# Dovetail Cutters



## Ageless (Feb 23, 2010)

I just finished cutting some dovetails with end mill and it worked out real well. 
However I am interested in adding into my tooling a dovetail cutter for future projects.
What size of dovetail cutter would you recommend as the best to buy?
In addition I have seen cutters with 45 degree angles, 55 degree angles and the common 60 degree angle.
I would appreciates input on this as well!


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## vlmarshall (Feb 23, 2010)

Get what you need now, and fill in your collection over time. ;D


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## Mainer (Feb 23, 2010)

What Vernon said -- I wouldn't try to guess in advance. Buy one when you actually know what you're going to need.

Some gunsights have 55 degree dovetails, maybe other stuff.


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## mklotz (Feb 23, 2010)

I think you'll find 60 deg cutters to be the most useful. I certainly have. In fact, while I have a 45 deg cutter, I can't remember the job for which it was bought. I believe the dovetails on some Sherline equipment are 55 deg. If you're buying a cutter to make Sherline attachments, check the angle carefully.

As long as we're going to be discussing dovetail cutters, allow me to barge into your thread with a question of my own, the answer to which may well benefit you.

Here's a typical cutter...

http://www.use-enco.com/CGI/INSRIT?PMAKA=367-0170&PMPXNO=948560&PARTPG=INLMK32

It lists the OD as 1-3/8. I presume that that refers to the diameter at the tip of the flutes. It also lists "cut width" as 9/16. Is that the dimension along the sloping part of the cutter?


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## vlmarshall (Feb 23, 2010)

Sherline is 55.5 degrees.


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## mklotz (Feb 23, 2010)

Vernon  said:
			
		

> Sherline is 55.5 degrees.



Can you spell proprietary? They're not gonna let you build anything to fit *their* equipment, are they?


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## Deanofid (Feb 23, 2010)

mklotz  said:
			
		

> Here's a typical cutter...
> 
> http://www.use-enco.com/CGI/INSRIT?PMAKA=367-0170&PMPXNO=948560&PARTPG=INLMK32
> 
> It lists the OD as 1-3/8. I presume that that refers to the diameter at the tip of the flutes. It also lists "cut width" as 9/16. Is that the dimension along the sloping part of the cutter?



That's a good question. It's what I assumed, but you know how that goes.

I have two here from the manufacturer that Enco uses for the brand they sell, (F.K.D., made in Japan). The O.D. is the diameter at the flute tips, yes. But the "cut width" is a mystery to me. I have a 1/2" and 3/4" in this brand. There is no dimension on them that matches the one Enco gives for "cut width" for those sizes.

So, who know what that dimension means?

Dean


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## vlmarshall (Feb 23, 2010)

mklotz  said:
			
		

> Can you spell proprietary? They're not gonna let you build anything to fit *their* equipment, are they?



Ha, really. I think I read that the original gauges and first lathes were off, and they just kept making them that way in the interest of backward compatibility... or something. That'd be a tough call; render older machines obsolete, or use custom-ground dovetail cutters forever after.


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## Andrew_D (Feb 23, 2010)

Would "Cut Width" be the minimum width of cut that needs to be done first with an end mill before taking the dovetail cutter through to cut out the corners??? So basically, it should be equal to the narrowest distance across the cutting edges. (From one side, through the center, to the other side.)

Does that make sense???

Andrew


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## Deanofid (Feb 24, 2010)

Andrew_D  said:
			
		

> Would "Cut Width" be the minimum width of cut that needs to be done first with an end mill before taking the dovetail cutter through to cut out the corners??? So basically, it should be equal to the narrowest distance across the cutting edges. (From one side, through the center, to the other side.)
> 
> Does that make sense???
> 
> Andrew



I don't think that's it, Andrew. The shanks on mine exceed the dimension given for "cut width". In other words, if you milled a slot equal to the cut width, the dovetail cutter shank wouldn't clear the slot. You wouldn't be able to feed it into the work.

Dean


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## Blogwitch (Feb 24, 2010)

Not 100% certain on this, but I was led to believe that the cut width is if the cutter is sitting on it's bottom cutting faces, then the cut width was the height of the top of the side cutting faces. 
So really, that is the maximum depth the cutter should be allowed to cut into the material. But that can be got around by only having partial side face contact. Not an ideal situation, but for lightly loaded parts, can be used.


Blogs


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## Maryak (Feb 24, 2010)

John,

That's my understanding too.

Best Regards
Bob


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## tel (Feb 24, 2010)

Yeah Bogster, that's always been my understanding of the term as well


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## Andrew_D (Feb 26, 2010)

Andrew_D  said:
			
		

> Would "Cut Width" be the minimum width of cut that needs to be done first with an end mill before taking the dovetail cutter through to cut out the corners??? So basically, it should be equal to the narrowest distance across the cutting edges. (From one side, through the center, to the other side.)





			
				Deanofid  said:
			
		

> I don't think that's it, Andrew. The shanks on mine exceed the dimension given for "cut width". In other words, if you milled a slot equal to the cut width, the dovetail cutter shank wouldn't clear the slot. You wouldn't be able to feed it into the work.



oh well, another thought bubble goes KABLOOIE....

Andrew


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