Dovetails from cnc - Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum

**Gus Dering** · 10-08-2009, 02:22 PM

That's right Leo, I don't have to buy all my drawer boxes.

I bought the tooling a while back and finally had the time to get this thing all dialed in. Not near as easy as thought it would be, I must admit. An awful lot of tweaking this and that.

I think I can feel good about selling this as an entry level drawer box.
And we can keep some of the money under our roof.

I think I can compete with the outsourced plywood box using the cnc. We will see.

neolitic · 10-08-2009, 02:52 PM

I'm sure it works, but it sure
looks weird!

flyjaysun · 10-08-2009, 02:53 PM

I have a porter cable jig. I have not quit dialed it in yet like you did. Please let me in on the secrects. what kind of ply wood did you use? oh you have cnc sorry im a scrub. I dont see any thing wrong with the finle out come of your product, you do nice work!

WarnerConstInc. · 10-08-2009, 03:15 PM

Nice fit, you just have to cover the ugly ass ends. I am sure the drawer front goes on one end and the other is shoved to the back.

Gus is a little bit better than your run of the mill wood butchers.

**Gus Dering** · 10-08-2009, 03:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by neolitic

I'm sure it works, but it sure
looks weird!

I know change is a difficult thing as your age starts to look more like a good golf score. You'll be alright.

Actually I bought the flat bottom bit set so it would look a little more normal. There is one that has a radius on the bottom as well. That looks weird.

I can tell the program to position the tail any distance from the top and any distance from the bottom. Then how far from center to center in the middle. I set this up so I had 4 tails in a 4" box. I tried 3 and that seemed a bit funny to me.

I guess I'm still getting used to it too, Neo

Quote:

Originally Posted by WarnerConstInc.

Nice fit, you just have to cover the ugly ass ends. I am sure the drawer front goes on one end and the other is shoved to the back.

No silly, The joinery shows on the side of the drawer. The front always shows, the rear stays in the cabinet with the flush inset construction, shows with the overlay style.

Hang in there kid, Festool will call you first when they come up with something.

woodtradesman · 10-08-2009, 04:49 PM

Sure looks good and I see that you are using apple-ply.

So maybe you can put that employee of the month (the router) to work a little more and do drawers for other outfits.

**Gus Dering** · 10-08-2009, 05:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by woodtradesman

So maybe you can put that employee of the month (the router) to work a little more and do drawers for other outfits.

I would love to sell you as many boxes as you like.

I wonder if Leo would be interested in some knock down parts. Nah prolly not.

Funny you say employee of the month. That is what the software company uses in their e-mails.

**loneframer** · 10-08-2009, 05:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by neolitic

I'm sure it works, but it sure
looks weird!

True, it does look unconventional to say the least, but your average HO doesn't know one way from the other.

Good job Gus, maybe even Leo will give you high scores for keeping it in house.

neolitic · 10-08-2009, 05:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by loneframer

True, it does look unconventional to say the least, but your average HO doesn't know one way from the other.

Good job Gus, maybe even Leo will give you high scores for keeping it in house.

True that.

WarnerConstInc. · 10-08-2009, 05:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gus Dering

I know change is a difficult thing as your age starts to look more like a good golf score. You'll be alright.

Actually I bought the flat bottom bit set so it would look a little more normal. There is one that has a radius on the bottom as well. That looks weird.

I can tell the program to position the tail any distance from the top and any distance from the bottom. Then how far from center to center in the middle. I set this up so I had 4 tails in a 4" box. I tried 3 and that seemed a bit funny to me.

I guess I'm still getting used to it too, Neo

No silly, The joinery shows on the side of the drawer. The front always shows, the rear stays in the cabinet with the flush inset construction, shows with the overlay style.

Hang in there kid, Festool will call you first when they come up with something.

Well sort of:

http://www.mcfeelys.com/product/4888...ointing-System

I just dont like seeing the layers of plywood exposed, thats all old timer.

woodtradesman · 10-08-2009, 05:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gus Dering

I would love to sell you as many boxes as you like.

Dude I swear if I actually had any business coming in I'd throw all my drawers at your cnc, but I'm dead in the water right now.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gus Dering

I wonder if Leo would be interested in some knock down parts. Nah prolly not.

I was gonna say something about that but I don't wanna piss off Leo but hey, You could ship him some samples to, you know, drum up some business.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gus Dering

Funny you say employee of the month. That is what the software company uses in their e-mails.

Well let see. They are always sober, they don't b!tch, they execute instructions to the letter, they make less then your least expensive employee and they work their butt off till their guts fall out. Those things deserve all the medals worthless employess never earned.

woodtradesman · 10-08-2009, 05:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by loneframer

True, it does look unconventional to say the least, but your average HO doesn't know one way from the other.

Good job Gus, maybe even Leo will give you high scores for keeping it in house.

That style of dove tail drawers is some what common in my neck of the woods (apparently the same in Gus' town). The only people I've seen complain about those are archies that want fine products at mass production prices.

**Gus Dering** · 10-08-2009, 05:52 PM

You guys know why they have to have the radius, right?

All the parts are machined laying flat. So those tails are cut with a 1/4" compression bit and you just have to deal with the radius.

Conventional jigs have the tails cut with the cutter coming from the face.

Lone is right though. Most details are lost on the owners. It's the contractors that will ask all the questions.

neolitic · 10-08-2009, 06:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WarnerConstInc.

Well sort of:

http://www.mcfeelys.com/product/4888...ointing-System

I just dont like seeing the layers of plywood exposed, thats all old timer.

You need the accessory kit.....

WarnerConstInc. · 10-08-2009, 08:03 PM

Thanks Neo!!

Scribbles · 10-08-2009, 08:20 PM

dead sexy.

**Gus Dering** · 10-08-2009, 08:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WarnerConstInc.

I just dont like seeing the layers of plywood exposed, thats all old timer.

First of all young whipper snapper, Thats why I said "entry level boxes". Kinda like the loose chick back in Jr. High. Not my first choice either. At least we have that in common.

second, about the old timer thing - I resemble that. I was always the youngest guy on site for what seemed like forever, then one day I show up and I'm the oldest. And that feels like it's been forever too.

Your turn is right around the corner. You won't have to wait long, not like waiting for that chick back in Jr. High.

WNYcarpenter · 10-08-2009, 08:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gus Dering

First of all young whipper snapper, Thats why I said "entry level boxes". Kinda like the loose chick back in Jr. High. Not my first choice either. At least we have that in common.

second, about the old timer thing - I resemble that. I was always the youngest guy on site for what seemed like forever, then one day I show up and I'm the oldest. And that feels like it's been forever too.

Your turn is right around the corner. You won't have to wait long, not like waiting for that chick back in Jr. High.

Funny....I just turned 34 and was called old 2 days ago for my first time....we were scrathing out for a footer and the kid says.."you want the young guy to do it for you.."

I picked up the pace for a few then said, "yeah, okay"....

On topic...IMO that's a great move, no small cabinet shops can compete here....we have in house specialty millworks, and they can't match the big cabinet shops.

Bergstrom · 10-09-2009, 09:20 AM

Gus,

We used to call that joint a chuck & bore but "dovetail" does sound a little nicer.

Did you write the program as a parametric or just for the 4" ?

**Gus Dering** · 10-09-2009, 01:21 PM

In Cabinet Vision the size of the drawer box is influenced by several things. All of which are a result of my choices. But the short answer to your question is that I can make a drawer of any size.

When you set up your drawer construction style there is the option to have the drawer "standard" heights or driven by the reveals set in the slide catalog.

I set mine to standard sizes, of which I choose. Then it finds the largest standard height that fits the opening taking into account the reveals at the top and bottom set by the slide.

The depth (front to back) is similar. We use tandems most of the time so I have the standard depths in 3 inch increments and the software uses the largest size that fits taking into account the rear clearance I set in the construction method. I can override that to shorten a box if needed by editing it at the cabinet level.

The width of the drawer is strictly driven by the slide selected. The software simply reduces the width of the box by your setting from the slide. This can also be changed on the rare occasion it's needed by changing the clearance at the cabinet level.

This morning I set up a "cabinet" that is nothing more than a dovetailed box. I created a slide with no influence on the size of the drawer. I deleted all the cabinet parts. Enter the size of the "cabinet" and that is the exact size of the drawer box. And I set the drawer up so I can have it any size, no standards.

I did this so I can place an "order" for any size box without having a "cabinet".

So I can open a new job. Go to the reports page. Hit "Order Entry" and drag that object out of the library onto the page. Change the size as needed and the quantity. Do that as many times as needed and optimize then generate code for the machine. No room with walls, nothing but drawer boxes on an order form. Then cut parts.

Now all I need is to find someone that wants drawer boxes. Not sure whats harder, the set up or the sale.

I seemed to get carried away there but I hope someone finds this interesting.