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Dovetails,how do you do yours?

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  • 05-02-2008 1:02am
    #1
    dubtom
    Registered Users Posts: 3,084 ✭✭✭


    I started a project tonight and attempted my first hand dovetail on a piece of waste,luckily,because I made a hames of it.What way is best for removing the waste,with a chisel or a coping saw.I'm using soft wood. I tried the coping saw method first,using a dovetail saw first to cut the diagonals,but managed to let the coping saw run away with itself. I'd be afraid with a chisel and mallet of breaking the pins completly. Obviously practise makes,in my case reasonable,any tips or tricks to share?


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    #2
    JBCFord
    Closed Accounts Posts: 49 ✭JBCFord


    I haven’t cut hand dovetails in a quite a while mostly do them on a rougher and template jig just for speed unless the client wants to pay for hand cut dovetails

    As I remember tools required
    Sharp tenon saw for cutting down shoulders
    Coping saw for cutting out waste
    Sharp chisel ¼ inc for paring [the most dangerous chisel is a blunt one ]
    Sharp chisel ½ inc for paring
    Bevel gauge to mark out dovetail angle
    Sharp pencil !
    A good solid work bench or a Black and Decker work bench still the best portable bench around

    This link should get you started and have fun
    http://www.technologystudent.com/joints/dove1.htm

    regards jbcford


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    #3
    irishthump
    Registered Users Posts: 340 ✭✭irishthump


    I always use a chisel to remove the waste. It's so difficult to keep a straight line with the coping saw that you always end up having to square off the cut with a chisel anyway!

    You say you're working in softwood? I'm assuming the joint is for a drawer or box corner. To be honest the dovetail does'nt work quite as well in softwood, you tend to get a lot of chipping, even when being very careful. So I would use the softwood for practice until you get satisfactory results, then move onto hardwood.

    If that does'nt suit, then use the softwood but when marking the dovetails use a slope of 1 in 6 rather than the normal 1 in 8. In softwood, dovetails with a 1 in 8 slope would be very prone to pulling out.

    Here is a youtube video or some dovetails being cut, it's quite short, but it's good.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-o4jryTkUc

    Hope that helps.


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    #4
    dubtom
    Registered Users Posts: 3,084 ✭✭✭dubtom


    Thanks for the replies. I ended up using a router and jig,still managed to get a fair bit of chipping but at least the joints fitted.It will take a fair amount of sanding for them to look nice:rolleyes:The guy in the video made it look so easy irishthump, wish I'd paid more attention in school.


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