Rob Cosman DTs - through

[Andy Hsieh]

I just finished watching Cosman's 3:40ish through DTs. I normally do not make my pins as skinny as his - nor are they remotely close to as good looking. I decided I would give it a whirl as he does in the video. with only the dividers for spacing, marking gauge to set the depth on the faces and a straight line across the top to mark where the dividers left their mark - I just eyeballed the angle and cut em.

the results were decent for a 5 minute DT using a sears handsaw and a sears 1/4 inch chisel. but the thing that caught me was how little time I spent marking up the angles for everything. I am almost wondering if due to the almost identical size of tails that the angles - even if not identical were still pleasing to the eye because the uniformity of tail size?

this got me thinking - could you go this route for an entire carcass of DTs and achieve cosmetically pleasing results? Anyone here actually scrap the DT marker when doing DT's for projects?

Ignore the huge-O mongo gaps - I was purely going for speed as a first run with aspen and tools out of my carpentry bag. I blame the tools! I blame the tools ! :rolleyes:

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/picture.php?albumid=66&pictureid=2848

[Matt Radtke]

I've never used a marker. If I really want a 'specific' angle, I use a bevel gauge, but I've moved away from it. I'm also starting to get away from even using dividers and just eyeball everything. That's how Frank does it and he seems to do alright.

[Jim Koepke]

this got me thinking - could you go this route for an entire carcass of DTs and achieve cosmetically pleasing results? Anyone here actually scrap the DT marker when doing DT's for projects?

There are a many who advocate eyeballing the angle. When you work tails first, this is one of the advantages.

If you watch Glenn Drake with his Wild West Saw, this is how he does it. Not sure if there is a video of this on his web site. I know he used to send out free DVDs of his video to anyone who asked.

jim

[Andy Hsieh]

yes - doing tails does have it's virtues - I am normally a pins first "Frid" chopper. But I do spend a good deal of time actually marking and lining up the markings from line to angle etc...This was eye opening for me.

Interesting - I never really knew that Klausz just eyes his DT's. I am doing a 30 day DT a day while my wood for my dresser acclimates to get some practice for an entire carcass of DT's. Never tried to do an entire carcass so it will be interesting and I will need the 30 days but I think I am gonna try 30 days using this method and see how that works out.

The wild west saw is crazy! I have seen it in pics but I don;t think I know or have seen anyone who actually owns one.

[Eric Brown]

There is a lot more going on with the double handled saw than first meets the eye. It's actually one part of a whole system. I'll try to describe the basics.

1. Use a regular marking gage for the depth of cut.

2. Dovetail marking is done with a kerf starter that leaves a groove for the saw blade to fall into. You don't need to worry about cutting to the side of any line.

3. For through dovetails, all the marking can be done either freehand or with guides.

4. The saw has no teeth at the beginning or end of the blade. You set the toe end into the slot the kerf starter made and start cutting the first board.

5. Clean out the waste.

6. Mark the mating board by laying the cut one on top of the mate. Use only the kerf starter for marking and only mark one half of each dovetail.

7. Using feeler gage, shift board over the thickness of the saw blade plus whatever clearance you want. Mark the half with kerf starter.

8. Cut dovetails and remove waste.

The system works great. It's fast and accurate. The two handles allow you to sight down both sides of the blade comfortably.

I recommend you try to get the video and watch it. Not sure if they even offer the saw anymore as I've never seen it on their website.

[Matt Radtke]

Interesting - I never really knew that Klausz just eyes his DT's.

Watch the trailer for "Dovetail a Drawer with Frank Klausz" on youtube. He's pins first, but it's no real different. Pretty sure the exact quote is, ". . . then saw the pins. There's no need to measure here, you can lay them out by eye."

[Derek Cohen]

this got me thinking - could you go this route for an entire carcass of DTs and achieve cosmetically pleasing results? Anyone here actually scrap the DT marker when doing DT's for projects?

Hi Andy

Whether you use a DT marking gauge or not is up to you. It should not become a measure of your manhood. Personally, I use a dovetail marker because I try to match the dovetail angle to the thickness of the wood, and the marker makes it easier to see how it will look.

I also plan out the spacing of dovetails, often keeping them symetrical but uneven. This is difficult to do freehand. Keep in mind that Frank K has decades of experience and that Rob C uses a marker (the only time he did not was in the recent video, and that was to save time).

With regards an entire carcase of DTs, I have just completed an armoire that has through dovetails at the top of the carcase, sliding dovetails on the two lower sections, half-blind dovetails at the drawer front and through dovetails at the drawer back. I nicknamed the project my "dovetail cabinet" while building. Here are a few images (a collection of construction articles will soon be up on my website) ...

Assembly (through and sliding dovetails) ...

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Furniture/Dovetail%20Cabinet/Assembly/Assembly1.jpg

Finished cabinet ..

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Furniture/Dovetail%20Cabinet/Finished/Armoire2.jpg

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Furniture/Dovetail%20Cabinet/Finished/Top1.jpg

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Furniture/Dovetail%20Cabinet/Finished/Drawer3.jpg

Half-blind ..

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Furniture/Dovetail%20Cabinet/Drawers/Lastlap-dovetails3.jpg

through ..

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Furniture/Dovetail%20Cabinet/Drawers/Lastlap-dovetails4.jpg

Even the hanger was dovetailed! (but I need to shape the rear end) ..

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Furniture/Dovetail%20Cabinet/Finished/Hanger1.jpg

Hence "dovetail cabinet"!

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Kevin Lucas]

here is Frank Kausz and Roy Underhill doing a dovetail seminar at the Woodworking in America Conference in Berea, KY. It is in 3 parts but good information and very entertaining.

http://woodworkersresource.blip.tv/file/1555111/

http://woodworkersresource.blip.tv/file/1569181/

http://woodworkersresource.blip.tv/file/1569967/