Now I'm getting frustrated/concerned

[bigsteel15]

Am I missing something here?
I have the Bosch 1617 router. I'm using the plunge base for cutting dovetails on my PC4212.
I got half blinds to work beautiful on the second try in 3/4" ply, going pretty much exactly 3/8" deep cut. Any deeper and the joint was just too tight.

Then I tried a through DT in the 3/4" ply.
On the Bosch router, with the bit properly installed to just clear the collet and the PC template guide in the adapter, the bit won't go 3/4" deep. So how am I supposed to cut the pins?

I noticed that my Triton will go much deeper, that is the collet nut gets closer to the work, therefore the bit lower into the piece.

How would one possibly cut the pins, or even the tails in 1" stock?

Is the Bosch router not going to work?

[LCHIEN]

why are you using the plunge base with a dovetail fixture?
Seems like the base of choice for this would be the fixed base.
For several reasons.

Or is your fixed base attached to the router table and you didn't want to go to the trouble of removing it?

I haven't been to the shop yet to check how far the collet goes down in each base.

[bigsteel15]

why are you using the plunge base with a dovetail fixture?
Seems like the base of choice for this would be the fixed base.
For several reasons.

Or is your fixed base attached to the router table and you didn't want to go to the trouble of removing it?

I haven't been to the shop yet to check how far the collet goes down in each base.

I know the fixed base is usually used, but my template guide adapter was already in my plunge base.
The collet can't go down any further or it hits the baseplate. It won't matter which base.
Getting the Bosch guides won't help either because they use the same attachments..

Gotta go, norms on.

[vaking]

Why make through dovetails in 3/4" stock? Typical dovetail material is 1/2" thick. For a 3/4" or thicker you probably want not a 1/2" dovetail bit but something bigger. The next size up is 9/16" but you will need a different template. Have not seen dovetail bits bigger than 9/16 though.

[bigsteel15]

Why make through dovetails in 3/4" stock? Typical dovetail material is 1/2" thick. For a 3/4" or thicker you probably want not a 1/2" dovetail bit but something bigger. The next size up is 9/16" but you will need a different template. Have not seen dovetail bits bigger than 9/16 though.

Only because the manual says you can make through DT with up to 1" pins and 3/4" tails.
Honestly most of mine will probably also be 1/2" material but if a machine says it can do something I like to know up front if it can.

As far as bit size, I don't mean to be disagreeable, but check out the standard Whiteside DT list at Hartville.
http://www.hartvilletool.com/router_bits/11115/679

[bigsteel15]

Bosch guide bushng set??

I haven't been to the shop yet to check how far the collet goes down in each base.

I checked this out and it looks like I'll be needing to buy the Bosch template guide set if I want to do any thick stock through dovetails.
With the adapter and PC bushing installed, the bushing sits too high. If the Bosch bushings are the same profile as the adapter, it appears everything will be fine.

Can somebody with the Bosch guide set confirm this?

BTW, isn't it normal to use a plunge base when using template guides? Especially on through DT shouldn't you take multiple depth passes to make the pins?

[LCHIEN]

I checked this out and it looks like I'll be needing to buy the Bosch template guide set if I want to do any thick stock through dovetails.
With the adapter and PC bushing installed, the bushing sits too high. If the Bosch bushings are the same profile as the adapter, it appears everything will be fine.

Can somebody with the Bosch guide set confirm this?

BTW, isn't it normal to use a plunge base when using template guides? Especially on through DT shouldn't you take multiple depth passes to make the pins?

I checked and my 1617 collet will not go past the baseplate/table plate.

I have the 1617 quik change template set.
What do you mean profile?
except for the bushing, the whole apparatus is completely flush with the baseplate.
With the adapter, it should be too.
Do you mean the bushing length?

I would not use plunge with Half-blind DTs, Through, maybe.
Withthe Half blind, the depth is soooo critical even if the plunge base returned perfectly to the same depth I would be worried. Worse, if you ever happedend to accidentally release the plunge mechanism whilst making a cut, the bit would rise up and hit both the template fingers and the bushing while ruining your workpiece.

[bigsteel15]

I checked and my 1617 collet will not go past the baseplate/table plate.

I have the 1617 quik change template set.
What do you mean profile?
except for the bushing, the whole apparatus is completely flush with the baseplate.
With the adapter, it should be too.
Do you mean the bushing length?

I would not use plunge with Half-blind DTs, Through, maybe.
Withthe Half blind, the depth is soooo critical even if the plunge base returned perfectly to the same depth I would be worried. Worse, if you ever happedend to accidentally release the plunge mechanism whilst making a cut, the bit would rise up and hit both the template fingers and the bushing while ruining your workpiece.

By profile, I'm refering to the part above the baseplate.
I'll go get the Bosch set today and post a picture tonight.

[LCHIEN]

By profile, I'm refering to the part above the baseplate.
I'll go get the Bosch set today and post a picture tonight.

oh! you mean the part that will interfere with the collet.

With routers that can be table mounted or handheld or even horizontally mounted I'm always a little bit uncertain what people mean when they say "above" or "below" and raise and lower.

[bigsteel15]

Thank you Loring for making me think this out and take a closer look.
I'll let you know how the Bosch set works out.
It seems to me that this would be an issue on any DT jig and non-standard guides.
Then there is my Triton which just confuses me as to why they have such long guide bushings. Those suckers must be 3/4" long.

[LCHIEN]

...confuses me as to why they have such long guide bushings. Those suckers must be 3/4" long.

Ah, well, I say you can always cut them down a lot easier than you can make them longer...

[bigsteel15]

Here is what I'm getting at. Sorry for the bad lighting. That is a piece of 3/4" ply

The bit is fully extended and installed properly in the collet.
This is the stock PC bit, which is actually longer than most.
You can see that even with the Bosch insert, I couldn't do through DT on 3/4" even if I wanted to.
This brings up my next question.
On HB dovetails, what is the rule of thumb depth? 1/2 of stock thickness or less or more? The ones I've tried would only work when I cut 1/2 or less of the stock thickness. Does it depend on the jig/bit being used?