Dovetails and other joints

[alan254]

Hi Ger,

I am willing to test. Most of my work is furniture and cabinets. I can see where could also be easily set up mortise and tendon work also.

Great job. I am a buyer

AL

[alan254]

Just reviewed post #47 and see you have already have a tab for mortise and tendon. Way ahead of me.

Thanks

[ger21]

Mortise and tenons won't be added until the end of the year, after I add the box/finger joints.

I've spent the vast majority of my spare time working on this over the last 6 months.

I need to spend the next few months on documentation, website design, and the business end of it.

I'll get to it, but it's taking far longer than I'd hoped.

[Andrew_standen]

Hi Ger,

Count me in, been watching you for a while, it's looking good.
Software development takes time, I should know I've been a programmer for 25 years.
Take your time and get it right.
I'm a buyer for this.
Cheers
Andrew

[alan254]

I know about the business end. Tough.

I am willing to pre pay for the program at your projected price if that will help a I know others will you are very trusted on this site.

Thanks Al

[pblackburn]

Ger, I will purchase this when you say it is ready.

[ger21]

Thanks for the support, guys. Right now I'm looking out over the ocean in sunny Vancouver, British Columbia, while on a much needed vacation. But I'm spending a few hours each morning working on the manual.

[pblackburn]

Enjoy the time off. The manual can come later.

[rcboats1]

Gerry, if your going to come south towards Seattle let me know and I will buy you a beverage.

Kelly.

[ger21]

Thanks for the offer, but no, I won't be in the states out here, as we flew directly into Vancouver. Last time I was here we flew into Seattle and drove, but I didn't want to spend the time driving this time.

[jask]

I hope you had a great vacation out here! the weather has been all over the chart this year. I am really impressed with your work on this! please ad my name to your Beta buyers list.

[ger21]

Making up some samples for website photos using different hardwoods for color contrast. I'm going to glue up 8-10 different joints, and sand and finish them for the pics.
First one is African Mahogany and Flamed Birch. Variable sized pins and tails.

Incredibly tight fit, and very clean cuts.

[racedirector]

Oh you are just teasing now! Looks fantastic, can't wait to get my machine done and dusted so I am ready for when all this goes on sale......

[Robert M]

Zvanderfull

[Tom Ayres]

Gerry, they look great! Can't wait!

[Fox]

Not want to be nagging ( really impressive + i'm not a woodworker) just wondering;

however big or small they may be, it seems like there are on some joints gaps and others not ? in other words irregular results ? Or is this an optical illusion ?

And the fingers sticking out ever so slightly is that on purpose, so you sand them flat after glueing ?

In the end you need to glue it, so it actually should also not be too tight, right , to get the glue in ?

[ger21]

The small gap in the middle (about .01" or less) is the result of assembling and disassembling a few time, which crushed the wood a little. Thre's only really one small gap, which I think is the result of the board being warped, or deflection of the wood, as it's very thin at the top pin. For perfect joints, it's imperative that your stock is perfectly square and flat, and your zero positions are absolutely perfect. Any errors anywhere in the setup will show in the joint.
It's also part optical illusion. It's really a very good joint. If there were any inconsistencies, it wouldn't fit together.

Yes, the joints are purposely cut .02" long, which is sanded of after assembly.

You may or may not need some additional clearance for glue, depending on the type of glue used. There's a clearance setting in the software to adjust the fit.
Polyurethane glues (gorilla glue) and epoxies act as a lubricant, so you can have a very tight joint with those glues. Regular wood glues (Titebond) need some clearance, as they will make the joint actually seem tighter.

I'm making these to show the capabilities of the software, so the finished product will be perfect.

[Fox]

Sounds like you got everything covered, looking forward !

[pblackburn]

Awesome job Ger.

[technogod]

i believe your products are well planed and easy to use Gerry.hope will be on sale soon so that we can purchase.
good job.

[Tom Ayres]

Gerry are you still on target by the end of the year?

[ger21]

I'm hoping to release it with dovetails only in about a month.
I'm assuming there will be a few(?) minor bugs that will turn up once other people start using it, which will possibly a few weeks of bug fixing.
Once those issues are ironed out, I'll start working on the box joints.
I can't guarantee I'll have it 100% done by the end of the year, but I'll be working on it.

I worked on this from December to June, almost daily, to get it where it is now. It's taken far longer than I though it would. I'm hoping that the remainder goes faster, as I've learned a lot this past year.

I realized yesterday that my method for adjusting the fit does not work with through dovetails, so I need a different method.
With half blind dovetails, you just vary the depth of cut top adjust the fit.
Shallower = looser, deeper = tighter.
With through dovetails, changing the depth of cut just moves the location of the pin board in relation to the end of the tail board.
It looks like I need to change the size of the pins to adjust the fit. I have an idea on how to do this, which is hopefully relatively painless. (only a few hours?)

Originally Posted by Fox

however big or small they may be, it seems like there are on some joints gaps and others not ? in other words irregular results ? Or is this an optical illusion ?

While some of what you saw was due to optical illusions (from shadows), you were correct, there were some irregular gaps. I had assumed that they were caused by flex in my machine, because the joints still fit together very well. Typically, when there are errors, they just won't go together at all.
But I went through the g-code, and found a few errors in my toolpaths, which were off between .002"-.004" in some places. I should have this fixed up today.

[Tom Ayres]

Can't wait, thanks

[Fox]

While some of what you saw was due to optical illusions (from shadows), you were correct, there were some irregular gaps. I had assumed that they were caused by flex in my machine, because the joints still fit together very well. Typically, when there are errors, they just won't go together at all.
But I went through the g-code, and found a few errors in my toolpaths, which were off between .002"-.004" in some places. I should have this fixed up today.

Big of you to admit that here.
Good to know for me that my eye for detail did not fail me, and even better that you got it sorted !

[ger21]

Have a website up, and should be ready to go sometime within the next week.

http://g-forcecnc.com/jointcam.html

[racedirector]

Excellent Gerry, money at the ready as soon as the ???? become numbers

[ger21]

After nearly two years, the wait is finally over.

http://g-forcecnc.com/jc_purchase.html

[racedirector]

Excellent, as soon as my machine starts to make dust I will be grabbing a copy!

[Robert M]

GREAT NEWS...Thanks for giving “birth” to this great tool!
Sorry for not helping more....
Wishing you business success with it.
Later, Robert

[pblackburn]

I don't know if I will ever use it but your help to myself and others warranted a purchase.
Thanks Ger.