Housed Dovetails

[Vince Shriver]

I just learned what a "housed dovetail' is. As I understand it, it's a dovetail slot that is cut on the floor of a dado slot (a slot inside a slot). To what purpose would such a joint be used? Thanks, Vince

[frank shic]

vince, they're usually used for shelves on bookcases or rails in dressers or cabinets. they look like a lot of extra work to me though :eek:

[CPeter James]

They are a piece of cake. There was an Article in Popular woodworking by Geoff Ames about 18 months ago. Three router bits (In three routers is better) and real easy to do.

CPeter

[Vince Shriver]

They are a piece of cake. There was an Article in Popular woodworking by Geoff Ames about 18 months ago. Three router bits (In three routers is better) and real easy to do.

CPeter


There is an article in Popular Woodworking (Nov 08) that shows how to do it with two routers. My question is this: why not just make a dado, or maybe a sliding dovetail? Why the housed dovetail?

[Joe Scharle]

Where I use the housed sliding DT most is when attaching legs to round post as in candlestick stands. It "houses" the flat shape of the leg into the round surface of the post. Can't see it too clearly, but you get the idea.

http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/data/989/Shaker_Sewing_Table_1_.JPG

[Cody Colston]

To what purpose would such a joint be used? Thanks, Vince

This is only a guess, but...

I was reading "Tage Frid teaches Woodworking" where he said he never used a full width dado joint. He always cut shoulders on the piece to be inserted and then made the dado small enough to fit the reduced width of the stock. This in effect made it a stub tenon and dado joint. He said the joint needed the lateral support provided by the shoulders on the inserted piece.

Although he didn't say so, I assume the same principle would apply to a sliding dovetail joint.

So, by housing the dovetail, you get the benefit of both...shoulders for lateral support and the mechanical strength of the dovetail.

[Vince Shriver]

Where I use the housed sliding DT most is when attaching legs to round post as in candlestick stands. It "houses" the flat shape of the leg into the round surface of the post. Can't see it too clearly, but you get the idea.

http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/data/989/Shaker_Sewing_Table_1_.JPG


Thanks for that explanation - it makes sense. BTW, beautiful table. Vince

[george wilson]

I usually just cut the angle in with a sharp chisel. When I made harpsichords,I made them exactly like originals. The original English harpsichords had a housing joint that was a regular dado,angled only on 1 side. I wondered about the holding power of this joint,but when the male part was installed,that joint was solid as a rock. Neither side would budge a bit.

You wouldn't want to see the end of this joint on the front of a piece of furniture,as it isn't symetrical. For an out of sight joint,it works great,and shows the economy that the early builders would employ.

[pat warner]

Lots of application (http://www.dewalt.com/us/articles/article.asp?Site=woodworking&ID=511).