WIA - Dovetailing: Pins vs. Tails, Klausz and Underhill

[Al Navas]

Hi, all.

I want to share with you this session, which I captured on video and is now available on my blog. I broke it up into 3 episodes, for easier viewing and download of the video segments.

In addition to video I took several photos; the following one gives you a sense of the setting:

http://sandal-woodsblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/dovetailing-pinsvstails.png



.

[Alex Shanku]

Thanks for posting this!! I will watch all 3 tonight!

[Joe Cunningham]

Great videos so far, but jeez, does anyone know how to show up on time to anything anymore? I'm 8 minutes into the talk and people are still filing in.

[Johnny Kleso]

Thanks Very Much :)

[Ken Werner]

Thanks fo putting this up Al.

[Alan DuBoff]

This has got to be the most hashed out topic, comparing pins vs. tails.

Learn both and use them were applicable, IMO, best not to get hung up on one or the other.

The main thing is to actually do them rather than just observing these videos. Too easy to get hung up on pontificating how to cut your dovetails, and why Frank's style is useful for folks to practice, IMO. It eliminates the need for many measuring tools, allows you to focus on cutting the joinery.

For those that might be inspired by this topic/video, more power to you, I hope it actually gets you to cut a dovetail joint, rather than thinking about it. For those that are already cutting dovetails, whether pins or tails first, keep doing as you have been doing and keep cutting them. ;)

[Douglas Brummett]

Good show. Thanks for putting this up.

[Ken Shepard]

Alan - I couldn't agree more. A few months ago, I realized I had spent much more time reading about cutting dovetails than actually cutting dovetails. So I started cutting dovetails every day. Pins first, tails first, western saw, Japanese saw, marking gage, freehand, and every variation in technique I could find. I don't care how many times you see it done, nothing compares with actual hands-on cutting and fitting. It is like learning a new song on guitar - the muscles of your hands and arms have to learn what to do. I can now cut a pretty fair dovetail while listening to music and not really thinking about what I am doing with the saw and chisel. For those of you who think you need a DVD or a better saw or chisel - you probabaly just need more practice. On the other hand, I just may be a slow learner.


This has got to be the most hashed out topic, comparing pins vs. tails.

Learn both and use them were applicable, IMO, best not to get hung up on one or the other.

The main thing is to actually do them rather than just observing these videos. Too easy to get hung up on pontificating how to cut your dovetails, and why Frank's style is useful for folks to practice, IMO. It eliminates the need for many measuring tools, allows you to focus on cutting the joinery.

For those that might be inspired by this topic/video, more power to you, I hope it actually gets you to cut a dovetail joint, rather than thinking about it. For those that are already cutting dovetails, whether pins or tails first, keep doing as you have been doing and keep cutting them. ;)