cutter. Set approximately

1/16”

higher than your

measurement. Note; A straight bit having a smaller

diameter than bearing may be used by making

offsetting passes to compensate for the difference.

3. Replace blank insert. Loosen both infeed and

outfeed sliding sections and shift the insert to left of

fence centerline by approximately

1/64”

. Secure in

place.

4. Cut through insert with straight bit.

5. Shift insert

1/64”

to the right side of fence centerline

and cut through insert again to widen the opening.

This procedure should give about

1/32”

clearance

around bearing.

6. Realign center of insert to center of fence so that

cutter bearing will be centered to opening.

7. Remove straight bit and replace your cutter. Set to

height established in step 1 by using your scrap

workpiece made during your trial and error setup.

8. Make the final cut of insert with cutter.

9. Using a straight edge, micro-adjust

CLINCHER

align bearing flush to face of fence insert for your

final setup. 5

4”

PVC elbow

2”O.D.

2”

PVC elbow

Female Bushing

4”

O.D.

X-Y Stop Block & Fence Scales

EDGE JOINTING

Edge jointing is the process of creating a straight, true and square edge on a board in

order that two or more boards can be joined together. A jointed edge will not make

the sides of a board parallel. To do that, joint one edge of the board then using that

edge as a reference (against the saw fence) rip saw the board to get a parallel edge.

After sawing, joint the sawn edge taking a slight cut (

1/64"

) to straighten its edge.

Using the SmartFence, pieces as small as 6" long x

1/8"

thick can be jointed using as

small as a

1/4"

diameter straight cutting bit. This can be done safely because you can

use a small cutter and a very narrow gap in the fence. However, you can use a cutter

as large as 1" in diameter and 2" cutting length. For most work on 3/4" boards use a

1/2"

x 1" long cutter.

1/2"

shank is a must to keep chatter to a minimum. A

1/2"

diame-

ter, long-fluted upcut spiral is suggested for general use. Use a guard to cover the

exposed bit and the fence gap above the board. Always cut from right to left with the

cutter rotating into the wood. Whenever possible cut with the grain of the wood. If

that is not possible, slow the router speed down and take shallow cuts. Rate of feed

is important. If you feed too fast you get a wavy surface and if you feed too slow you

will burn the wood. Keep pressure down and keep the piece against the fence, first

the infeed side then transfer the pressure to the outfeed side as the piece passes the

cutter. Use of featherboards will help regulate this pressure against fence and make

this operation safer by keeping fingers further away from cutter.

1. Install a carbide straight bit in router.

2. Remove profile insert from fence and slide both fence sections close to the

cutter leaving

1/8"

1/4"

on each side.

3. Loosen both clamping knobs (3-4 turns) on outfeed section and push knobs

into back of fence (see illustration). This will disengage indexer rods from

keyways on fence body and allow them to be rotated.

4. Turn both indexer rods to adjust to the desired offset. Each number from 1 to

7 viewed through the windows represents fence offsets in 1/64ths inch. For

example, 4 is an offset of

4/64"

1/16"

. Once set, push sliding section toward

fence body and re-tighten clamping knobs. Do not over tighten.

Note: Both indexers must be set to the same number to maintain

squareness of fence face.

5. Refer to illustration. Rotate the router bit so that its cutting edges are oriented

east and west relative to fence. Place a square or straight edge against the

outfeed side of fence to overlap the cutting edge of bit.

6. Adjust position of SmartFence by using the micro-adjust thumbwheel on

CLINCHER to align cutting edge of bit to the offset (Outfeed) side of fence.

7. Using scrap pieces for test, joint an edge for final determination of your fence

setting and readjust as necessary;

*If your leading (jointed) edge of board catches the corner edge of

outfeed section, your bit is not out far enough. Micro-adjust fence back.

*If your board is slightly concave over its length, the cutter is too far out

and not aligned to outfeed section.

*If your board is slightly convex over its length, it may mean that too

much pressure was applied against fence when passing into and/or

away from the cutter.

TIP

For general use in jointing operations, set up the SmartFence as follows; Set the

outfeed section indexer rods to 7and the infeed side to 6and align fence to cutter as

above. The infeed section then can be adjusted inward as needed to remove more

material in one pass without any need of recalibrating fence setting.

Set outfeed to “7”

Set infeed to “6”

CABINET MAKING OPERATIONS

SHAPING OPERATIONS

Shaping operations using cutters such as glue joint, tongue & groove, lock-wedge and similar bits which remove

stock from entire edge of workpiece are easily accomplished by using the same setup procedure as for edge

jointing above.

The frames discussed here will be wood panel frames or glass frames for doors rather than picture frames.The

most basic and easiest frame to make is the mortise and tenon while the decorative coped molded rails require

special rail and stile cutters. Any dimensions shown in this section are to get a sense of proportion and are not

intended to be a limit for design purposes.

Mortise and Tenon

The mortise and tenon is normally constructed with rails and stiles of the

same thickness for simplicity. Start by planing all the pieces to the same

thickness, or cut the pieces from the same board. Mark the front face of

each piece (rail & stile). For frames with a mortise groove of less than

1/4"

cut the groove with a slot cutter in the router with the pieces laying flat on

the table. Use the Fence Featherboard to keep the piece down on the table

and the table mounted Featherboard to keep the piece against the fence.

If you use an undersized cutter and pass the piece through the cutter two

times turning the piece over between cuts, you can be assured that the

groove will be in the exact center of the piece. If the groove is made from

one side only, be sure to orient the pieces with the side marked for the face

either up or down for all the pieces. Wider grooves can be cut using straight

bits, preferably spiral upcut bits.

Mortises of any width can be cut on the table using multiple passes with the

saw blade or a dado blade. The CLINCHER can be set up as a saw fence to

control the width of the cut with absolute accuracy.

Regardless of the method chosen for cutting the mortise groove, all of the

rails and stiles for a given frame assembly should be cut on the same setup.

Cut the pieces to be used as stiles to a length about

1/8"

longer than the

required finish length. Cut the rails to the required length between the

finished stiles, plus twice the depth of one mortise plus

1/32"

The next step is to cut the tenons on the rail ends. The tenons can be cut on

a table saw or router table. If using the router with a straight cutter, use the

cope cutting guide (see Jointech Woodworker's Notebook, SECT. III) to

support the rails. Use a piece of scrap cut from the pieces with the mortise

cut. Using the scrap piece and trial and error make a series of cuts about

1/4"

wide, raising the router bit slightly each time until the tenon will just fit

into the mortise. With the height of the bit established move the fence and

make cuts until you are within approximately

1/32"

from the full length of the

tenon. Use the CLINCHER Micro-Adjust to move the fence and make cuts

until the tenon is exactly the same length as the mortise depth. Save this

scrap as a template for future set ups. Cut the tenons on both ends of each

rail.

Frames

COPE CUTTING GUIDE

Mortise

Cheek

Tenon

CABINET MAKING OPERATIONS

Coped Rail and Stile

In addition to being more decorative than the mortise and tenon frame, the

coped molded rails offer increased glue area. Preparing the stock for use

with rail and stile cutters is the same as for the mortise and tenon frames.

This style of frame is often referred to as cope and stick.

The router cutters come in three types; Matched 2-pc. stile & rail sets,

Reversible Assembly, and Stacked Assembly. Any type will do an equally

good job, but with the combination bits the setup must be changed to make

the cope cuts, and this creates more room for error.

Instructions for assembling the combination bits will accompany any

manufacturers sets.The instructions will normally include the height to set

the bit. The depth of cut for all the bits with bearings is

3/8"

. This is the

dimension to be used to determine the length of stock for the rails.

Set up the router table with the bit for cutting the stile cuts, either

combination or solid bit, and a zero clearance insert in SmartFence. Use

featherboards as described for mortise and tenon frames.

Cut the prepared boards to their appropriate lengths. Make the stile cut in a

piece of scrap cut from the prepared wood. Make the stile cuts for all the

pieces, both rail and stile.

Disassemble and reassemble the bit to the cope configuration or change the

solid bit. Use the piece of scrap to set the bit height and cut a new zero

clearance insert.

Use the cope cutting guide with a backup piece and make a cope cut in the

scrap piece. Check the fit of the scrap cope in a stile. If the fit is

acceptable, make the cope cuts in the rail ends.

Until the advent of the large horsepower/variable speed routers, raised

panels were made by table saw, shaper or by hand with a plane. There is

now a large selection of router bits, horizontal and vertical, to choose from.

A 3-1/2 horsepower router can easily turn a 3

1/2"

diameter bit and the speed

can be slowed down to make an acceptable cut. The router should be run at

approximately 12,000 rpm when using the large router bits. For safety, stay

away from the

1/4"

diameter shank large diameter router bits.

Use of the large panel-raising bits will require the use of a router table insert

with a large diameter hole. Because of the large bit and the large opening in

the table insert, never make test cuts on small scraps of wood. Length of

test pieces should be more than twice the hole diameter. Always use push

blocks. Featherboards should always be used to hold stock down to the

table surface or against the fence as applicable when making panels with a

router. When making panels on the table saw a vertical fixture such as a

tenoning jig can be purchased or made (see VERTICAL MITER FIXTURE,

Jointech Woodworker's Notebook, SECT III). Stock preparation for all the

panels is the same.

There are three basic shapes for the raised panels,

STRAIGHT

ROMAN

OGEE

and

COVE

. There are horizontal and vertical bits in these shapes

and combinations of them are available from various manufacturers. All are

available with

1/2"

diameter shanks.

PANEL FRAME

Raised Panels

2”

3/8”

PANEL

STILE

1/4”typ.

Remove this area

to install glass.

PANEL

STILE

CABINET MAKING OPERATIONS

Making Panels with Horizontal Bits

Install a table insert with a hole large enough to clear the largest bit you will

be using (about 3

5/8"

diameter). Install the router bit in the router and set the

bit height to make a panel with a

1/4"

lip (standard for most rail and stile bits -

make lip to match groove). Install a new profile insert in the SmartFence and

cut the clearance for the router bit. Install a featherboard on the fence to hold

the piece down.

With a piece of scrap material of the same thickness as the panel and more

than twice as long as the clearance hole diameter make a trial cut. Use a

rubber faced push block to hold and move the piece. Test fit the panel lip in

the rail groove for fit. The lip should fit snug enough to install and provide for

wood movement. If the fit is satisfactory you are ready to cut the panels. If

not, make a bit height adjustment and make another test cut. Save the final

test piece for future setups.

Never be in a hurry when working in your shop; it only causes mistakes.

Make the panels in three cuts. The third cut removes the last

1/32"

material while the first two take a little less than one half the material each

pass. This method gives a nice final finish that requires very little sanding

and provides a little margin to correct any minor mistakes as you go. No

matter how careful you proceed it is very easy to burn the surface or to

wiggle the piece slightly as you pass it over the bit. The deeper the cut the

easier it is to make these mistakes.

Use the scrap setup piece to set the bit height to get the final height. Start

each series of cuts on every panel on an end grain side to avoid tearout.

Horizontal raised panel bits are also available with an undercutter bit to

relieve the back side of the panel and produce flush fronts.

Making Panels with

Vertical Bits

Setup for using the vertical cutting bits is completely different than for the

horizontal bits.The bits are 1

1/8"

in diameter and do not require the large

table opening that the horizontal bits do. With the smaller diameter bits a

lower horsepower router can be used.You should have no problem with a

1-1/2 horsepower router but a

1/2

" diameter collet is a must.

To support the panels a tall fence is required. The SmartFence and

FenceRaiser kit are ideal for this purpose. The FenceRaiser panel is easy

to install on the fence and its design permits use of a profile insert. After

assembling the FenceRaiser to the SmartFence, check the fence to the

table for squareness. Add shims between the raiser brackets and fence if

necessary.

For safety and ease of making the cuts, a horizontal table mounted

featherboard should be installed. Use two feather assemblies, one on the

infeed and one on the outfeed sides of the bit. Mount the featherboard

runner support on a spacer board of approximately 1

1/2"

thickness to place

the contact area of the featherboards above the cut. This will keep the panel

flat against the fence surface. Use a push device that will keep the panel

upright and square to the table surface (see VERTICAL PANEL PUSHER,

Jointech Woodworker's Notebook, SECT III).

Zero the fence to the outside of the maximum diameter of the cutter. With a

piece of scrap material of the same thickness as the panel make test cuts

moving the fence

1/8"

at a time until the desired cutting depth is achieved.

The depth of cut should be such that the lip of the raised panel fits snugly

into the groove of the stile. When this depth is determined by the test cut,

adjust the CLINCHER Inch Scale to set the zero (or any reference point)

under the cursor. Save the test piece for future setups.

To make the raised panels, plan to make the cuts in three passes, leaving

about

1/32"

for the third cut which will be made at the zero index. Always

start each series of cuts for each panel on a cross grain side to minimize

tearout.

HORIZONTAL CUTTING BITS

HORIZONTAL ROUTER SETUP

VERTICAL CUTTING BIT

OGEE FILLET COVE

STRAIGHT

Selecting the right Template for your Project

Set up your CLINCHER and fence or CabinetMaker's System as described

earlier. All of the instructions for making joints with the CLINCHER use the

true-center zero

method which means that all fence settings are referenced

from the center of the router bit. Therefore, all cut lines on all CLINCHER

templates represent the exact center of the router bit.

Use high quality router bits for your joinery. The better bits will normally be

made to tighter tolerances and will cut cleaner. Diameter tolerance is VERY

critical when making box joints.

Getting Started

Templates slide into one of the auxiliary slots on CLINCHER carriage.

Carefully insert the selected template into slot at right end of CLINCHER.

Keep fingers close to machine end as you slide in template to prevent

bending or kinking. If you initially have difficulty inserting the template into a

slot, gently bow it between your fingers along its length. Once in the slot you

can move the template with finger pressure on its top. Its exact position will

be determined during the centering operation for symmetry.

Installing Clincher Templates

Using Clincher Templates

Once installed, making any joint is simply a matter of setting CLINCHER to

the pre-marked templates lines and making the cut. Templates for conven-

tional (non-inlay) dovetail and box joints use two series of pre-marked lines

for cuts; RED solid lines and BLACK dashed lines. The double-dovetail

patterns have four series of pre-marked lines while the double box joint and

the Boxtail™ patterns have six series of lines on one template. Except for

the

3/8"

Boxtail which requires two templates to complete its series of cuts,

Half Lines

(RED and BLACK, upper and lower) represent settings for making

the center (or inlay) sections in these decorative joints. The series of RED

or BLACK cut lines to use for the Pins and Tails can only be determined

by following the procedure in the next section

“Determine Pin and Tail

Cuts”

, on page 12.

The variably spaced and double inlay patterns which require cuts wider than

the router bit are accomplished by making successive passes with the cutter.

This is accomplished using side-by-side cut lines on these templates

Yellow diamonds on some templates are alignment marks which are used to

center your workpiece to achieve symmetry.

MAKING THE PERFECT JOINT

Once you have selected your project and the stock thickness has been

determined, select the type of joint that you want. Usually the design and

scale of your project, including the stock thickness and board widths to be

joined, will dictate the appropriate size router bit and type of joint to use.

For example, a small jewelry box would look better with small joints, perhaps

decorative, while a blanket chest made with much larger joints would have a

better appearance. Narrow workpieces would usually call for an equally

spaced pattern while with wide boards, variably spaced patterns might make

a better appearing joint. Each template in this book has a corresponding set

of full size plans for the joint which it produces to help you make your

selection. Each plan will show a diagram of the template, the joint that it will

make, plus other information such as pattern spacing, router bit diameter,

approximate settings for depth of cut, wall thickness of double-inlay patterns

and other notes to successfully complete the joint. Also listed is the metric

equivalent for all bit diameters which are available internationally. It is

suggested that you refer to the plan page before making final selection

because not all board widths may work well with your desired pattern. You

may have to revise your board width or change your template selection.

The decorative nature of double-inlay joints requires that certain board widths

be used in order to produce a finished joint that is both visually pleasing and

structurally sound. Unlike conventional joint patterns, the assignment of

template cut lines for all cuts have been predetermined for these board

widths. Charts on their respective plan pages will aid in selecting the board

width and corresponding symmetry mark for template alignment.

Full length cut lines used

for Pin and Tail cuts.

Side-by-side cut lines create

a cut wider than router bit.

Half lines used for making

center section cuts for

double inlay joints.

Upper symmetry diamond

(alignment mark).

Lower symmetry diamond

(alignment mark).

JOINT MAKING OPERATIONS

1. Zero the fence: Install the router bit to be used for your project and

orient its outer cutting edge toward the fence. Move CLINCHER

carriage to bring fence up to and just touch the outer edge of the bit.

You can sight by eye or use a paper or foil shim to cover fence opening.

You can close the SmartFence gap simply by moving one of its sliding

sections over to close the gap.

2. Adjust the TRU-CENTER scale on CLINCHER to align your cutter

diameter to the cursor hairline.

3. Move fence back and away from cutter and place your workpiece

between fence and cutter. Bring fence forward again to completely close

the gap on both sides of board with one edge touching fence and it’s

other edge touching the outer cutting edge of bit.

4. Slide the

Rabbit

until its centerline is in alignment with the

Carrot

on the

TRU-CENTER scale. Be careful to maintain the position of board, fence

and orientation of cutter edge toward the fence during these steps.

5. Remove board and move carriage until

Rabbit

is in near alignment with

cursor hairline. Lower CLINCHER Cam-handle to the Micro-adjust

position which engages it’s lead screw and micro adjust as necessary to

zero the Rabbit to cursor. You can now set the Micro-adjust thumbwheel

scale to zero. Lock carriage in place. Your workpiece is now centered

to the center of your router bit.

Centering for Perfect Symmetry...using the Rabbit

It is always desirable to have a dovetail or box joint pattern centered to your

workpiece so that the outside pins are of equal size. By finding the exact

center of your workpiece, a symmetrical joint will be assured when the

template is properly aligned before making the series of cuts.

With the patented CLINCHER and its patent pending

TRU-CENTER

FINDER

, this formerly difficult and laborsome procedure of finding the exact

board center is now very simple and nearly automatic - and, with no need to

remove the router bit. To aid in achieving perfect symmetry, all variably

spaced template patterns have yellow diamonds for centering alignment

while all equally spaced patterns can use any cut line (Red or Black) for

alignment. As a general rule, when diamonds are only on one edge of a

template (variably spaced patterns only), all lines on its opposite edge can

also be used for centering alignment.

Steps for Centering

Edge of bit just

“kissing”face of fence.

Workpiece

Router Bit

Pointer on rabbit aligned

with carrot on TRU-CENTER scale.

Hairline

Rabbit

JOINT MAKING OPERATIONS

Determine Pin and Tail Cuts

SELECTION OF YOUR WORKPIECES

The type of your project involving joinery will usually determine which two sides should be

the pins and which two sides should be the tails. Normally, the front and back workpieces

in a frame or box will be pins. For example, in drawer construction the front and back

pieces are always pins. In a half-blind dovetail version the joint will be concealed plus its

greatest strength will be in the direction of the pull of the drawer. Selection may be based

more upon the final appearance of your project such as a jewelry box or humidor made

with decorative corner joints.

ASSIGNMENT OF TEMPLATE CUT LINES

The final step before making the cuts is to determine which series of template cut lines

(Red or Black) to assign to your pin and tail workpieces. You will need to use the full size

plan for the joint and one of your workpieces with a pencil mark placed at the center edge

of its width.

On variably spaced template patterns, you will also have the option of choosing between

two different symmetry marks center cuts to achieve two entirely different joint appear-

ances. On double inlay patterns, the assignment has been pre-determined by stock width

and is found on Symmetry Charts on their respective plan pages.

This illustration shows the characteristics of a properly cut pin board and tail board.

A tail board always begins and ends with open cuts while a pin board will always

have solid stock on its edges. Therefore, it is very important to determine which series,

Red or Black, to use for the tail boards and which series will be used for the pin boards.

1. With a pencil, locate and mark the center of the width of one of your workpieces.

Since this is the same as the space between the fence and center of your cutter,

you can quickly locate and mark the center of your board by placing it against the

fence and up close to the bit.

2. Turn to the full-sized plan diagram for the template you have chosen. Place your

board onto the plan page and align the pencil mark to one of the lower

symmetry

marks

on the lower half (Black) of diagram. (The

symmetry marks

are the narrow

lines which extend between template and into the center of a cut groove on the

diagram).

Symmetry marks

always coincide with template cut lines (Red or Black)

except on some variably spaced patterns. On these templates, upper

symmetry

marks

are represented by yellow diamonds.

On one side of the plans the outer edges of the board will overlap grooves. The series of

cuts on that side of the drawing (RED or BLACK) will become the tail cuts. On the other

side of the plans the outer edges of the board will overlap shaded pins on the drawing.

The series of cuts on that side will become the pin cuts. It is suggested that you mark

your boards before you start cutting.

NOTE: If your board edges fall onto or so close to a cut line that you cannot

determine which series of cut lines to assign for pins or tails; or, if the

size of the outside pins will be too small, you can take the following steps:

A) Choose another template pattern.

B) Trim board widths slightly.

C) Pre-cut tail boards on first cut and after-cut tail boards on last cut. This will remove

the small sliver on each end. When cutting pin boards make sure that your first and

last cut is entirely into workpiece. This will give you a symmetrical joint with both

outside pins being slightly larger.

CHOOSING ANOTHER SYMMETRY MARKFOR

PATTERN VARIATION

If your selected template is a variably spaced patternyou have the option of obtaining a

strikingly different appearing joint simply by choosing an upper

symmetry mark

on diagram

rather than a lower one. Doing this will generally reverse the assignment of the Red and

Black lines if aligned to a lower and will reverse the wide and narrow grooves from one

workpiece to the other. All variably spaced templates have a yellow diamond placed at its

top edge for centering alignment for this variation in joint pattern.

This illustration shows how placing the wide groove in the middle of your joint instead of

the narrow groove can dramatically change its appearance. This variation is accomplished

simply by aligning your pencil mark to the upper

symmetry mark

Tail Board

Align Template

With carriage locked and

Rabbit still aligned to cursor,

adjust the template in its slot until one of the

symmetry marks

you selected

is in alignment with the cursor hairline. Be sure that there will be enough cut lines to the left and right of cursor to make all the

cuts over your board width. You can quickly verify this by making a comparison of the center mark on your board to the template

and its position under cursor.

Symmetry marks are easily identified on templates as follows:

Equally Spaced Patterns: All lines are

symmetry marks

, RED are upper and dashed BLACK are lower.

Variably Spaced Patterns: All yellow diamonds are upper, all dashed BLACK lines are lower.

Double-inlay Patterns: All yellow diamonds are symmetry marks, upper and lower.

This example shows the board edges overlapping the grooves on the

upper side of plan (RED). Therefore, for this board width, the tail cuts will

be the RED series of cut lines and the pin cuts will be the BLACK series of

cut lines.

Tail boards are

always cut

VERTICALLY using

the Vertical Push

Fixture. Tail

boards always

have open cuts on

its edges.

Pin boards are

cut FACE DOWN

on the router

table. Pin boards

always have half

pins on its outer

edges.

PINS AND TAILS - HALF BLIND DOVETAIL

PENCIL MARK ALIGNED TO A LOWER SYMMETRY MARK

OPTIONS FOR VARIABLY SPACED PATTERNS

Narrow tails

(made with upper cuts)

Wide tails

(made with lower cuts)

Tail Board

Pin Board

Closed ends

Open ends

Pencil Mark at center of board

Upper Symmetry Mark

Lower Symmetry Mark

JOINT MAKING OPERATIONS

BOX JOINTS

The two most important factors in making good box joints is the diameter of

the router bit and the spacing of the cuts. The CLINCHER will provide the

accuracy and templates the correct spacing. All box joint cuts are end

grain cuts and require the use of the Vertical Push Fixture (VPF-1).

If the bit is oversize the fit of the pins and tails will be too loose. The only

options are to either have the bit ground to the proper diameter or use

another bit. Most router bit manufacturers make their straight bits slightly

under the nominal size. When a bit is too undersized the fit will be too tight.

In this case the CLINCHER provides an easy remedy with its micro-adjusta-

bility. After performing a series of pin cuts, the same series of ALL cuts is

repeated after the fence is micro-adjusted over by an amount that will just

shave each pin. This is the only procedure that can compensate for an

undersized bit. You must determine the exact amount by trial and error by

making small incremental changes with the thumbwheel.

Once a perfect fit is achieved, record the micro-adjustment setting for future

usage with that bit. Don’t forget to reset the thumbwheel back to zero after

completion of the

shaving

cuts. And, don’t let all of this discourage you from

using the box joint since in most cases the bit as purchased will produce a

satisfactory joint.

The Straight Router Bit

1. Set depth of cut

After you have installed the appropriate size router bit for your selected

template pattern, set the bit to a height that just barely exceeds the thickness

of the workpiece. If two boards are to be joined that are of different thick-

ness, then two different height settings will be required unless you rabbet

the thicker workpiece. The depth of cut on one workpiece is to match the

thickness of the other workpiece and vice versa. Most router bit manufactur-

ers recommend that you not cut deeper than the diameter of the bit in any

single pass.

Router Table Top

2. Center board for Symmetry

Use the CLINCHER

Rabbit

and the TRU-CENTER

scale to center the bit on your workpiece following

the instructions in the earlier Section on

Making

The Perfect Joint

.After finding center, lock

carriage and install the selected template. Take

one of your workpieces and place a small pencil

mark at its center on one end. You can do this by

placing it against the fence and up close to the bit.

This center mark will be used in the next step to

establish which series of cuts (RED or BLACK) to

use for the pins and which to use for the tails.

3. Determine Pin and Tail Cuts

Find the full size plan page for your selected template pattern to determine

the choice for a properly cut tail and pin board. Refer to the earlier Section

Making The Perfect Joint

. Place your board onto plan page and align

pencil mark to one of the lower

center cut marks

. The side of the plans

which the outer edges of the board overlap grooves will become the series of

tail cuts. If your template is variably spaced you can obtain a different

appearing joint by aligning pencil mark to an upper

center cut mark

before

assignment of cut series.

5. Make the Cuts

Clamp your Pin boards to the Vertical Push Fixture with a backing board as shown. The backing

board will prevent splintering as the bit exits the cut. Install a stop block on fence to limit the

travel of the VPF-1 to prevent damage to the fixture. Make the series of pin cuts. Flip the boards

end for end and repeat the same cuts. Now clamp the tail boards with a backing board to the

VPF-1 and make its series of cuts on both ends. Note: The first cut on the tail board will be an

open cut meaning that you will be cutting away the edge of the board adjacent to the fence. To

prevent this first cut from splintering, make the cut in several small side by side passes.

Pin and tail cuts can be made at the same time (this will only work with equally spaced joints).

Two pieces for the front and back and two pieces for the sides are clamped together along with

the back up board. The two front pieces (with the pins) are offset from the fence by the exact

diameter of the router bit. With this setup only the series of cuts for the tails need to be made.

With variably spaced patterns, pins and tails must be cut separately.

4. Align Template

With carriage locked and

Rabbit still aligned to cursor,

adjust the template in its slot until

one of the

symmetry marks

you selected is in alignment with the cursor hairline. Be sure

that there will be enough cut lines to the left and right of cursor to make all the cuts over

your board width. You can quickly verify this by making a comparison of the center mark

on your board to the template and its position under cursor.

This example shows the board edges overlapping the grooves upper side of

plan (RED). Therefore, for this board width, the tail cuts will be the RED

series of cut lines and the pin cuts will be the BLACK series of cut lines.

1. 2. 3.

5.4.

Make this cut in

several small side

by side passes.

Pencil Mark at center of board

Upper Symmetry Mark

Lower Symmetry Mark

JOINT MAKING OPERATIONS

HALF BLIND DOVETAILS

Begin by selecting the template and corresponding bit for your joinery

project. If your template selection is a variably spaced pattern, you will also

need the equally spaced template for the same bit diameter to use in setting

the depth of cut.

The following procedure is the same for all types of dovetails. To have a

perfectly fitting dovetail, regardless of the type, the depth of cut is critical.

Every dovetail bit has its own unique depth of cut which is dependent on all

three of the following parameters:

1. Diameter of the bit

2. Degree of angle of the cut

3. Spacing of the cuts

Router bits will vary slightly in diameter and degree of cutting angle due to

manufacturing tolerances. For a given pattern spacing, the depth of cut for

the desired fit must be determined by trial and error. The depth of cut for all

patterns using the same router bit, whether equally spaced or variably

spaced, is the same.

Therefore,

you will

find it easier to use the equally

spaced template to make your

test cuts. Set the bit height to the

approxi-

mate

setting shown on the selected template plan page. Install the equally

spaced template for the bit size.

Position your fence as shown in the illustration so that about half of the bit is

inside the fence opening (or profile insert if used). Slide template to align a

BLACK line under the hairline cursor.

Using two scrap pieces of wood clamped vertically to the Vertical Push

Fixture, make two or three cuts following the series of BLACK template

settings. Once completed, test the fit of the two pieces together. If they

cannot fit together or are too tight you need to lower the bit height. If the

fit is too loose you need to raise the bit height. Repeat this procedure until

the desired fit is achieved.

You MUST arrive at the proper depth of cut by trial and error.

NOTE: It requires very little change of the bit

height to affect the fit.

Mark one of the final test pieces to identify the bit. Save the piece to be

used as a setup gauge for the next time that you want to make the same

size joint. This will save you a lot of time when doing trial and error setups.

1. Setting depth of cut for Dovetails

2. Center board for Symmetry

Use the CLINCHER

Rabbit

and the TRU-CENTER

scale to center the bit on your workpiece following the

instructions in the earlier Section on

Making The

Perfect Joint

. After finding center, lock carriage and

install the selected template. Take one of your

workpieces and place a small pencil mark at its

center on one end. You can do this by placing it

against the fence and up close to the bit. This center

mark will be used in the next step to establish which

series of cuts (RED or BLACK) to use for the pins

and which to use for the tails.

3. Determine Pin and Tail Cuts

Find the full size plan page for your selected template pattern to determine

the choice for a properly cut tail and pin board. Refer to the earlier Section

Making The Perfect Joint

.Place your board onto plan page and align

pencil mark to one of the lower

center cut marks

. The side of the plans

which the outer edges of the board overlap grooves will become the series of

Tail cuts. If your template is variably spaced you can obtain a different

appearing joint by aligning pencil mark to an upper

center cut mark

before

assignment of cut series.

4. Align Template

With carriage locked and

Rabbit still aligned to cursor,

adjust the template in

its slot until one of the

symmetry marks

you selected is in alignment with the

cursor hairline. Be sure that there will be enough cut lines to the left and

right of cursor to make all the cuts over your board width. You can quickly

verify this by making a comparison of the center mark on your board to the

template and its position under cursor.

This example shows the board edges overlapping the grooves on the upper

side of plan (RED). Therefore, for this board width, the tail cuts will be the

RED series of cut lines and the pin cuts will be the BLACK series of cut lines.

RRUULLEEOOFFTTHHUUMMBB

• Heighten to Tighten

• Lower to Loosen

1. 2. 3.

5.4.

Template

Number Description

1/4" Equally Spaced126

Plan

Page

1/4" Variable No. 1226

1/4" Variable No. 2326

5/16" Equally Spaced427

5/16" Variable No. 1527

5/16" Variable No. 2627

3/8" Equally Spaced728

3/8" Variable No. 1828

3/8" Variable No. 2928

1/2" Equally Spaced10 29

1/2" Variable No. 111 29

1/2" Variable No. 2 2912

5/8" Equally Spaced No.1 3013

5/8" Equally Spaced No.2 3014

3/4" Equally Spaced 3115

Gap

Raise bit by

amount of gap.

Pencil Mark at center of board

Upper Symmetry Mark

Lower Symmetry Mark

JOINT MAKING OPERATIONS

QUICK REVIEW

Half Blind Dovetails

5. Making the Pins

Pins are cut by passing the board over the router bit with the board in

a horizontal position. Use a rubber-soled push block to keep the

board firmly down against the table top and in against the fence. Use

the X-Y Stop Block to limit the length of the cut.

After you have centered your board for symmetry, aligned template

and set the bit height as previously described, you will make the Pin

cuts with the series of lines assigned for them.

a. POSITION STOP BLOCK

(1) Set the CLINCHER to the first pin cut on the template which places the bit in front of fence.

(2) Insert the fence Outfeed Scale into the fence slot with the arrow pointing toward the outfeed end.

(3) Orient the dovetail bit so that its outer cutting edges run parallel to the fence.

(4) Insert Stop Block on the infeed side of fence. Lower the sliding vertical section and slide the Stop toward

the outfeed side of the fence until the leading edge of the Stop just makes contact with the cutting

edge of the bit. Tighten the thumbscrew.

(5) Slide the Outfeed Scale under the Stop Block and align its zero line to the outfeed side edge of the Stop

Block. This procedure calibrates the cutting edge of the bit to the Scale. The Scale can now be used as

a reference to set the length of cut.

(6) Loosen both Stop Block thumbscrews. Raise the vertical section of the Stop Block and slide toward the

outfeed side. Place it over the router bit. Lower the vertical section to allow a small clearance over the

bit. Tighten the thumbscrew to lock the vertical section in place.

(7) Set the desired length of the pin cut by sliding the Stop Block further toward the outfeed side and read

the Scale at the infeed side. As a rule of thumb, this setting should be equal to or slightly less than the

thickness of the mating tail piece. Tighten top thumbscrew.

b. MAKE THE CUTS

Perform the series of cuts on each end of the piece, turning the piece end for end.

Note

that with this

method the fence reference side is alternating from one side to the other. Any error in centering will be

compounding when the joint is assembled. Take extra care when making your initial setups.

6. Making the Tails

The tails are made with all the cuts through the end grain with the

boards vertical and at right angles to the table and the fence. Use

the following procedure and the assigned template lines to make the

tail pieces.

(1) Clamp your tail boards to the Vertical Push Fixture with a

backing board as shown. Be sure the work is down against

the top and against the fence to keep it square. Set your

Stop Block to stop the VPF before it can be damaged by the

bit.

(2) Perform the series of tail cuts. Flip the boards end for end

and repeat the same cuts. Note: The first cut on the tail

board will be an open cut meaning that you will be cutting

away the edge of the board adjacent to the fence. To prevent

this first cut from splintering, make the cut in several small

side by side passes.

7. The Rabbet Cut

The final cut is the rabbet cut on the back side of each tail piece. The purpose of this cut

is to cover the rounded groove ends of the pins inside the joint while achieving a flush fit

on the outside face of the joint. The rabbet will require a negative setting of the fence

which means that most of the bit will be inside the fence opening. Using the CLINCHER

thumbwheel for micro adjustments, a perfect fit requiring little or no sanding can be

achieved.

a. POSITION THE FENCE

(1) Orient dovetail cutter edge toward fence. Move CLINCHER to position fence so

that router bit is entirely inside fence opening.

(2) Fit a tail and a pin workpiece together.

(3) Place the assembled joint onto table with the face of the pin workpiece down and

the face of tail piece up and against fence with one of the outside tail cuts in line

with bit.

(4) Move fence back until outer cutting edge of router bit just touches the end of the

pin board. Place CLINCHER Cam Handle in micro-adjust position to achieve your

final setting.

bb..MAKE THE CUTS

Stand a tail piece on end with its inside face against the infeed side of the fence.

Make the rabbet cut using a rubber-soled push block to firmly hold the piece

against fence.

NOTE:

Do not make the full rabbet cut in one pass. Instead use 2

or 3 small side by side passes to sneak up to your final setting. You can use the

CLINCHER Inch Scale as a reference to make this sequence of cuts. 15

JOINT MAKING OPERATIONS

The tails of through dovetail joints extend completely through the thickness of the pins on the adjoining

workpiece. In the days before power tools and modern adhesives, skilled craftsmen painstakingly

scribed, hand sawed, and chiseled these joints in the making of furniture, trunks, and all sorts of boxes.

The resulting joints proved mechanically strong and aesthetically pleasing.

Today, through dovetail joints serve primarily as a design element. Several router templates and jigs on

today’s market will make through dovetails, but these cost upwards of $200. With Jointech’s special,

Through-Dovetail Templates, you can now make these beautiful, professional looking joints on your own

router table and only one dovetail bit at one height setting is required!

Although you could make any dovetail a

through

joint by excessivesurface planing, these templates are

designed to use the smaller angle dovetail bits with long flute lengths to achieve the greater depths of

cut like those made with the very expensive dovetail jigs.

THROUGH DOVETAILS

PPLLAANNNNIINNGGPPOOIINNTTEERRSS

Knowing the differences between tails and pins is one of the more important tasks in planning and making

through dovetail joints. Although the plan page illustrations clearly identify them, just remember this; The face

grain of tails looks like a dove’s tail (trapezoid), and the face grain of pins is rectangular.

When working out a dovetail project design, select a template with a dovetail size and spacing to match your

stock thickness. In doing so, don’t forget to plan for an equally sized half-pin at both ends of the joint.

You’ll also need to decide which sides of your project have tails and which sides have pins. If you’re building a

box, such as a jewelry box or even a blanket chest, the front and back pieces should have tails for appearance.

But, if you’re building drawers, the sides should have tails for the strength to survive opening and closing.

Prepare your workpieces. An approximate stock thickness is listed on each template and its full-sized plan. This

will also be the approximate depth of cut. The exact depth of cut must be arrived at by trial and error. Once depth

of cut is determined, the pin boards should then be planed to a thickness that is just slightly less than the height

of the bit. If your pin boards are planed too thin, the result will be small gaps in the corners of each pin after fit-

ted to the tail board. Unless you require thicker stock for the tail boards (which would later require rabbeting),

they should also be surface planed to the same thickness.

Mark your workpieces. To help keep everything straight, gather the four sides of your project and mark each of

the inside and outside surfaces, number each corner, and mark one edge to use as a reference edge to the

fence.

1. Set Depth of Cut

Determine the proper depth of cut following the instructions in the previous

section on Half Blind Dovetails.

2. Prepare Stock Thickness

The method of making through dovetails on a router table requires that your

stock thickness, or at least the pin workpiece, be planed to a thickness that is

slightly less than the height of the bit. Therefore, you must determine the

depth of your cut before preparation of your stock thickness and before

cutting.

Note:

The depth of cut can vary by as much as

1/16”

per degree

difference in your router bit angle from that called out for on the plan.

3. Center Board For Symmetry

Use the CLINCHER

Rabbit

and the TRU-CENTER scale

to center the bit on your workpiece following the instruc-

tions in the earlier Section on

Making The Perfect Joint

After finding center, lock carriage and install the selected

template. Take one of your workpieces and place a small

pencil mark at its center on one end. You can do this by

placing it against the fence and up close to the bit. This

center mark will be used in the next step to establish

which series of cuts (RED or BLACK) to use for the pins

and which to use for the tails.

4. Determine Pin and Tail Cuts

Find the full size plan page for your selected template pattern to determine

the choice for a properly cut tail and pin board. Refer to the earlier Section

Making The Perfect Joint

.Place your board onto plan page and align

pencil mark to one of the lower

symmetry

marks. The side of the plans on

which the outer edges of the board overlap grooves will become the series of

tail cuts.

5. Align Template

This example shows the board edges overlapping the grooves on the upper side of plan

(RED). Therefore, for this board width, the tail cuts will be the RED series of cut lines and the

pin cuts will be the BLACK series of cut lines.

With carriage locked and Rabbit still aligned to cursor, adjust the template in

its slot until one of the

symmetry marks

you selected is in alignment with the

cursor hairline. Be sure that there will be enough cut lines to the left and

right of cursor to make all the cuts over your board width. You can quickly

verify this by making a comparison of the center mark on your board to the

template and its position under cursor.

Template

Number Description

1/4", 5/16" Stock37 44

Plan

Page

3/8", 3/8" Stock38 45

3/8", 1/2" Stock39 45

1/2", 1/2" Stock40 46

1/2", 3/4" Stock41 46

5/8", 5/8" Stock43 48

5/8", 3/4" Stock44 48

5/8", 7/8" Stock45 49

3/4", 3/4" Stock46 50

3/4", 7/8" Stock47 51

1. 2. 3.

5.4.

Pencil Mark at center of board

Upper Symmetry Mark

Lower Symmetry Mark

JOINT MAKING OPERATIONS

7. Making the Pins

Pins are normally made by passing the workpiece horizontally into the bit. The Jointech

Through Dovetail employs both a horizontal (sliding) cut and a vertical cut to make the

pin. Both operations are made with the same bit at the same height setting. Use the

assigned template lines for pins to make both cuts to the pin boards.

a. THE VERTICAL CUT

Just as in making the tails use the VPF, Stop Block and a backup board to

prevent splintering. Be sure the end of the workpieces are down on the table

top and the

reference

edge is against fence. Several pin boards may be

stacked together for cutting in one pass.

b. THE HORIZONTAL CUT

This step requires a sliding cut to be made into each dovetail pin cut made in

the previous step. It is important to use the Stop Block to limit the length of

this cut. The preciseness of this cut is especially important since you will be

removing a very small sliver of material to create the straight cut required of a

through dovetail. The steps that follow will insure that you will have a perfect

fit, perfect appearance and an even fit at the ends of the joint.

NOTE:

This operation will also require that the reference edge of each

board be placed against the fence for making cuts on both ends.

This means that cuts on one

end of the board will be made from

the infeed side of the fence. This cut will have to be made with the

Stop Block placed on the infeed side of the cutter.

(1) Set CLINCHER to a pin cut on the template.

(2) Orient the dovetail bit as shown so that its cutting edges are parallel to

the fence.

(3) Place the pin workpiece flat on the table and slide forward until it just

contacts the bit cutting edge at the inside back edge of the dovetail cut.

Move the workpiece back approximately 1/64” and lock the Stop Block

in position.

(4) Place the

reference

edge of the pin workpiece against the fence. Use a

rubber-soled push block and perform the series of sliding cuts to this one

end of board only.

(5) Repeat all the above steps for the other end of each pin piece except all

the cuts will be made from the outfeed toward the infeed side of the cutter

with the Stop Block located on the infeed side.

Even though you are

removing only a small sliver of material in this cut, it is in the “WRONG”

direction for the rotation of the bit. Exercise great care to hold the workpiece

firmly against the fence to prevent the bit from grabbing and throwing the

workpiece away from the fence.

6. Making the Tails

The tails are made with all the cuts through the end grain with the boards vertical and at

right angles to the table and the fence. Use the following procedure and the assigned

template lines to make the tail boards.

NOTE: Some through dovetail template patterns require the CLINCHER to be

micro-adjusted to a

1/64”

setting prior to making the tail cuts. If called for on

the full-size plan page, this will be a one-time adjustment made before

starting the series of cuts. The adjustment is made by turning the

thumbwheel to the

1/64”

setting.

(1) Clamp your tail boards to the Vertical Push Fixture with a backing board and

reference

edge against fence as shown. Be sure the work is down against the

table top and against the fence to keep it square. Set your Stop Block to stop

the VPF before it can be damaged by the bit.

(2) Perform the series of tail cuts. Flip the boards end for end and repeat the same

cuts.

NOTE:

The first cut on the tail board will be an open cut meaning that

you will be cutting away the edge of the board adjacent to the fence. To prevent

this first cut from splintering, make the cut in several side by side passes.

(3) After completing all the tail cuts rotate the thumbwheel back to the Zero position.

8. The Final Fit

On the face side of the pin workpiece you will notice a very small nub remaining. This is

due to the radial cut of the bit and will be more or less pronounced depending on how

closely your board thickness matches the depth of cut.

With soft woods this nub will cold-form to a straight line and be virtually unnoticed.

However, this is not the case with a hard species of wood. If the appearance of the pin

face is important to you remove the tiny nub with a sharp knife.

CCAAUUTTIIOONN

Do not lift the workpiece to clear the

chips or for any other reason with

the wood over the cutter.

Position Stop Block

so that router bit

does not cut into

this flat surface.

Stop Block

Remove small nub left

from router bit.

Waste

JOINT MAKING OPERATIONS

DOUBLE DOVETAILS

Templates for Double Dovetails, Half-Blind,Through and Sliding, have four

series of cuts. The full length RED and full-length dashed BLACK lines are

for the pin and tail workpieces. For the middle, or center section, the short

RED lines are for the side of the piece that will mate with the workpiece

selected to be cut with the full length RED lines. The short dashed BLACK

lines are for the other side of the center piece and which will mate with the

workpiece selected to be cut with the full length dashed BLACK lines. (

short

RED to RED ... short BLACK to BLACK

SLIDING DOVETAILS are accomplished when the pin, tail and center

workpieces are all cut with lengthwise grooves. The thickness of the middle

section is especially important to achieve uniform wall thicknesses.

Additionally, the middle section should be routed starting with the outside cut

to maintain adequate strength in the part of the board that bears against the

fence.

The more useful HALF-BLIND and THROUGH Double-Dovetail versions for

corner joints are accomplished the same as that of their conventional

counterparts except for the middle section. Of the two methods for making

the middle section described below, the first and simpler approach employs

vertical cuts only. The second method will also require sliding cuts. The

difference between the two methods will be in the finished appearance

results due to direction of wood grain.

With either method, the middle piece

becomes an extension of the tail workpiece which adds to its length when

assembled. This approximate wall thickness dimension is listed on the

template plan page.

1. Select Stock Width

The decorative nature of Double-Dovetail Joints requires that certain stock widths be used in order to produce a finished joint that is both

visually pleasing and structurally sound. On the full-size plan for each template pattern, there is a chart to help you select your stock width

and its corresponding

symmetry mark

. The selection of a stock width from this chart then determines which series of cut lines will be used

for the pin, tail and middle section cuts. For example, if a lower symmetry mark is called for from your selected stock width, any lower

yellow diamond on template is a symmetry mark for alignment to cursor. If an upper symmetry mark is called for from your selected stock

width, any upper yellow diamond on template can be used.

2. Set Depth of Cut

Determine the proper depth of cut following the instructions in the

previous section on

Half Blind Dovetails

3. Prepare Stock Thickness

(THROUGH Double-Dovetails only)

The method of making through dovetails on a router table requires that your stock thickness, or at

least the pin workpiece, be planed to a thickness that is slightly less than the height of the bit.

Therefore, you must determine the depth of your cut before preparation of your stock

thickness and before cutting. Note: The depth of cut can vary by as much as

1/16”

per degree

variation in your router bit angle from that called out for on that plan.

4. Center Board For Symmetry

Use the CLINCHER

Rabbit

and the TRU-CENTER scale to center the bit on your workpiece following the instructions in the earlier Section

Making The Perfect Joint

. After finding center, lock carriage and install the selected template. Take one of your workpieces and place

a small pencil mark at its center on one end. You can do this by placing it against the fence and up close to the bit.

5. Align Template

With Carriage locked and

Rabbit

still aligned to cursor, adjust the template in its slot until one of the

symmetry

marks (upper or lower as pre-determined in step 1 from the template’s Symmetry Chart) is

in alignment with the cursor hairline. Be sure that there will be enough cut lines to the left and right

of cursor to make all the cuts over your board width. You can quickly verify this by making a

comparison of the center mark on your board to the template and its position under cursor.

6. Making the Tails

(Remember to include the middle-section wall thickness in total length of tail boards)

Perform the tail cuts from the assigned template cut lines determined in Step 1 above.

a. HALF-BLIND DOUBLE-DOVETAILS

Complete the tail workpiece in the same manner as for a conventional Half-Blind

dovetail. Refer to the previous section,

Half-Blind Dovetails, Step No. 6

b. THROUGH DOUBLE-DOVETAILS

Complete the tail workpiece in the same manner as for a conventional Through

Dovetail tail piece. Refer to the previous section,

Through Dovetails, Step No. 6

Template

Number Description

3/8" Equally Spaced16 32

Plan

Page

1/2" Equally Spaced17 33

DOUBLE DOVETAILS

Template

Number Description

1/2" Equally Spaced42 47

Plan

Page

3/4" Equally Spaced48 52

THROUGH DOUBLE-DOVETAILS

1. 2. 3. 5.

JOINT MAKING OPERATIONS

7. Making The Pins

Perform the pin cuts from the assigned template cut lines determined in Step 1 above.

a. HALF-BLIND DOUBLE-DOVETAILS

Complete the pin workpiece in the same manner as for a conventional Half-Blind

dovetail. Refer to the previous section,

Half-Blind Dovetails, Step No. 5

b. THROUGH DOUBLE-DOVETAILS

Complete the pin workpiece in the same manner as for a conventional Through

Dovetail pin piece. Refer to the previous section,

Through Dovetails, Step No. 7

8. The Middle Section

Methods for making the middle section for both Half-Blind and Through

Double-Dovetails are the same.

Note: Wall thickness dimensions given on

plan pages are approximate. To insure that the top and bottom wall sections

end up precisely the same thickness as the side wall sections, it is suggest-

ed that you first make test cuts using scrap pieces.

a. VERTICAL METHOD

(1) Select a workpiece for the middle section. It should be of the same

width and thickness as the tail workpiece and long enough to clamp

to the Vertical Push Fixture.

(2) Clamp the middle piece vertically to the VPF and perform the

assigned series of cuts which will mate the center section to the tail

workpiece.

(3) Fit the dovetailed ends of the middle piece and the tail board

together and glue and clamp in place. Allow to dry.

(4) Place a mark on the middle section workpiece which will extend the

length of the tail boards by the

wall thickness

amount found on the

respective full size plan page. On a table saw, cut off the middle

section to the mark.

(5) Clamp this longer tail board to the VPF and perform the series of

cuts which will mate to the pin workpiece. The tail board can now be

trial fitted to the completed pin board.

b. SLIDING METHOD

(1) Select a suitable workpiece for the middle section.The board should

be several inches long and same width as your tail and pin work

pieces, but of thicker stock. Plane it to a dimension that is greater

than the depth of your dovetail cut by the

wall thickness

amount

found on the respective full size plan page. As in the previous

method, test cuts will determine the precise thickness required to

achieve uniform wall thickness.

(2) Make only the one series of cuts which will mate with the tail work

piece. Be sure to use a rubber-soled push block for all sliding cuts.

(3) Using a support board (ideally, a mating piece cut by following the

short template lines which would mate with the pin board), on a

table saw slice sections about

1/32”

wider that the tail board

thickness.

(4) Glue the sliced center section to the finished tail board. Allow to dry

and belt sand smooth.

(5) Clamp this longer tail board to the VPF and perform the series of

cuts which will mate to the pin workpiece. The tail board can now be

trial fitted to a completed pin workpiece.

9. The Final Fit

a. HALF-BLIND DOUBLE DOVETAILS

Make a rabbet cut on the back side of each tail board. Refer to the

previous section,

Half-Blind Dovetails, Step No. 7

b. THROUGH DOUBLE-DOVETAILS

If your tail boards are thicker than the pins, a rabbet cut must be

made by following the same procedure as for a half-blind dovetail.

However, you should use a straight bit and set to the same height

as the thickness of your pin boards.

QUICK REVIEW

Double Dovetails

Tail Board

Middle Section

Workpiece Tail Board

Middle Section

Workpiece

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