Dovetail Cube

A dovetailed cube!

It was a little difficult to assemble... probably never coming apart. ;-)

Doh, screwed up the scaling on that first print (fat fingered in the slicer, you can see that the bottom is slightly smaller than the top). This new print went together much more easily, but it's still not coming apart.

Experimenting with clearances... from left to right: zero clearance press fit (not coming apart), 0.005" clearance (tight fit, but easily disassembled), 0.010" clearance (loose fit, falls apart). So, 0.005" clearance FTW

Got a dovetail bit for my CNC router. Same model scaled up from 2.5 cm to 2.5 in

These were the first test cuts with the 1/2" inch 14° dovetail bit

Single dovetail cube (as close to a cube as I could get with my chop saw, focused on the dovetail joint for now)

And here's the double dovetail cube with its secret revealed (now that I have the joint figured out I'll work on the finish and cut it in some nicer wood)

Dialing it in. Fully manufactured on the cnc now. Still having some issues with tearout, but optimistic I’ll be able to sort them out.

Best one yet! Made several improvements to the tool path and fixed a problem with the spindle. I blame the remaining tearout on the soft wood. Will try cutting some cherry next.

Success! Dovetail cube in cherry and maple

My first cherry/maple tests were cut in glued up 1x4 scraps, but now I’ve got some 2x4 stock to work with!

More tool path whacking before I start cutting the nice wood... this change to the order of operations, cutting the dovetail slots before exposing the final edge of the cube, has really improved the results (shown here in redwood scrap)

OMG I love this solid cherry. It cuts so well. Need to do some finer sanding and think about applying some kind of finish

First coat of tung oil finish

Super happy with this tung oil finish!

Dovetail ring box, machined out of solid cherry

The process starts with two blanks cut from 2x4 cherry stock, lined up to match the grain. The bottom of the box will have the dovetail slots and the top will have the dovetail prongs.

They'll be mounted in this jig for machining, one at a time

Machining the box bottom: a square end mill is used to clear out the dovetail slots and box pocket, the dovetail slots are profiled with a dovetail bit, and then a square end mill is used to cut the part free

Machining the box top: a square end mill is used to clear around the dovetail prongs, which are then profiled with a dovetail bit, and finally the part is cut free with a square end mill

The blanks are held in the jig with a bead of hot glue, and removed with a box cutter

Two tabs are left when cutting out the parts

The parts are released with a chisel and the tabs are sanded off

Hot off the CNC, before sanding and finishing

The parts are sanded with 120, 180, 220, and 400 grit sandpaper before applying a first coat of tung oil finish

Three more coats of tung oil finish, 24 hours between each coat

This will be a ring box, for a pair of rings

Done!