Measure twice and cut once... And always check for square

[Andrew Pitonyak]

You have heard the phrase measure twice and cut once. I would like to add that.... Always make sure that your corners are square before investing time into using the board; even if you think you had already done it.


I am working on a cabinet to hold certain hobby materials. The cabinet depth is 16 inches so I glued up boards to get the correct width. There were gaps in time between when I glued up boards, squared things up, and cut my dovetails (by hand). Well, I obviously missed the step of making sure that my corners were square since my pin boards were out of square by about 1/2” (or maybe a bit more) over the 16 inch depth. So, when did I realize this? After I had cut all the dovetails and did a full test assembly.


I had never had a case so oddly out of whack; and it took a while for me to figure out what I had done wrong. I was horrified when I realized what I had done. I had checked my tail boards, and they were spot on. I probably had done a quick trim on the end of the tail boards, walked away, and then just assumed that things were square when I came back a week later and cut them to size without squaring them up.


I am in the process cutting new tail pins.


Did I mention this is in 3/4" oak? Oak is not forgiving.

[Dave Anderson NH]

A couple of additional comments Andrew.

If I had to list the single most important things necessary to make accurate tight fitting dovetails this is what they would be:

1. Accurate stock preparation to include consistent thickness, consistent width, and ends square and perpendicular to long edges. In short, four squared stock.

2. Painstakingly accurate layout on both the pin and tail boards whether you cut pins or tails first.

3. Careful and accurate saw cuts perpendicular and square across the board thickness.

4. If 1 through 3 are not done you are already guaranteed a less than perfect result.

[Andrew Pitonyak]

If I had to list the single most important things necessary to make accurate tight fitting dovetails this is what they would be:

1. Accurate stock preparation to include consistent thickness, consistent width, and ends square and perpendicular to long edges. In short, four squared stock.

A bit embarrassing to so totally mess up one of the primary things. I should state, however, that the dovetails were tight and they looked good. Of course, the wood had to bend to fit so I had this odd warped twisted box.

A well done list you have there.

[Jim Koepke]

A bit embarrassing to so totally mess up one of the primary things. I should state, however, that the dovetails were tight and they looked good. Of course, the wood had to bend to fit so I had this odd warped twisted box.

A well done list you have there.

You are not the first and most certainly won't be the last.

My only solace when this happens is to put it on display in my shop as a reminder of all to be learned from our mistakes.

Maybe this means when we rejoice in what we have learned we are some how celebrating our failures?

jtk

[Dave Anderson NH]

Hey Andrew, don't feel embarrassed. This past Saturday I was teaching a hand dovetailing class for our NH guild's hand tools group. I was demonstrating what happens when you hit a chisel hard for the first strike in removing waste between the tails. ( The chisel is wedged backwards and goes past the baseline due to the wedging action.) I was in a hurry and inadvertently started to remove the tail, or make as one of my friends used to call them, "Martian Dovetails." I had ignored my own admonition earlier in the class to always mark the waste. Talk about being embarrassed in front of 20 people.

[Andrew Pitonyak]

Hey Andrew, don't feel embarrassed. This past Saturday I was teaching a hand dovetailing class for our NH guild's hand tools group. I was demonstrating what happens when you hit a chisel hard for the first strike in removing waste between the tails. ( The chisel is wedged backwards and goes past the baseline due to the wedging action.) I was in a hurry and inadvertently started to remove the tail, or make as one of my friends used to call them, "Martian Dovetails." I had ignored my own admonition earlier in the class to always mark the waste. Talk about being embarrassed in front of 20 people.

I removed the part that was not waste once. I was lucky on two counts. First, it was with the tails and I cut tails first. Second, final looks were not that important for that item. So, I was able to adjust with an odd pattern of pins and tails for that one board.

[Mike Allen1010]

[QUOTE=Dave Anderson NH;2483562]Hey Andrew, don't feel embarrassed. This past Saturday I was teaching a hand dovetailing class for our NH guild's hand tools group. I was demonstrating what happens when you hit a chisel hard for the first strike in removing waste between the tails. ( The chisel is wedged backwards and goes past the baseline due to the wedging action.) I was in a hurry and inadvertently started to remove the tail, or make as one of my friends used to call them, "Martian Dovetails." I had ignored my own admonition earlier in the class to always mark the waste. Talk about being embarrassed in front of 20 people.[/QUOTE]

Dave, you da man for sharing the above story. First off everyone has done this (or is it only me multiple times?), but few in front of an audience (unless my dog counts). Mere importantly, It's a huge complement you're asked to teach others .

[Dave Anderson NH]

I felt like an idiot Mike, but I wasn't the first time nor will it be the last time I make a public mistake. Teaching is fun. You get the opportunity to help others and you always learn quite a bit yourself. Teaching forces you to improve your technique, organize your thoughts and processes, and generally become better.

[Bob Glenn]

You never really learn until you teach.

[John Stankus]

Hey Andrew, don't feel embarrassed. This past Saturday I was teaching a hand dovetailing class for our NH guild's hand tools group. I was demonstrating what happens when you hit a chisel hard for the first strike in removing waste between the tails. ( The chisel is wedged backwards and goes past the baseline due to the wedging action.) I was in a hurry and inadvertently started to remove the tail, or make as one of my friends used to call them, "Martian Dovetails." I had ignored my own admonition earlier in the class to always mark the waste. Talk about being embarrassed in front of 20 people.

That is called a teaching moment. When i make a mistake in front of the class (I'm a chemistry professor), it is an opportunity to reiterate good work practices and to check your work.