Leigh Dovetails and Dewalt 618 Router

Anyone have experience with this combo. I have a D4R Leigh dovetail
jig and a Dewalt 618 router. Using good PC brass bushings I can not
get a workable halfblind joint in 3/4 sides and 1/2 fronts and backs.

After 8 attempts following every instruction I gave up. The joint
never really changed in fit. It started out tight. Per instructions I
raised the bit "Slightly" about 1/128 and cut new. Same result. I
eventually moved the bit up 1/16, no change.

I reset the fingers. They started out all set tight against each
other. I eventually put a 1/32 between each. Still no change in fit,
it was tight. Tight means the joint will not slide together. Tight
means trying to pound the joint together with a mallet results in the
wood splitting out. (OK that was frustration on # 6)

Finally I started looking at the router. The thing is so loose when
you release the adjustment lock I can adjust height by pulling or
pushing the base and get a 1/64 of an inch slop. Also and more
importent is the side to side concentricty of the bushing to the bit.
It can vary so much that the bit shaft contacts the bush. That can't
be good.

To allow for this I double routed the last two tests, as in hold
router one way, rout... turn router around 180 and rout again. This
method did produce the closest thing to a workable joint but still too
tight.

Anyone else experience anything like this?
OH 7/16 bush and a 128-8 bit starting depth of cut 3/8

Thanks
Larry
.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Trouble with half-blind dovetails
    ... When they're too tight, I reduce my depth of cut, and vice ... better relative to the guide bushing. ... Even when making sure that I held the router in ... issues because I couldn't exactly match that with the mating piece. ...
    (rec.woodworking)
  • Re: Leigh Dovetails and Dewalt 618 Router
    ... Using good PC brass bushings I can not ... It started out tight. ... Finally I started looking at the router. ... turn router around 180 and rout again. ...
    (rec.woodworking)
  • Re: Leigh Dovetails and Dewalt 618 Router
    ... Not the router or the jig or the ... Using good PC brass bushings I can not ... It started out tight. ...
    (rec.woodworking)
  • Re: Leigh Dovetails and Dewalt 618 Router
    ... It started out tight. ... Finally I started looking at the router. ... you release the adjustment lock I can adjust height by pulling or ... turn router around 180 and rout again. ...
    (rec.woodworking)