# Craftsman Industrial Dovetail - Problems Using



## bloody thumbs (Mar 3, 2010)

This is a true story. In about 1996 or 1997, I purchased a Craftsman Industrial Dovetail Fixture, part no. 925450. I was doing a lot of home remodeling at the time but nothing that required dovetail joints. The unopened box somehow got put away and forgotten until about a month ago. Lately I had been thinking about buying a dovetail jig and then I ran across my brand new 13 or 14 year old jig. Back then, Sears did not include a router bit in the kit.

I read the manual and set the jig up. I had an old set of ¼ inch router bits that included a ½ inch dovetail bit, so I thought I was all set to make some joints. I made 3 Half Blind Flush joints and they were so loose I could shake them apart.

With the joints together, I measured a gap of about 1/16 inch between the pins and the tails. The dovetail bit measures ½ inch. I do not have the proper equipment to measure the bushing accurately but it is very close to .400 inch. The template measures 1 inch finger tip to finger tip. The fingers are just over ½ inch across – maybe .510 or .520 inch. The gaps between the fingers are just under ½ inch – maybe .480 or .490 inch.

I can not make up the 1/16 inch gap in the joints by lowering the bit more that the 3/8 inch depth that is required. I can make up a little of the play, but certainly no where near all of it.

I thought about my problem for a while and decided to try something. I found a piece of tin about .025 or .030 inch thick. I cut a strip about ¼ inch by 1 ¼ inch and wrapped it around the bushing – making the bushing about .450 inch in diameter. The fourth joint I made was nearly perfect. 

Can someone out there help me understand what is going on? I doubt if everyone had to modify their bushing to get a perfect joint. The only thing I can think of is that my template is the wrong size and I don’t really believe that.

If no one understands why I am having a problem, could someone measure their template 1) finger to finger 2) finger width and 3) gap between fingers and give me sizes?

Thanks for your help and advice.


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Ron 

the guide is the key,you will need to call Sears because it's a old jig they may or may not have the right guide anymore but you can make you own with a brass guide, just turn down a hvy.wall 5/8" to the right size..

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bloody thumbs said:


> This is a true story. In about 1996 or 1997, I purchased a Craftsman Industrial Dovetail Fixture, part no. 925450. I was doing a lot of home remodeling at the time but nothing that required dovetail joints. The unopened box somehow got put away and forgotten until about a month ago. Lately I had been thinking about buying a dovetail jig and then I ran across my brand new 13 or 14 year old jig. Back then, Sears did not include a router bit in the kit.
> 
> I read the manual and set the jig up. I had an old set of ¼ inch router bits that included a ½ inch dovetail bit, so I thought I was all set to make some joints. I made 3 Half Blind Flush joints and they were so loose I could shake them apart.
> 
> ...


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## bloody thumbs (Mar 3, 2010)

Bob J, I am a bit confused. 

When you say “guide” do you mean “bushing?” Did Sears put in the wrong bushing 13 or 14 years ago and then start to supply the correct bushing at some later time? The manual says my bushing should be .400 inch and it is.

When you say “call Sears,” is there a special number you suggest I call? When I call Sears Parts or a Sears store, I usually don’t get an employee who has worked there long enough to know much.

When you say “use a 5/8 inch bushing,” why not a ½ inch bushing? I need about .450 inch and ½ inch is .500 where as a 5/8 inch bushing is .625 inch. Why all the excess? Is there any way to turn a bushing down without a metal lathe?

Thanks, Ron


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi

Not all guides are made the same, if you have a hvy.1/2" wall guide it will work fine. many of the 5/8" guides are hvy.wall type.(thick)

"without a metal lathe?"
I use a belt sander when I'm in a rush, you can make a quick holding device with some dowel rod and some 1/4"threaded rod and a nut or two,just split the dowel rod into 4 parts but not all the way,looks like a router collet so to speak put a taper on one of the nuts so it will move out the parts of the dowel and clamp the guide true, chuck it up into your battery drill and go at it.

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bloody thumbs said:


> Bob J, I am a bit confused.
> 
> When you say “guide” do you mean “bushing?” Did Sears put in the wrong bushing 13 or 14 years ago and then start to supply the correct bushing at some later time? The manual says my bushing should be .400 inch and it is.
> 
> ...


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## nancysbob (May 8, 2009)

You're attempting to use the same thing I'm trying to use. It's catalog # 171.25450. The bushing is indeed a .40" one. Should look like a disc with a hole in the center and attached sleeve - the bushing. It has six tapped holes for attachment to various base plates, using whichever set of three works with the plate.


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## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

Hi Bob.

Where did you find the jig?

If they could not find an answer in 2010, you may be out of luck.


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## nancysbob (May 8, 2009)

Bought it at Sears, in Ashland, KY - probably in 1999 or early 2000.


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