Looking for advice about learning to cut dovetails / dovetail tools

[Jim Koepke]

Here's a blog post I did on practice sawing to a line for dovetails: http://www.closegrain.com/2011/07/ni...-100-cuts.html. Repetitive sawing will help you dial it in faster than just a few at a time. You'll be surprised how quickly you see improvement.

Steve,

Thanks for posting that. I have only taken a quick look, but it looks like a good resource for people starting on dovetails or wanting to improve their skill level.

jtk

[Cory Fletcher]

*Update * I either have or have on the way the list below. Thanks for all the info and advice. I plan on getting the shop cleaned up this weekend and next weekend start making some cuts when I get my new toys I mean tools in.
Veritas® Dovetail Saddle Markers
Veritas® Wheel Marking Gauges
Veritas® Mk.II Honing Guide
Granite plate and sandpaper for sharpening
Narex® Classic Bevel-Edge Chisels
Narex® Skew Chisels
Veritas® Dovetail 14tpi

[bob blakeborough]

Don't forget a decent sharpening media for the chisels. Dull chisels will make tough work out of learning how to dovetail...

[Paul Saffold]

Kari Hultman has a nice video on her blog "The Village Carpenter" http://villagecarpenter.blogspot.com...ils-video.html She does some really beautiful work, too.

[Graham Hughes (CA)]

Sounds good to me. I suggest you get the 3M micro-abrasives (http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/pag...04&cat=1,43072) if you haven't already; I find that I'm not happy with edges that aren't sharpened to about 0.5-1µ abrasives, however you get there, but otherwise you're pretty good. The PSA is nice but not that critical, and they last longer than the usual wet-dry sandpaper. I use stones nowadays but I'm told it is worth using some sort of honing solution, tho; mineral oil or water or whatever's convenient.

You may find you want something that you only have to buy once and not repeatedly as time goes on; this means stones. There's lots of stones, and lots of debates about them here, which you can peruse at your leisure.