Hand-cut dovetail advice

[Daniel Rode]

The way to get better at cutting dovetails is to....cut dovetails.

That's what has been working for me. For a recent project, I had 2 drawers that needed half-blind dovetails but I had never cut a half blind dovetail. I spent a couple of weeks doing one joint per night until I got good enough. I even used the same size stock so I could play with the layout as I practiced.

I'm still no dovetail expert but I can make through or half-blinds reasonably well now.

I've used pencil lines, knife lines and knife lines darkened with pencil, I might give blue tape a try next time

[Winton Applegate]

Daniel,

Bravo !

I spent a couple of weeks doing one joint per night until I got good enough.

That is the kind of thing I did, with about every thing.
I call it "Playing Scales".

[Derek Cohen]

..... The blue tape technique can help you visualize the geometry of the joint but ultimately, eye and muscle coordination depends on repetition. By the way, when using blue tape to lay out dovetails, do you leave the tape on the joint or do you remove it after the joint is put together? Aren't lay out lines a hallmark of hand cut dovetails? If you remove the tape how will anyone know the joint was sawn by hand? ..

Hi Mike

The blue tape is not used to visualise the geometry of the joint - it is to aid in seeing the transferred lines when these are made on dark wood end grain. Scribed lines in dark wood end grain are both difficult to see and they tend to close up making it even more difficult to see. The blue tape is not used to lay out the tails, only the pins (when you go tails first). (Incidentally, technically speaking, one does not visualise something when it is in full view. One visualises something when it is not in view )

Step 1: lay out the tails as you would usually do.

Step 2: saw/chisel out the tails

Step 3: attach blue tape to the pin board end grain.

Step 4: place the tail board over the pin board end grain/blue tape and use a sharp knife to transfer the tails.

Step 5: peel away the blue tape in the waste area.

You are now left with a perfect outline of the tails on the pin end grain. When you saw to to very edge of the blue tape you will end up with a perfect fit.



I estimated that 95% of these went together without any adjustments:



Pictorial: http://www.inthewoodshop.com/Furnitu...tDovetail.html

You will see that the cut lines (baselines) are still there. I put them in regardless of the blue tape since the tape can come away and the scribed lines are inserted at the start to ensure there is a line to work to if this occurs.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Jim Matthews]

I believe Gary Rogowski recommended warming up with a single pin and tail before a serious piece of work began.

Every other discipline involves some period or preparation before the main event,
why should wood workers be any different?

While I think a beautifully fitted dovetail is admirable, I'm pleasantly surprised at how
strong the joint is, even on my clumsy efforts.

The amount of surface area exposed to glue is the entire point of having the multiple fingers join,
lots of long grain on either side makes even the most porous connections immensely strong.

My first all dovetail cabinet is square and plumb. It illustrates the value of strategically aligned moldings...

[Winton Applegate]

strategically aligned moldings...

Jim,

Hey now don't leave us hanging like that.
Any chance of a photo please to clarify ?
I am not a big molding man yet so that would help me understand.

[Pat Barry]

My first all dovetail cabinet is square and plumb. It illustrates the value of strategically aligned moldings...

Jim, did you cover all your hard work with a molding?