Should I use a straight bit before the dovetail bit to remove the bulk of the waste? In most cases, yes. The straight bit (diameter will be determined by the size of your dovetail bit) will remove the bulk waste of the material and allow for the dovetail bit to move through the work piece with ease. We recommend using two routers while cutting the slots. One with a straight bit, and the other with the dovetail bit. This will speed up the process.
Please note, if you are making shallow dovetail slots on a work piece that is 1” or less in thickness, a straight bit is not always necessary.
How do I cut my dovetail keys to the appropriate size? The dovetail keys can be cut on a table saw or router table. When using the table saw, the key stock will need to be roughly 1/16” thicker than the widest part of the dovetail bit used to make the slots. For the table saw, simply set your blade to the degree of the dovetail bit used. If you have a left tilt saw, you will have to move your fence to the left side of the blade. The height of the blade should be a minimum of 1/8” higher than the deepest part of your dovetail slot. With your saw unplugged, rotate your blade so one of the teeth is right above the throat plate. The distance from the fence to this tooth should be a hair wider than the widest point of the dovetail bit. This will allow for a tight fit when you install the keys. Run the key stock through on both sides. Check for a tight fit. Always use caution when using the table saw. Always use push sticks to maneuver the wood through the blade.
With a router table, simply use the same bit you used to make the slot. First, plane down a piece of hardwood stock 1/8” thicker than the widest part of your dovetail bit. The bit height should be 1/8” higher than the deepest part of your dovetail slot. Set your fence to remove approximately 1/1/6” from the corner edge of the key stock that is touching your router table top and fence. You can then spin your key stock and run the other side. Test the key stock in the dovetail slot.
Remember, on both the table saw and router table, it will sometimes take micro adjustments to get a good fit. In this case, you can slowly adjust the fence to remove a small amount of material from one side of the key stock. You want it tight, but not so tight that you have to use excessive force to get it in. This could lead to damaging the work piece or the key.
Once you have a good fit, you can measure the length of your slot and cut your keys 3/8” longer.
To remove the waste, you can simply snap it off by applying hand pressure to the waste pieces, or bring each key to the band saw and carefully cut the waste away. The table saw can be used prior to cutting the keys to length. Be sure to set your blade height and fence appropriately.