How do you prevent Tearout when routing dovetails?
If you are new to routing, a climb cut is moving th router in the same direction that the bit is turning. A dangerous move and not generally recommended. Take a VERY light cut across the front of the piece going from right to left. That will lightly shave the face off and help prevent tear out.
How do you prevent Tearout when routing plywood?
Another thing you can do to prevent tearout involves our old friend blue tape. Just run a strip of blue masking tape along the cut line on the side that you anticipate tear out. The tape helps to hold the fibers in place during the cut, and usually the result is a clean crisp line.
Does tape prevent Tearout?
Taming tearout Even when combined with a zero-clearance insert, the best sawblades can cause cross-grain chipping (photo left), particularly on plywood. To prevent this, apply a strip of green tape straddling the cut line on the downward-facing side. Green painter’s tape is a great all-purpose shop tape.
What’s the best way to set a dovetail jig?
One of the most frustrating parts of setting up a dovetail jig is getting the bit set to the correct depth of cut. Using a ruler can be very awkward—it’s much easier using a height block. To make the block, drill two 5/32″ holes all the way through a piece of plywood, using a drill press (the holes must be precisely vertical).
How to eliminate tearout in a dovetail joint?
To eliminate tearout inside a dovetail joint, make this your first step: Rout a shallow pass from right to left, all the way across the pin board. This scoring pass is a climb cut (routing in the direction of the bit’s rotation), which is the opposite direction that you would normally move a router.
What should I put on my jig to make it work?
Your router should slide easily around the jig’s fingers, without hesitating, so you can tell which direction to push the router. To eliminate drag, rub a piece of canning wax (paraffin) on top of the comb. You won’t need much, but it sure helps!