It works!

[Osvaldo Cristo]

I consider myself a "pragmatic" guy also for woodworking: I avoid complicated joints as I think glues are very strong now-a-days... and if you need anything more, there are screws! :)

Anyway, yesterday, by the end of the day I was in my woodshop when I asked to myself, "why not to try"?

Well it was my first try on dovetail joint. First use of my Makita Multitool. I used scrap plywood. instead of solid "real" wood. It took me less the 15 minutes, including to square wood in my tablesaw. Just a few strokes of my wood chisel for best fit. No jigs.

I added a picture. Yes, it is not great but considering the above, I am really glad with the results. I am a fan of the craftsman from Paul Sellers but when I saw him in one of his excellent instructional videos in youtube expending more than 40 minutes for a single dovetail joint I really thought it was not for me so I think you can get why I am so excited.

Perhaps it is worth to use that joint in my future projects.

I really cannot understand why I never saw anyone using a multitool for that kind of joint... :confused:

[Jim Becker]

That's pretty nice and tight!

[Mike Cutler]

If it works, it works. The wood doesn't know what it was cut with.
Keep at it.

[Mark Bolton]

Id agree. very nice joint for a first attempt. I have to say, I have been in this business for 30 year and have never ever hand cut a dovetail. We have made hundreds if not thousands of dovetail drawers using a leigh jig. If my first hand cut attempt was half that id be proud of myself.

Very nice work.

[Frederick Skelly]

Good idea Osvaldo. Looks like a good joint. I'll bet your method works even better on the second and third attempts, as you learn to use the tool better.

Fred

[Nick Decker]

Very nice, indeed!

[David Justice]

Great idea and they look great.

[Lee Schierer]

Nice joint work, what blades did you use? Did you cut free hand or did you use guides of some type?

[Andrew Pitonyak]

I would need to nitpick to complain about that joint. The worst criticism I have is that there is some minor tear-out along the base of the joint. The join looks very tight and nice. I have produced many examples significantly worse than that.

[James Pallas]

Looks good to me. Show it around some but don't mention how you cut it. Than when you tell them it will be fun. I always like to be told you can't do that that way. I see experiment in the works when I hear that statement.
Jim

[Pat Barry]

Will it work for half blind dovetails also?

[Andrew Pitonyak]

Will it work for half blind dovetails also?

I have long considered trying this with half blind dovetails, but I never did give it a go. I did, however, recently purchase one of these:

https://www.bontzsawworks.net/half-blind-dovetail-tool/

That is useful for the sides, not for the back portion of the blind.

[Bill Berklich]

I would love to see a video of you cutting that. I have a Fein Multi Tool just looking for a place to be used!

[Vince Shriver]

That joint looks great (ESPECIALLY for a first time, really great).

[Bill Berklich]

I would love to see a video of you cutting that. I have a Fein Multi Tool just looking for a place to be used!

Just pulled out the Fein and gave it quick shot with a piece of scrap plywood. Not sure if it's faster better but it's definitely doable and (for me) needs some experimentation and practice. I like it better than a coping saw.

Don't have time now to finish the pins but cutting to the line is quick and easy.

Great idea Osvaldo

368577

[andy bessette]

The chipped edges of the cuts are pretty ugly, but the fit seems serviceable enough.

[Osvaldo Cristo]

Thanks all for the encourage kind words... :)

Attached you will find the two blades I used for that application: the bigger one for "vertical" cuts and the smaller for the "horizontal" ones. It was done completely at free hand. No guides but the pencil traces. No jigs.

I needed to go slower with the transverse (I named them "horizontal") cuts with the small blade as it was prone to vibrate.

All the best,