First my apologies to all those who think a RAS has no place in the workshop, that a good SCMS is the answer. Second, my apologies to those who are offended that think a RAS can never be used for joinery. OK, now to the question.
I have read the Ras book by Mr. Sawdust, great stuff. However, is there any other information for using a RAS for joinery, specifically box and dovetail? I am looking for an “easy” way to use a dado stack on a RAS for these joints. Yes, I have a router. No, I do not have a TS. No, I do not have many handtools, especially a dovetail saw, japanese saw, or any other type of saw. Thanks.
Replies
I have used a wobble-style dado blade on my RAS to facilitate cutting many types of joints. It's good for half-laps, short dados, facing tenons, and so on. Box joints I can't really imagine doing with the RAS because they are usually on the end of a board, and positioning the varying length of that board so the DADO blade can get to it would be impossiible or at least hazzardous.
So Isuggest you make a table for your router, or buy a dovetail jig/bits for the router if you want to use a machine you own to make dovetails. There is nothing I know of you can put on a RAS with a dovetail profile, and the fact that they are usually on the end of boards presents the same problem as making box joints.
Even if you would tilt the RAS blade so it is parallel to the table you would still have to tediously raise it between each finger of a box joint, making the process very inefficient. And having the blade exposed in such a set-up would be very dangerous.
4DThinker
Let me start by saying I'm one of those who loathe the RAS, but I can see where it has some uses.
The post above laid out all the ( many) problems with a box joint on the RAS. As for the dovetails, I think you'd be far better off buying a couple of chisels, and dovetail saw, than trying to use the RAS for this. I cut hundreds of dovetails with a Stanley dovetail saw and chisels, that cost less than a total of $25.00, so cost is not a impediment to creating high quality dovetails. I would though , buy Japanese dovetail chisels, as they are far superior to the Stanley chisels. Also, sawing the pins and tails are the quickest part of making the joint, so I see little advantage in using any power tool, to saw them. In fact I believe power tools and jigs only serve to slow the process down. I have more or less the same opinion of router dovetail jigs. I was watching a woodworking show the other day ( hosted by Scott Philips) where he used a jig to cut dovetails. He said, and with a straight face I might add, that it was a great time saver, but then admitted it took an hour to set up. This of course is based on making one of a kind pieces, for a producion run, jigs can speed the process up considerably.
Rob Millard
I have used RAS's my whole life. They are great saws, and will always have a place in my shop. Joinery is not one of their strong suits, because unlike a TS, Ya'all can't stand the piece up on end. So that eliminates dovetails, box joints and the like.
That having been said, they would an excellent choice for a lock miter joint on drawers, or a plain rabbeted joint on drawers, reinforced with perhaps a dowel. I would buy a basic joinery book and look the many varieties of drawer joints. A plain rabbet and dowel joint is very very strong.
They are also my first choice for tennons. Nothing better in my shop for sawing a load of tennons. I recently built three mission style coffe tables, and had 180 tennons. They were whipped out in about an hour and a half with a Dado blade a stop block.
Boris
"Sir, I may be drunk, but you're crazy, and I'll be sober tomorrow" -- WC Fields, "Its a Gift" 1934
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