Dovetail cutting length

Is there a relationship between dovetail cutter diameters and cutting length? Most advertised cutters don't seem to specify the cutting length, Stuart Brown

What do you mean by "cutting length"? Looking at e.g. the Arc ones they define a depth of cut, I guess the assumption is that you leave a very small witness of the uncut surface.

Thank you, John. Viewed from the side the cutter is a right angled triangle and by cutting length I mean the vertical side of the triangle. I need a cutter which will give me 7.5mm on this vertical side. Arc cutters don't seem to have this depth but other advertisers don't specify it. I really am a beginner. What is a "very small witness"?

Ok, simple trigonometry says that the base of your right angled triangle will be 7.5 tan 30 which is 4.33 mm. So you need a cutter capable of at least this depth of cut.

Small witness would be a tiny bit of the vertical surface left.

John Brown 18.

4.33 mm is the depth, after the final depth of cut Just in case there is any confusion, it is like eating an elephant, one bite at a time, not all in one!, So think in terms of several passes, taking a little at a time.

Howard

Thanks to both. Much appreciated. The trigonometry is the obvious (with hindsight) answer to my question. I'm off to join the village idiots union.

John, can you supply a dimensioned sketch of the profile of the dovetail you want to cut?