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View Full Version : Another Reason for Neanderthal Dovetails


Tom Winship
12-02-2009, 12:27 PM
I posted some time ago the bedside tables I had made from mesquite. I cut the first casement dovetails by hand. Not as tight as I would have liked, so I did the second with a D24R jig. Perfect.

I am currently building the dresser for the set and yesterday I cut the tails wrong side facing me.

Jan 2, I am going to a handcut dovetail class (which I had already scheduled).
Mark Roderick
12-02-2009, 1:26 PM
Don't feel bad. When I was beginning to cut dovetails by hand, I carefully marked out the tails, made the saw cuts cleanly, then chiseled out the wrong material! I discovered this only after cutting the tails, putting the boards together, and realizing that the tails and pins were sliding past one another. Now I take the time to clearly mark the waste.

Regardless of the tool, we all make mistakes.
Tom Winship
12-02-2009, 1:30 PM
This is not the worst I have ever done. This resulted in redesigning the dresser. Shortened it by 1 1/2".
Jim Koepke
12-02-2009, 3:31 PM
This is not the worst I have ever done. This resulted in redesigning the dresser. Shortened it by 1 1/2".

This was seen in a book somewhere, "The difference between an amateur and a professional is how they deal with their mistakes."

I like doing work by hand, it lets me make mistakes slower.

jim
Joe Close
12-02-2009, 5:31 PM
I like doing work by hand, it lets me make mistakes slower.

jim

That is a good signature line quote!!!:D
harry strasil
12-03-2009, 6:50 PM
By Hand also lets you catch your mistakes quicker! They are out where you can see them instead of hidden by a jig.

X is the waste area!
James Schulist
12-04-2009, 5:07 AM
Mistakes?... ?!?... Oh! You mean redesign opportunities!
Chuck Saunders
12-04-2009, 9:17 AM
By Hand also lets you catch your mistakes quicker!

Absolutely, when you do them by hand you can realize you cut the piece wrong on the first pin instead of when the whole end is done. You also get more opportunities to mess it up. On a brighter note, the more opportunities to mess up result in fewer mistakes down the road.
Jim Koepke
12-04-2009, 3:31 PM
Another reason to hand cut your dovetails is the pins can have a different shape.

These are easiest to do "tails" first.

134344

This was just a practice piece for proof of concept.

jim