Dovetail Joints with a Katie Jig

Posted: June 4, 2009

"I am using a Katie jig on a router table to make dovetail joints for some drawers on a cabinet I'm making. Problem is, the joints come out too loose. I've tried raising and lowering the dovetail bit, but to no avail. Everything checks as far as squareness and parallelism. Do you have any magic? These are through joints."

Submitted by: jcolemann001

WWGOA Editor Response

The beauty of the Katie Jig is that, once set up, there shouldn't be variations in fit. You can check a couple things. The bits you're using, both the straight bit and the dovetail cutter, should be pattern style bits (bearing on the shank). They have to be bits specifically designed for the Katie Jig or their diameters may not be correct, which would mess up the fit.

Make sure the fingers on the template are tight so they can't shift during cutting. Also, once the fingers are set and you start cutting, you can't change the lay out. Finger locations should be left alone for both tail and pin cuts.

The material has to be tucked directly against the bottom of the template. Be certain your material is securely clamped in the jig so it can't shift during cutting.

Finally, the backer board has to be the right thickness. The board that comes with the jig is a thickness that places the material in the right position under the template. If it's been changed and the thickness isn't correct, your material may be incorrectly positioned under the template.

Let me know what you find out.

George Vondriska
Managing Editor 

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