# Woodrat Dovetail Joints



## harvestbarn (17 Aug 2015)

I have the larger 900 Woodrat but decided to give the through dove tail method shown for the WR600 a go as it looked so clean and straight forward in the video. I was making an oak tray and I put the bottom groove in first and spaced the three joints out but not symetrically. Having the grooves made life difficult as it all became handed I would not do this again. One end worked a treat but the method seemed unable to complete the box and I had to resort to the marker method shown at http://www.aldel.co.uk/Dovetails.htm has anyone else found this or am I doing something silly?

I suspect the method does not work for non symetrical jointing.


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## Beau (17 Aug 2015)

Not sure what the dovetail method for the WR600 is but what's wrong with doing as designed on the 900? Have you a link for WR600 method?

Yes it's handed but making non symmetrical dovetails makes them look far more classy and hand made IMO. Mark your pieces carefully to avoid mistakes.


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## harvestbarn (17 Aug 2015)

The link requested is at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AemWj6tq79g 
I agree with all you say but as you will see in the video it is recommended for our machine when used on longer stock and it does look very clean.


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## PAC1 (17 Aug 2015)

I have had the same problem one end is fine the other is out. I have not worked out a solution yet but I plan to work it out soon. You end up with a mirror image of what you need which seems to suggest you need to turn the timber over.


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## Beau (17 Aug 2015)

Had a quick glance through the vid and think I see your problem 

Solution is to not to mark on the aly but machine a piece of scrap and attach in the T slot in the underside of the face of the rat. Do your marking on this and you can flip it over for reversed pieces. I mark a knife line and read off the back of the vertical fence. I don't mark the shape of the tail just a vertical line. You cut the tail and the pin to the same reference and all should be good. Will watch the video later to make sure I have understood the issue correctly

Hope that makes sense.


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## harvestbarn (18 Aug 2015)

That sounds a fairly straight foward method Beau thanks for sharing it. I will give it a try and see how it works in practice. 
The vertical line marking does seem a very clean method with less scope for error once the handing issue is sorted.


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