Oh #$^%$&!!!

I'm cutting some dovetails here for a blanket chest for my daughter, Erinn.  You can see her picture on my site under--About us.  I usually cut them on the table saw using a fixture that holds the piece vertically, it works really well and is fast and precise.  I've tried the the Leigh Jig, and I will still use it for a whole dresser, for example, but I don't use it that often, so it takes a while to re-learn it.  So the table saw fixture works, although big pieces can get unwieldy.

Here I'm cutting the waste out with a little saw I made.  One thing I like about the table saw is that the cut is big enough to easily get the saw blade in, and it really does speed up the chopping.

 And here you see what happens when the pieces get big and unwieldy,  Oh @$$%%#!!  I caught the tip on the table saw blade and blew off the front.  What to do?  I didn't want to scrap the whole piece, so I fixed it as follows.

 I used a biscuit joiner to cut down into the end of the pin, slicing off the blown up part.   Below you can see how nice a cut it makes.  I clamped it on to prevent making a small problem worse.   Then chisel in from the face.

Maybe the most important part is picking a piece that matches not only the color but the grain pattern as well.  Just take your time and hold the scraps pieces up the half pin and pick the best match.

Clamp on the new piece, leaving it fat and wide and long until the glue sets up.  Don't rush the glue, but once it dries it's plenty strong.

 Then after the glue is fully dry, back to the table saw and re-cut, and vi-o-la! perfect patch.  Once the chest is assembled,  you'd be hard pressed to find the fix.

 Here you see the dovetails in line, the center one is the patched one, and I won't tell you which one on the below shot.  The chest is coming along nicely, the panels look great and I can't wait to get the finish on it.  Cherry is really a wonderful wood, and it only gets nicer with age.

On the home front, the shop mascot, Forrest, had to have surgery to remove some stuff he at that blocked up his G.I.  He came thru the surgery well and seems just fine now.  Kinda scary, though.  There is so much in life we take for granted, but you just never know.  Also, I'm reading IronWeed by William Kennedy.  I read it in an English Lit. class in college, and decided to re-read it.  A dark novel set in early 1900's Albany.  Not for the faint of heart.