Drawer joints on 3 axis CNC

[huntycnc]

Hello

Can anybody suggest different types of drawer box joints, other than dados, that can be cut on cnc.

Is there a source for such alternative designs?

Hunty

[Hacksaw]

I don't know why you couldnt cut dovetails or really any joint with a 3 axis machine.It would require using the right bit(s) and writing the code.

[bp092]

Half blind dovetails for one. Thermwood was really pushing this with their ecab software and cnc routers at IWF this year. Any other joints.. hmm, other than a lock miter not sure any other joint would be good for a drawer box other than dado and dovetail.

[ViperTX]

Well....how would you cut the pin on a CNC machine....you can't use the dovetail bit....

[ger21]

Well....how would you cut the pin on a CNC machine....you can't use the dovetail bit....

Why not? You just need a way to hold the stock vertically.

[ViperTX]

Cool...got ya thinking...

Okay, about 18 months or so ago...there was an artist's show in Austin...all the different type of craftsmen/artists had their shops open....I happened across a guy that had a Thermowood CNC...large table...and he was using this prefinished plywood...nice stuff....I believe it was 5'x10'....he would lay the sheet on the table....and out would come all these drawer sides and bottoms....I was impressed but only enough to notice that what he was cutting looked like a dovetail.....but it was more rounded.....but the joints locked up tight without any post-operations.

Anyway check the Thermowood site....it should be whereever the e-Cabinet software is at.

[bp092]

viper is right on, their dovetails are a little bit bigger than the traditional tight angled ones but they snap together and stay together..

[Ralph S Day]

HI - I didn't know you couldn't cut dovetails on a CNC so I went ahead & did it anyway!! Works great! I have made the program and use a standard 1/2" dovetail bit. The program will accomodate pins and tails at the same time and I can select 6-8-10 pins on up to 24. Take about ten min. to make a drawer, after setup.

[ViperTX]

Welcome Ralph S Day.....

A pic of the setup would do wonders....

We didn't say it couldn't be done....with some limitations and alot of setup it and alot of other things can be done on a CNC router, but then these same operations could be done with a router and a template.....

[Mr.Chips]

HI - I didn't know you couldn't cut dovetails on a CNC so I went ahead & did it anyway!! Works great! I have made the program and use a standard 1/2" dovetail bit. The program will accomodate pins and tails at the same time and I can select 6-8-10 pins on up to 24. Take about ten min. to make a drawer, after setup.

Good job Ralph! The Bumble Bee doesn't know it is too big to fly.

Please share some photos and code.

Thanks
Hager

[gbarker]

I ran across this last week, pretty neat drawer joints other than dovetail...

http://www.iedu.com/DeSoto/jigs.html

Those guys also have a little machine just for drawer joints...

http://www.iedu.com/DeSoto/JBot.html

[Switcher]

That little (dedicated cnc) is kinda cool. I like the way they tilt the router ( http://www.iedu.com/DeSoto/JB_Angle.jpg ) to cut at an angle.

Thanks for that link

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