Dovetails too tight?

[J. Z. Guest]

I just finished (I think) setting up the Pins & Tails dovetail jig from mlcswoodworking.com.

I've got it so the dovetails it produces are snug. I can press them together with firm hand pressure, but disassembling them requires either a lot of wiggling or a mallet. The joint doesn't wobble at all when together.

I came to that point from having them slightly loose, so that they were easy to assemble and wobbled when assembled. I glued the loose joint and it holds.

I glued the other joint, but there doesn't seem to be much room for glue when the joint is nice & snug like that.

Is there truly a happy medium with dovetails, or does it always seem too tight to accommodate glue or loose enough that the glue will fail?

[Joe Scharle]

I've got it so the dovetails it produces are snug. I can press them together with firm hand pressure, but disassembling them requires either a lot of wiggling or a mallet. The joint doesn't wobble at all when together.


That's what I strive for!
Joe

[Matt Ocel]

Never cut one yet, but I hope I have the same problem.

[Karl Brogger]

I cut mine tight enough that I use a mallet for assembly.

[Johnny Fischer]

I just finished (I think) setting up the Pins & Tails dovetail jig from mlcswoodworking.com.

I've got it so the dovetails it produces are snug. I can press them together with firm hand pressure, but disassembling them requires either a lot of wiggling or a mallet. The joint doesn't wobble at all when together.

I came to that point from having them slightly loose, so that they were easy to assemble and wobbled when assembled. I glued the loose joint and it holds.

I glued the other joint, but there doesn't seem to be much room for glue when the joint is nice & snug like that.

Is there truly a happy medium with dovetails, or does it always seem too tight to accommodate glue or loose enough that the glue will fail?

I'm in the same boat as Karl. My dove tails are so tight I have to beat them together with a rubber mallet. And yes, I do add glue before assembly. Any professional woodworker would.
I have been remodeling homes for 28 yrs and it discusses me when I get a shipment of so called professional built cabinets in from companies as Craftmaide and find them basically falling apart at the joints, ( dovetail joints at that) and end up having to dismantel them, and glue because the major companies are to cheap to do so. Makes no sence to me.
Anybody can cut a dovetail but pride comes with professional workmanship.
A creation of your workmanship is an extension of yourself.

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

While I like tight joints I have had boards split under the pressure of too tight a DT fit. I strive for a good snug tap tap tap fit with a light soft mallet.

[J. Z. Guest]

Excellent. Thanks fellas.

I'm glad to hear it too, because I screwed the jig down to the mounting block already. ;)

[Bill Wyko]

I use an Incra fence to D-tail. I still like to have to work to take them apart. Nothing like a tight tail.:D

[John Thompson]

Ditto Cliff as I like em just tight enough and not too tight as glue will cause them to expand a bit. I hand cut mine and use a syringe to add glue to the inside and then spread it thinly with an acid brush. That tap-tap-tap gets it home and the vey slight loose fit swells to just right.

After you've done it awhile.. you just know what "just right is" as no words cannot be written to describe the feel IMO. :)

Regards...

Sarge..