# Woodrat Large Dovetail Bit



## copythat (Oct 16, 2016)

Has anyone used this dovetail bit before?

WoodRat USA: WR-H-6-50-28

It looks to have a cutting diameter of 28mm (1.10236 inch) and a cutting length of 50mm (1.9685 inch).


----------



## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

I have one in that size range that was billed as a stair tread bit which I got cheap on ebay. I haven't used it yet. I assume the stair tread description was to put a dovetail socket in the riser and dovetail the ends of the treads. My plan was to use it to dovetail the ends of shelves instead. I haven't gotten around to a project that needed that yet.


----------



## Quillman (Aug 16, 2010)

Used one like it. It is a dangerous cutter, only in HSS, not carbide.
The neck is as narrow as they get.
If you must use it, pre-plow with the biggest dovetail bit in the Leigh jig armamentarium. And pre-plow that one with a straight bit.
Not good to waste the whole profile with this cutter at depth.


----------



## whimsofchaz (Jun 6, 2013)

Rob what would you use a bit like that for?


----------



## copythat (Oct 16, 2016)

Chuck,
I just bought a Hybrid Pantorouter and thought how easy it would be to make a template for it based on the size of this bit. It could then be used to make tail vises like that in the picture. I can actually envision a number of applications for it.
Rob


----------



## whimsofchaz (Jun 6, 2013)

Rob,
So let me see if I got this right, you are going to use this big bit to cut dovetails with so would you size your wood by the length of the bit? I assume you are going to use a template to route these dovetails. I am just trying to understand how useful this bit would be. Seems to me if you were going to make dovetails that big it might be easier to cut them on a table saw. I don't know I'm just asking


----------



## copythat (Oct 16, 2016)

Chuck,
I am going to build a split top roubo like the one on Wood Whisperer. I had to sell my last home build bench last year when I moved from the west coast to the east. I was going to cut the dovetail joints for the end vise on the bandsaw, just like in Mark's video. However, I bought a hybrid pantorouter, saw this bit and thought how awesome it would be to make a template to make the cuts. It is something I am considering, but I have a couple of options. 
Rob


----------



## copythat (Oct 16, 2016)

Chuck,
The pantorouter can accept custom, homebuilt templates (but CNC is much better!). The picture below depicts four of the tool's variably spaced dovetail templates. I can envision making two large templates, based on the router bit (above), and making the end vise cuts pretty easily. 
Rob


----------



## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

I've seen a version similar to it Rob. If you try it I would do like Pat Warner suggested and plough out the center with a straight bit at the least or you could do that with a table saw too. You could in fact cut out the entire dovetail (as long as it's a through dovetail) on a table saw by tilting the blade as the other Chuck suggested and then just use the DT bit for cleaning it up as the saw blade will leave a slightly off square cut at the bottom.


----------

