A
Anonymous
Guest
Hi all 
I have one of those "Timelife" woodworking books & in there is a really great boxjoint jig or comb joint whatever you choose to call it.
Well I spent ages making the jig & it looks very nice, with a little micro adjusting system which works very well indeed, however my first few goes of the jig are less inspiring.
Im using a 1/4" straight cutter (wealdon) & im making 1/4" comb joints, now unless im mistake (quite possible) you have to use these jigs very much like dovetail jigs, ie do the cut all in one pass, so being as I dont like taking that much meat off in one pass im feeding it in very slowly.
Ok so I get my drawer side (10mm ply or mdf) & hold it up against the jig, I run through with a starting cut then this fits over the pin which is a guide for the next cut, well you know how it works so I will get onto the problem, as I push the jig along on the router table slot, as the cutter starts cutting the wood, it tends to rip out, I slowly push the jig through cutting more into the wood & it can rip out so much on the front of my drawer side that the little comb joints being made can actually get broken, as the cutter completes the cut & exits out the rear breakout isnt a problem as the jig has a removable backing piece, which does a good job of stopping tear out, but its the front thats causing the problem,
Ive tried a piece of beech & its perfect, no problems at all, but im wanting my drawer sides & back etc.. to be made out of plywood, or MDF with a false front made from a nice hardwood.
Surely you can make comb joints in MDF without all this hassle??? Plywood as it breaks out you can find yourself with a nice fitting joint but where the cutter started to cut its ripped out a chunk of the ply, like a whole layer removed, with MDF its more like a ragged edge & at worst part of the little fingers broken.
I can cure the problem by taking smaller depth of cuts, like 2mm at a time but this involves raising & lowering the cutter height, ive got a RoutRLift so its only a turn of the handle, but the cutter height has to be very accurate as this dictates how well the joint fits together at the end, so I feel its wrong to keep altering the height.
Anybody have any ideas as to whats going wrong? if ive not explained it enough or you need any more details please let me know & I will try & explain clearer.
I have one of those "Timelife" woodworking books & in there is a really great boxjoint jig or comb joint whatever you choose to call it.
Well I spent ages making the jig & it looks very nice, with a little micro adjusting system which works very well indeed, however my first few goes of the jig are less inspiring.
Im using a 1/4" straight cutter (wealdon) & im making 1/4" comb joints, now unless im mistake (quite possible) you have to use these jigs very much like dovetail jigs, ie do the cut all in one pass, so being as I dont like taking that much meat off in one pass im feeding it in very slowly.
Ok so I get my drawer side (10mm ply or mdf) & hold it up against the jig, I run through with a starting cut then this fits over the pin which is a guide for the next cut, well you know how it works so I will get onto the problem, as I push the jig along on the router table slot, as the cutter starts cutting the wood, it tends to rip out, I slowly push the jig through cutting more into the wood & it can rip out so much on the front of my drawer side that the little comb joints being made can actually get broken, as the cutter completes the cut & exits out the rear breakout isnt a problem as the jig has a removable backing piece, which does a good job of stopping tear out, but its the front thats causing the problem,
Ive tried a piece of beech & its perfect, no problems at all, but im wanting my drawer sides & back etc.. to be made out of plywood, or MDF with a false front made from a nice hardwood.
Surely you can make comb joints in MDF without all this hassle??? Plywood as it breaks out you can find yourself with a nice fitting joint but where the cutter started to cut its ripped out a chunk of the ply, like a whole layer removed, with MDF its more like a ragged edge & at worst part of the little fingers broken.
I can cure the problem by taking smaller depth of cuts, like 2mm at a time but this involves raising & lowering the cutter height, ive got a RoutRLift so its only a turn of the handle, but the cutter height has to be very accurate as this dictates how well the joint fits together at the end, so I feel its wrong to keep altering the height.
Anybody have any ideas as to whats going wrong? if ive not explained it enough or you need any more details please let me know & I will try & explain clearer.
