2
4. Test the fit and make adjustments as necessary. When
assembled, the diagonal faces of the cuts should mate
together and the outside surface should be flush (see
Figure 4
). A small gap between the vertical faces is
permissible.
Table 1
below illustrates the typical fit
problems and how to solve them.
5. Once the bit and fence are set to produce the proper
fit, rout all the drawer pieces.
A single clamp across the side pieces is sufficient for
gluing the box together.
Table 1: Troubleshooting Blind Joints
Problem:
Mating on wrong surface.
Problem:
Gaps are too large; lack of
contact on diagonal surfaces.
Problem:
Front piece is short of side
face.
Problem:
Front piece extends beyond
side face.
Cause:
Bit too high.
Cause:
Bit too low.
Cause:
Fence exposes too little bit.
Cause:
Fence exposes too much bit.
Solution:
Lower bit.
Solution:
Raise bit.
Solution:
Adjust fence for deeper cut.
Solution:
Adjust fence for shallower cut.
Front/Back
Side
Mating of diagonal
surfaces.
Flush
Small Gaps
Figure 4: Ideal fit.
