Full-blind miter dovetails with Akeda?

[Erik Frederiksen]

I haven't had a chance to use my new Akeda dovetail jig, but I have a question that my manual doesn't seem to answer.

I'm interested in using secret, or full blind mitered dovetails in an upcoming project and would like to know if this jig can help me make them.

thanks,
Erik

[Michael Heffernan]

Erik,
As far as I know, no dovetail jigs can make full-blind mitered dovetails. It is an intricate combination of DTs and miters, that require hand work. You could probably rig some stops for the Akeda jig and set it up for half-blind dovetails. By cutting the pin boards a little deeper, you can use your table saw to finish the miter, but you would have to square off the inside of the DT with a chisel. Then with the tail boards, don't cut all the way through the the board (this is where custom stops would be required), cut the miter by hand or on your saw and square off the inside of the tails.
Might work, but I've never tried it. Let me know if you come up with something.

[Joe Scharle]

Woodrat or Router Boss can make hidden dovetails. Look at the sites to see how it's done (uses a 'miter box') and adapt a work holder jig to your DT jig. It probably won't be easy, though.

[Frank Drew]

This is the ultimate woodworking fanatic's joint -- tricky to do well and when you're done no one can tell what you went through!