Handcut dovetail aids

[Derek Cohen]

A couple of items to help in cutting dovetails, one bought and one made.

The first is a new-to-the-market dovetail marker from Woodjoy made in bronze and black steel - about $20. It marks 1:6 (soft wood) and 1:8 (hard wood). The beauty of this one is that you can mark both the front and top together. I used it today - what a pleasure!

The second is a dovetail chisel I made from an old 1/2" chisel. This is modelled on the one used by Rob Cosman in his video on cutting half-blind dovetails. Very handy for cutting those oblique corners that one can otherwise only get to with a skew chisel. This one is designed for 1:8 and ground at 20 degrees (as it is only used to pare).

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Mark Singer]

Both Great! I especially like the custom chisel! Your review of LA Jacks was really helpful...I too your advice...and Gene's

[Alan Turner]

Derek,
Sometime ago I did a similar thing to a couple of old but very fine $3 chisels, one a TH Witherby and the other a Butcher. Here are pix. One is 9/64", the other is just under 3/8". They are great, esp. for paring the inside corners of traditional tails and pins, and also the sockets for sliding dovetails. Like you did, they are set at 20 degrees, for paring. A file made for pretty quick work.

The reason that there are tow is that I lent one to a friend, and the return was delayed a bit, and I needed one, so to the "junk" box went I again. Gosh I do love flea markets, garage sales, etc.
Alan