dovetail upper divider into table leg?

[BradD Strong]

Hey all, I'll freely admit I'm a novice to woodworking, but excited about my second 'big' project. I'm going to make a 48inch wide console table out of cherry, and want to put a couple of shallow drawers in the front. The techniques I've read involve making a dovetail mortise type joint to attach the upper divider to the front legs. As seen in this article: http://www.finewoodworking.com/membership/FWNPDF/011130040.pdf

Question: How do you cut the dovetail 'mortise' into the top of the leg? I'm more comfortable with power tools so far, but can't envision how to use a router to do this. Thought about a good sized dovetail bit on my router table, laying the leg down, but this would leave a rounded bottom. Thought about a small diameter pattern bit and an overlying template on top of the leg, but that would still leave rounded corners.

Chiseling it out in endgrain seems challenging to me. I can just imagine major splitting down my expensive 8/4 cherry leg.

Recommendations? Thanks for being patient with the newbie question...

Brad

[Andrew Hughes]

First cut tail on stretcher with handsaw.Then transfer tail location on to top of leg with sharp pencil or knife.Cut on waste side of line with handsaw as far as you can without showing the saw cut.Then remove waste with your favorite chisel.
There is a bit more to it then this but you can do it practice on some scrap first.

[Joe Leigh]

One trick is to cut a shallow rabbet on the underside of the divider tails. This makes marking the pins a bit easier. Then I use a forstner bit to drill out some of the pin waste and finish paring with a sharp chisel.

[Dave Richards]

If you really wanted to use a router to do this, you could.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8380/8467092207_cb1b24abc3_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/8294157@N08/8467092207/)


You could use a dovetail bit (on the left) with the router sitting on the inside face of the leg. This will leave the bottom of the socket angled at the angle of the cutter which would be the same as when you cut case dovetails with a dovetail jig. Make a template to follow with a guide bushing and clamp it to the leg. You can either trim the bottom face of the tail to match--again as you would for case dovetails with a dovetail jig.

Or, you could use a straight cutter and cut from the end of the leg (right) which will leave a flat bottom but round corners you'd clean out with a few quick strokes of a chisel. Again, you could make a template to follow although some folks would scribe the layout of the tail onto the leg and use a trim router with a smaller diameter bit to clear most of the waste freehand.

Unless you have a lof of these to do, you could probably cut them by hand in the time it would take to make a template.

[Steve Baumgartner]

Or, you could use a straight cutter and cut from the end of the leg (right) which will leave a flat bottom but round corners you'd clean out with a few quick strokes of a chisel.

That's what I do. I use a 1/4 straight bit. I wouldn't go any smaller, since you will be putting a lot of side strain on the bit. You also need to clamp a support board level behind the leg to keep the router from tipping, as the end of a leg doesn't provide much for the router to sit on. The main trick is to be aware of the direction of rotation of the bit and the resulting tendency of the router to "kick". With a minimum of practice, you'll be surprised by how close to the lines you can safely rout and how quickly you can clean up the corners.

Steve

[Mike Wilkins]

I have never tried using a router to do this, as the hand-cut method looks easier and less messy. Simply cut the dovetail on the ends of the stretcher, lay it on top of the leg, and use a sharp pencil or marking knife to mark the dovetail shape. You could use a small router with a straight bit to hog out most of the waste, followed with chisel work to get the dovetail shape. As long as it is reasonably tight, it does not have to be pretty, as it will be covered with the table top. Good luck and watch those fingers.

[Joe Scharle]

I've done it both ways and even with a Woodrat, a backsaw and sharp chisel is quicker. Saw inside the line, chop then pare to fit.
Do one on scrap and you'll see how quick it is.

[Dave Richards]

...even with a Woodrat...

I've done it with the Rat, also and now with the Router Boss. quick and easy that way. ;)

[BradD Strong]

Thanks everyone, I appreciate all the feedback. Sounds like I need to get practicing with a saw and chisels. If I'm not happy with my abilities there, the straight bit with support board seems doable too.

[Stephen Cherry]

Pin router would do it very quickly using a dovetail bit.

http://www.amazon.com/MLCS-9061-Woodworking-Daisy-Router/dp/B001S2RAT8

[Prashun Patel]

I vote for hand or hybrid. First, it doesn't have to be 100% pretty since it'll be hidden. Second, it's GREAT practice of a skill that will serve you very well down the road. If you have a bandsaw, you can cut the tail with a bandsaw and then scribe it to the top of the leg. You can use a drill to get most of the meat out of the mortise, then pare the rest down with a chisel. When you take a clean slice with a well sharpened chisel, your world will open up!!!

[william watts]

An alternate joint is a open double mortise and tenon cut so that the "open" part of the mortise is at the top of the leg and the top of stretcher is even with the top of the leg. I have cut this with a router for both mortise and tenon. I have cut the dovetail you describe with saw and chisel and it works that way, but I like the the double mortise.
Bill

[Michael Heffernan]

Is this what you are looking to do?
I've done a few of these for cabinets. I just did these for the front rail of an entertainment center I'm building. I like a low profile rail/stretcher across the top and a M&T joint is not an option. I do these on my Incra LS router table. I plunge the pin into the top of the leg along the fence, with a stop on the outfeed side of the fence. Then with my right angle fixture, I cut the tail on the strecther, creeping up on the fit from both sides of the rail with the leadscrew adjustment on the fence. I then cut a relief on the underside of the rail using the right angle fixture and DT bit, creeping up until it seats flush with the top of the leg. It's not round like the bottom of the pin in the leg, but the joint is tight and strong.
I guess you could do it on other router table fences, but with the Incra, I get a perfect fit every time.