How did he do this?

[Justin Edmonds]

I was pulling some plates out of the corner hutch, China cabinet, or whatever you want to call it and noticed how the shelves were put it. It's probably been in the family since my late grandmother was young, think 1920's. She said a man would travel up and down the river selling furniture he had made. The only thing that's been done is a refinish, my grandmother did herself. I'm just curious how he cut the dovetail way back then. Then, how was it so precise? Here may be a link to a picture. I haven't figured out how to post a pic on here yet. I'm getting error messages.https://plus.google.com/app/basic/photos/102152581115188679500/album/5963597432161677329/5963597430324728242?cbp=ft4zwaxej1pz&sview=2&cid=5&soc-app=115&soc-platform=1

[Keith Bohn]

Google Stanley No. 71.

That or maybe crank neck chisel.

[mike holden]

Justin,
Check down in the handtool forum for more responses.
Simple answer is a carcase saw and a chisel. You can see the layout lines, cant the handsaw to match and cut down, waste away the excess with the chisel. The matching half dovetail on the board is done with either a dovetail plane or a chisel. These carcase dovetails generally only go in a couple inches and a plain dado beyond to support the board. Not very difficult, and quite quick to make with a little practice.
Mike

[Myk Rian]

Right-click the image
Copy image location.

When typing your message, the little box on top, third from right, click it.
Box pops up, click from URL
Cntrl + V to insert the link.
Presto.

278596

[Steve Rozmiarek]

A 71 won't cut a dovetail alone as it has perpendicular sides. There are planes that are made to get into there though that have the angle built into them. The groove part is cut with a back saw, then cleaned up with chisels. The tail part is then machined with a plane to fit.

[Justin Edmonds]

Thanks! I might talk to St James Bay Tools to see if they could make something, or if I could modify something to work. The reason I was wondering about this dovetail is I'm an amateur luthier, wanting to specialize in mandolins, which require some weird dovetail cuts but no real good way to do it.