Dovetail jig setup - can't center

[Nathan Yeager]

I'm using a Rockler dovetail jig to join some drawers.

The drawer seems to be at the 'perfect' height whereby I can't center it appropriately within the jig to create half-tails. I've got 3 templates (7/16, 1/2, 9/16) - but they don't vary enough to be meaningful. The best I can do is a paper-thin half-tail.

I hand cut the dovetails in the dresser carcass that these drawers are going in. I really want to get the project done this year, so I'd prefer to use the jig on the drawers.

Is there a trick I don't know about?

[Norman Hitt]

I'm using a Rockler dovetail jig to join some drawers.

The drawer seems to be at the 'perfect' height whereby I can't center it appropriately within the jig to create half-tails. I've got 3 templates (7/16, 1/2, 9/16) - but they don't vary enough to be meaningful. The best I can do is a paper-thin half-tail.

I hand cut the dovetails in the dresser carcass that these drawers are going in. I really want to get the project done this year, so I'd prefer to use the jig on the drawers.

Is there a trick I don't know about?

Unless you have a jig like the Leigh where you can vary the spacing, you normally just have to design the drawers the proper height to match the jig spacing and leave the halftail. If you are using false front drawers, you can shorten the height of the drawer sides to match, but if you are not using false fronts, welllllllllllllll........., I think you would be limited to handcutting them unless someone else has a trick I'm not aware of.

[Jim Becker]

Norm's correct. Fixed dovetail jigs kinda expect the drawer sides to be in certain increments for things to work out well. This presents a challenge if you are sizing for proportion, rather than for "even numbers". For that instance, I also agree with Norm and recommend drawer boxes sized to work with the jig and false fronts to jive with the proportion of the design.