Rob is at it again

[Gary Benson]

Check out Rob's new youtube video on a 6 1/2 minute half blind dovetail joint. Notice how fast the saw cuts the tails, one stroke!
Enjoy,
Gary

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EiGJuW9nlZQ

[Rick Erickson]

Impressive stuff. That is one phenominal saw. Mine cuts almost too quickly. I was so use to my LN saw (not a bad saw at all) that when I switched to this one I was blowing past my lines. I've since broke that habit :)

[Sean Hughto]

No doubt Rob can achieve the same wonderful tolerances in any woods one might choose, but I'm guessing it might take a few seconds longer with a maple drawer side and cherry front, as opposed to two pieces of pine. Tails might require a stroke and a half. ;-)

A very fun and well produced video, in any event.

[Michael Peet]

Good grief. What I call "sharp" he must call "time to sharpen".

Mike

[Jim Kirkpatrick]

I can do that same joint in my Leigh jig in a minute and a half. Don't hate the playa...hate the game.
Thanks for posting that Gary. He's got some other good videos on youtube too.

[Mark Maleski]

I can do that same joint in my Leigh jig in a minute and a half. Don't hate the playa...hate the game.


Lol. Since Rob didn't include the setup in the demonstration (setting the dividers, marking guages, or marking the chisel depth), that's a fair comparison, I guess. Otherwise...

[Paul Atkins]

Yeah, Mark beat me to it. I would have to include the half hour to find the benchtop, find two marking gauges, sharpen the marking knife, get a pen or pencil that would write and answer the phone and go to lunch.

[Gary Benson]

Setting up the dividers and marking gauges should take about 30 seconds total under these conditions. It always seem fun and easy on practice joints, but takes a lot more head scratching time when doing 4 at time for a drawer, box, case, etc, especially if using half blinds on some joints and thru on other corners. Still a fun demo to watch.
Gary

[Mark Maleski]

Setting up the dividers and marking gauges should take about 30 seconds total under these conditions.

Dunno, it takes me longer than 30 seconds to do those things, but then again I've never filmed a set of stunt dovetails for youtube. Rob's great, BTW, and this video was amazing. Betcha it's not a good representation of the way he approaches real work though - he even says at the end that the results weren't up to his usual standards.

[Derek Cohen]

I've got to laugh at this ...

I think the world of Rob Cosman - love his craftmanship and love his teachings ... and also at his showmanship (no, that is not a criticism, just recognition that this is aimed at selling his tools - the dovetail saw in particular, video more obviously, and I suspect that he is coming out with a line of or at least will recommend a blade for sale in his Stanley .. that one was a driveby)...

I would like to see him do this again with REAL WOOD! :) Not the cheese he used. :) :) He didn't even need to saw - one stroke!! And using a mallet with his chisels!! ... unnecessary here as well (as was the backing board with this wood - there was never going to be a chance of it splitting). For a Real Test of sawing and chiseling accuracy, try using brittle hardwoods for both tail- and pin boards!! Not cheese! :) :) :)

Let me again emaphasize that this is not a criticism, but a reality check (it does not happen like this in real life). I loved the video, downloaded it for my library, and want to see more. Well done Rob!!

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Roy Wall]

Rob -

I noticed right off you were using the old stanley with an IBC blade/CB and your new saw........No LN in sight........looking forward to your new blades and Best wishes to you and your family. Nice work and I'll be practicing!!

[Keith Christopher]

I'm waiting for the Cosman 3 minute cresent joint. :) :eek: Keep doing what you're doing ! Great work.

[dan sherman]

Rob,

Did you send your chisels to NASA to get the backs that polished. :eek:

[Pedder Petersen]

Hi Derek,

talking about reality, we had a discussion about the Rob's sawing technique. Watching this video I have to agree Rob is using the far end technique. Maybe he is teaching this technique now?

Cool video!

Cheers Pedder

[Alejandro Balbis]

I've got to laugh at this ...

I would like to see him do this again with REAL WOOD! :) Not the cheese he used. :) :)

Regards from Perth

Derek

Some cheese are even harder than Jarrah, in fact I use Parmesan for my drawer sides :D

[Jeff Johnson]

So, what was that dovetailed bevel chisel he was using? Don't recall seeing one of them before.

[Matt Radtke]

So, what was that dovetailed bevel chisel he was using? Don't recall seeing one of them before.

I assumed he made it. I was thinking about trying that with an extra (modern/Irwin) blue handled Marples that I have.

Can't hurt and it isn't doing much besides sitting on my sharpening table.

[Derek Cohen]

Rob showed this chisel modification in his first video on half-blind dovetails. I was so impressed that I made one for myself ..

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Chisels/dovetailChiselRobCosman.jpg

Later my tastes became a little more sophicated (!) and the chisel morphed into ..

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Chisels/Dovetailchisel1.jpg

In the current YouTube video it looked to me that Rob had modified an LN...?

Rob, tell us more about the plane blade - I had no prior awareness of these.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Tri Hoang]

What impressed me most was the saw and his sawing technique. The saw was so sharp I have a feeling he had to hold it back when cutting off the two outside half pins.

What's the sharpening secret to get a saw that sharp?

[Jeff Johnson]

Yeah - pretty specialized piece, there. It even stops at the right depth for that particular dovetail.

You know what he needs? A corner chisel ground at 90 minus the angle of the dovetail, so he doesn't have to fiddle with those inside corners. Use his special dovetail like he does, then two stabs with the 80-whatever degree corner chisel, and he's done. That's knock about 20 seconds off each tail, and a whole minute off his total time.

[Mark Maleski]

You know what he needs? A corner chisel ground at 90 minus the angle of the dovetail, so he doesn't have to fiddle with those inside corners. Use his special dovetail like he does, then two stabs with the 80-whatever degree corner chisel, and he's done. That's knock about 20 seconds off each tail, and a whole minute off his total time.

That savings would likely be negated by the extra time needed to keep a corner chisel sharp! Actually, I have all of Rob's tapes (yes, tapes); I learned to cut tails from him and use a slightly modified version of his method to this day. Not once during any of them did he say "now speed up." If there's anything negative about his Youtube video is that some might infer he's a speed over style guy. I've never believed he'd sacrifice quality for speed, and the consistent quality of the tails posted by his students is the most compelling evidence.

Oops, this started as an irreverent thread (in keeping with the spirit of the video) and I went and got serious. Hey Rob, how come you can't overcut the half-blind pins like the 18th century masters, huh?

[Jeff Johnson]

...and racing stripes... no.... FLAMES! painted on the side of the saw! ;)

[Rick Erickson]

Yeah, he made that one. Blue Spruce and LN sell them but they aren't cheap. I have two of the Blue Spruce ones and they work well but you aren't going to get a ton of sharpening out of them unless you regrind/shape. However, with the limited use they have I don't suspect that will be a problem for a long time to come.

[Russ Massery]

I bought a set of the cheap Narex chisels that Highland sell and made fishtails out of those.