Hand cut dovetails.

[Jeff]

but the reason why the effort was disappointing is that I could never get a result good enough to use (too loose, too tight, uneven, etc.).

Gotcha. Mike Davis said...

"but I go through this practice exercise every time I start up a new project with dovetails if I haven't cut any for a few months."

I don't know if I'll ever use dovetails of any sort for building something but it was worthwhile to start learning how to make them from Richard.

 

[danmart77]

The starting point for joining a dovetail to a pin has been the central point of debate for as long as I have been cutting them myself. I won't delay the begging question: Which one do you start with? Pins first.

I can not wrap my head around dovetails first. I can list the reasons I support pins first but in the end it comes down to the care and attention to detail that makes the joint interesting and strong. Lots of room for discussion.

In the photo below you will see a bench slave(with dowel) and right next to it is the tool all dovetailers should consider a must. This will make your chopping along your scribe line a whole lot easier. That is for the dovetail and pin lines.

I have taught lots of small classes on this joint and I have never had a student say "that seems useless" for cutting dovetails. I demonstrated this a couple years back at a class at Phil S shop. Seemed like the group liked using it.

I'm off to another place for a week.

 

[Jeff]

Thanks Dan. I can't expand or zoom in on the pic and can't see the " tool all dovetailers should consider a must." I assume that it's a mallet of some sort (maybe a carver's mallet?).

I'm wrong, through my magnifying glass it looks like a wood block with hold down screws to keep the chisel vertical while cutting to the lines.

 

[Jeff]

The pins and tails were slightly proud of the faces so they were planed flush with a block plane. My last pictures after applying 4 coats of Waterlox Original Finish. I was just curious how they would look with finish on them.

 

[danmart77]

Jeff I thought you could figure it out without a magnifying glass but here's a chopping guide that is quick and easy to use.

If you look in my gallery section under the toolbox photos you will see others.

It makes doing this easier.

7 down 13 to go. Unlike you, I have to do these to make them special. It does take time.

 

[tarheelz]

Looks like a couple of dog holes near the front of my bench are in order!

 

[danmart77]

I forgot to mention earlier, the ease of transfering the pin positions to the dovetail board with this tool. Looking at the 2nd photo in reply 25, you can take the completed pin board and stand it up with the dovetail board locked in position and it won't move. This is another bonus to using one of these guides when making drawers and boxes.

 

[Jeff]

"Jeff I thought you could figure it out without a magnifying glass but here's a chopping guide that is quick and easy to use."

I could not see it in your picture and couldn't zoom in unless I used the magnifying glass. You also didn't describe what it is or how to make it which would have been helpful.

 

[Hmerkle]

I forgot to mention earlier, the ease of transfering the pin positions to the dovetail board with this tool. Looking at the 2nd photo in reply 25, you can take the completed pin board and stand it up with the dovetail board locked in position and it won't move. This is another bonus to using one of these guides when making drawers and boxes.

I am glad you posted that, I assumed it was the "threaded hold-down" but didn't think of the other advantage that you could use it for marking out too!

Thanks for the GREAT tool tip!

 

[Hmerkle]

Jeff I thought you could figure it out without a magnifying glass but here's a chopping guide that is quick and easy to use.

I am glad you posted a close-up and talked about it a little further - I wasn't sure what you were referring to either!