Rob Cosman 3 1/2 minute dovetails - saw?

[Jim Gronowski]

Anyone know what kind of saw he is using? I'm relatively new to handcut dovetails, but he makes it look easy!

[gary Zimmel]

Jim

I believe Rob was using one of his own dovetail saw proto types
for the utube video.

Had the pleasure to test it at the Calgary show late last fall.

Great saw. 22 teeth for the first 2 inches and then to 15TPI.
No progressive just 22 to 15.
Also heavier than most which was also nice.
I found it very easy to start...

Hopefully we will be able to order them in early spring.

[David Keller NC]

"Anyone know what kind of saw he is using? I'm relatively new to handcut dovetails, but he makes it look easy!"

That's because it is easy. You can learn to do it very well after about 10 drawers or boxes, and that's just on your own with a few videos or a good book (I like Ian Kirby's but there are others).

The saw, so long as it's a decent quality rip saw (like a L-N, Wenzloff, Antique British, Disston, or even the new ultra-low cost Lee Valleys), does not matter. It simply needs to be reasonably sharp, reasonably set, and reasonably comfortable.

You should also be aware that there's a "cheat" going on in these ultra-fast perfect dovetails. The drawer front (or the pin side of two dovetailed boards) is of a hard wood, like walnut, mahogany, maple, etc... and the sides are of a very soft wood, like eastern white pine, aspen, basswood, etc... When the joint is whacked together, the fit is not perfect, but the harder wood will crush the soft wood to the extent that there's a seemless joint produced. That's not to say that Rob and others aren't good - they are, but their results would likely not look nearly so good if both boards were hard maple.

[Richard Dooling]

Thanks David, I feel a little better now.

[Rick Erickson]

Rob is using his own saw - soon to be released. I had the chance to use it when I took a class from him at Woodcraft. The saw is awesome. The weight and balance are superb. As Gary stated the TPI at the end of the saw are higher (this is used for simple starting of the cut). I'll be snagging one as soon as it comes out.