Woodhaven 7600, 7603 User Manual

INSTALL DOVETAIL BIT

Depending on the Dovetail Jig purchased, you will have either a dovetail bit (1/2" diameter x 14º) with a 1/4" shank & 5/8" bearing (780), or a 5/8" Guide Bushing (5030), Locknut (5040) and a dovetail bit (1/2" diameter x 14º) with a 1/2" shank (61404). Install the bit (and bushing if applicable) in your router and set the bit depth at 25/32". The depth may need to be adjusted later after making a test cut. See fig. 14.

STOCK

This jig is designed for 3/8" to 1-1/8" thick stock. 1/2" stock is the most common thickness used for drawers. The stock used for the fronts & backs can be a different thickness then the stock used for the sides. All stock should be flat and straight. Stock thinner than 3/8" may be used for the backs and fronts, but the ends of the pins (dovetails) may show. Using thinner stock for the sides will not effect the look of the joint like it will on the fronts and backs. We recommend a 1/64" overhang on each end of the fronts and backs, so cut the fronts and backs are 1/32" longer than the finished width of the drawer. Cut the sides approximately 9/16" longer (this will depend on the final cutting depth of the router bit and only applies to the standard dovetail template) than the desired inside length of the drawer. The width of the stock will depend on the height of the drawer opening, desired drawer depth and the dovetail pattern selected. Cut two pieces of stock for a test cut at least 8" long, 4-6" wide and 1/2" thick. Follow the directions below for a standard drawer. After you have mastered making a standard drawer you may want to attempt a rabbeted drawer. See the RABBETED DRAWER section for instructions on that process.

Initial bit depth 25/32”

STANDARD DRAWER

Loosen the two ratchet handles on the two template nuts and raise or lower the dovetail template at each end until the drawer front (or back) just fits between the underside of the dovetail template and the top edge of the Ultra Track, then retighten the handles. Depending on variations in the thickness of your stock, the dovetail template height may have to be adjusted for each part. See 15. Place a drawer side in the jig with the inside facing out, the bottom edge against the stop and the end butted up against the underside of the dovetail template. Slide the clamps as close as possible to the edge of the part and tighten the clamps. See 16. Slide the mating drawer front (or back) in between the underside of the dovetail template and the top edge of the Ultra Track, and slide it forward until it butts up against the drawer side. The bottom edge of the part should be against the pin in the stop and the inside face should be against the template. Slide the clamps as close as possible to the edge of the part and tighten them. The end of the drawer side should be flush to top (inside face) of the drawer front (or back). Check this with your finger between the fingers of the dovetail template. See Cover & fig. 17.

Check that end of

drawer side is ﬂ ush to

face of front (or back).

MAKE A TEST CUT

Set the router on the template (or, if using portably, the Dovetail Jig on the router table), without the bit touching the work, template or router support. Turn the router on and make a scoring cut from right

to left (left to right if using portably) across the face of

the drawer front by skimming across the ends of the fingers. The scoring cut helps prevent chipping and tear out during the finish cut. See fig. 18A. Next, moving from left to

right (right to left if using portably), move the router in and out of each dovetail finger

to finish the cut. If you get tear out, go a little deeper into the template openings as you make the scoring cut to insure that you have scored the entire face of the part. See fig. 18B. In portable use you may notice that the thickness of the dovetail template (7600T) and the thickness of the clamp base (7600B1) are slightly different, which may cause the two parts to not sit perfectly flat on a router table. As long as you maintain downward pressure at the dovetail template (and not the clamp base) using the feed handles supplied, this will not make a difference. Sometimes it’s necessary to make a second pass due to sawdust that may have lodged in the template. Remove the parts and check the joint fit.

JOINT FIT - DRAWER SIDE TO DRAWER FRONT

We recommend that the end of the drawer front (or back) stick out past the drawer side l/64". This way the end of the drawer front (or back) can be sanded or routed flush to the drawer side after assembly. This also compensates for any variation in the thickness of the drawer sides. You can also adjust the template to cut the parts flush if you prefer. See fig. 19.

18A 18B

If the drawer sides stick out past the ends of the drawer front (or back), then the template brackets/template must be moved back, away from the face of the Ultra Track. If the ends of the drawer front (or back) protrude past the drawer sides more than 1/64", then the template brackets/template must be moved forward slightly. See fig. 19. The template brackets/template is adjusted in or out by loosening the two 3/4" bolts holding the template brackets to the template nuts. Make equal adjustments to both template brackets.

JOINT FIT - LOOSEN OR TIGHTEN

The pins (also known as dovetails - cut in the drawer side) should slide into the sockets (cut in the drawer front or back) with light tapping, at most. If the joint is too loose, then the cutting depth of the router bit is not deep enough. Adjust the bit lower (more than 25/32") so it cuts deeper. If the joint is too tight, then the cutting depth is too deep and the bit needs to be raised (less than

25/32"). Bit set deeper than 25/32" = tighter joint. Bit set shallower than 25/32" = looser joint.

End of front should stick

out past the

side 1/64”

or less

Drawer

Front

Side should not stick out past the end

of the front

Drawer

Front

On your initial setup

the edges of the template

brackets are ﬂ ush to

the Ultra Track.

Template

Bracket

Move template brackets/

template forward to increase

the amount the side will stick

out past the end of the front.

Move template brackets/

template back to increase the

amount the end of the front

will stick out past the side.

STOP POSITION The position of the stop controls the location for the groove for the drawer bottom, which is normally centered in the first dovetail socket from the bottom so it is hidden after assembly. The bottom of the groove is usually between 1/4" (for side mounted drawer glides) to 1/2" (for bottom mounted drawer guides) from the bottom edge of the drawer. If you set the stop for a 1/4" margin, you may cut into the stop slightly, which is OK. Once you’ve established the stop position needed, cut the drawer stock to a width that will give you a full pin & socket at the top of the drawer. See fig. 20.

RABBETED DRAWERS

Rabbeted drawers are drawers with a face that over laps the cabinet face. The other three drawer parts (both sides and the back) are of equal width. For a faster way to make Rabbeted drawers see the QUICK RABBETED DRAWERS section. The width of the rabbeted drawer front, measured between rabbets, should equal the width of the drawer sides and back. The length of the rabbeted drawer front, measured between rabbets, should equal the length of the drawer back. See pg. 10. A rabbeted drawer front and its adjoining sides must be cut in separate operations, unlike the parts for a Standard drawer. The remaining sides and back parts are cut like a Standard drawer, in pairs. A Rabbeted drawer will require six setups, one setup (x 2) for each rear drawer corner and two setups (x 2) for each front drawer corner. Rout the mating dovetails into the two front ends of the adjoining drawer sides. Clamp a piece of scrap where the drawer front usually goes, against the drawer side, to prevent tear out. The rabbet in the drawer front should be at least 5/16" deep to clear the dovetail bit. The end of the drawer should be indexed so the shoulder of the rabbet is aligned with the front of the Ultra Track. You’ll need to make an indexing block to position the drawer front correctly. Cut a piece of scrap with the same width rabbet as the drawer front and clamp it in the front of the dovetail jig where the side would normally go. Slide the drawer front forward to index its front edge against the rabbeted lip in the indexing block and tighten the top clamps. See fig. 21A. Rout both ends of the rabbeted drawer front this way.

1/4” Stop Setting

The bottom edge of rabbeted drawer front must be indexed against the stop pin, with an additional spacer placed between the rabbeted edge and the stop pin to offset it correctly. For example, if you have a 3/8" wide rabbet and you’re using the standard 7/16" dovetail template, you’ll need a 7/8" wide spacer. See fig. 21B.

QUICK RABBETED DRAWERS

Instead of making a Rabbeted drawer, make a Standard drawer with the drawer front made of the same wood species as the desired rabbeted drawer would be. After assembling the drawer glue a larger drawer front to the standard drawer front. This provides the same appearance as a one-piece rabbeted drawer, but is quicker and easier to make.

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1/2” Stop Setting

21B

7/8”

spacer

21A

same

plane

Indexing

block

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