Replies

1. 
   user-148830 | Jun 24, 2008 11:45pm | #1

   Hi Dan,
   My method is perhaps different than others, but I like the quickness and variability of it.

   Make your dovetail keys or butterflies. I make mine, if they're structural at least 5/16" in thickness. Sometimes as thick as 1/2". If they're just decorative, then 3/16" will suffice. You can make up a taper jig to cut them on the band saw or free hand them. Then I trim up the band saw marks with a chisel holding the key in the vise for safety.

   But make sure that you trim them so that the edges of the key are not square to the faces but tipped in by about a degree or two. Just a little, not too much. Angle the sides in so that the bottom of the key is narrower or smaller than the top of the key.

   Next, place the key in position with either rubber cement, very thin double stik tape, or one good strong finger. The narrow side of the key is down to your work. Mark out the position of the key with a sharp knife. Note and mark one end of the key so you can re-position it every time easily.

   With this method, you are marking out the narrow part of the key and then mortising out for it. When you clamp the key home, the wider part will be the visible part of the key and it will fill up any little problems you may encounter in mortising it in place.

   Set up a small diameter router bit in your trim router or small fixed base router, about 3/16" or so in diameter. Then routing backwards or counter-clockwise, make a climb cut to rough out the shape of the key and get the depth consistent. I usually rout to 1/8" depth for a 3/16" thick key. Rout close to the line but clean up the edges right on the knife marks with a chisel.

   Chop straight in with your chisel when you do this so you're only dealing with the angle on the key. Then place the key, see if it fits, cut and pare where necessary. When it fits about half way in, I feel confident enough, [with a shallow enough angle on the key's sides!], that it will fit the rest of the way with a little hammer or clamping persuasion. Glue it in, clamp it home. Clean it up with a plane or chisel or leave it proud and pillow it for a nice effect. Have fun with this. Gary

1. 
   grouch | Jun 25, 2008 02:18pm | #2

   Thanks, I will work with this.

   Dan [grouch]