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Thread: Critique my dovetails? First attempt at a double

  1. #1
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    Critique my dovetails? First attempt at a double

    IMG_20200912_130841147_BURST000_COVER_TOP.jpgIMG_20200912_130830074.jpgIMG_20200912_130836562.jpg

    This is my first attempt at a double dovetail. Although not perfect, i am happy for a first try. I used a marking gauge and knife for the layout lines, and a dovetail gauge and veritas square for layout. I used a small japanese pull saw for the initial cuts and a coping saw for large waste removal.

    One thing i would do differently is to make a relief cut with a chisel to the knife wall instead of relying on the marking lines. I need to find a thinner blade for the coping saw too.

    Anyone have any other suggestions?
    Last edited by Jason Buresh; 09-23-2020 at 8:52 AM.

  2. #2
    I'd say you're off to a pretty darn good start!!!

    Yes, you need to do a relief cut if the coping saw line isn't withing 1/8" especially in softwoods.

    Dovetails are 75% sawing and 25% chiselling.

    I like the Pegasus blades.

  3. #3
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    Those look pretty good! Another thing you can do to help get clean baselines is to go back after you’ve sawn and deepen your lines with a knife and a square before you use a chisel to make the relief cuts.

    i also try to err very slightly on the side of leaving the pins and tails proud so I don’t have to plane the whole side down to get the joint flush.

  4. #4
    Japanese saws and coping saws do not play together well, one's kirf is too thin and the other's blade is too thick. They can be made to work with multiple cuts or you can use a fret saw or the 12" Bow saw from TFWW both blades fit in a Japanese saw kirf.

    Or use a western back saw.

    ken

  5. #5
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    Ken,

    I am going to invest in a fret saw. I am planning on getting the knew concepts 5".

    I never thought about the different kerfs. Thanks for pointing that out.

  6. #6
    Quote Originally Posted by Jason Buresh View Post
    Ken,

    I am going to invest in a fret saw. I am planning on getting the knew concepts 5".

    I never thought about the different kerfs. Thanks for pointing that out.

    Jason,

    As a fret saw the Knew Concepts is a good one, I think there is a better option. I've expressed it often on this board and that is the TFWW 12" bow saw, much faster cuts as good control and the blade will fit a Japanese saw kert. The cost is so close as to be a wash. Glad I could help.

    ken

    P.S. The TFWW Bow saw blades do not break like fret saw blades

  7. #7
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    Ken,

    I googled it and i am assuming you are referring to the Gramercy 12" bow saw?

    I like the traditional look. The knew concepts looks very modern.

    I am going to strongly consider the biw saw

  8. #8
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    The kits are available currently btw The plans etc are downloadable.
    ~mike

    happy in my mud hut

  9. #9
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    Oh yeah! I think I would rather build than buy. Not because I am cheap, but because I like making things, i would think the hardware would be easy enough to make with some brass round stock, and then carve some handles and epoxy them in.

    I could buy the blades and string and the rest i think i could fabricate myself

  10. #10
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    What exactly are you guys referring to with relief cuts? If we're talking about chiseling to the baseline, I might have 1/16" or so of material left by the coping saw. I chop that in several slices so that the last slice is removing only a tiny amount, which avoids pushing the chisel back into the baseline and leaves a very clean cut. Is that what you mean?

    I think those DTs are looking pretty good. Just keep doing a few more and concentrate on getting the baselines pristine. You should go ahead and glue it together then plane it all flush and see if some of the smaller gaps disappear, they often do.

  11. #11
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    Robert,

    Thanks for the reply. My mistake on these was i did not make a trench on the shoulder wall and relied on my knife line. If I would have taken that little wedge out and created a knife wall i think it may have turned out better. I will have to try one with that technique.

    I got a little to close to the knife line with the coping saw on one the pin board too.

    I didn't glue this ine up yet but I will and plane it to see what happens.

  12. #12
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    [QUOTE= You should go ahead and glue it together then plane it all flush and see if some of the smaller gaps disappear, they often do.[/QUOTE]

    Sanding dust, the Bondo of the Dovetailer

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jason Buresh View Post
    Robert,

    Thanks for the reply. My mistake on these was i did not make a trench on the shoulder wall and relied on my knife line. If I would have taken that little wedge out and created a knife wall i think it may have turned out better. I will have to try one with that technique.

    I got a little to close to the knife line with the coping saw on one the pin board too.

    I didn't glue this ine up yet but I will and plane it to see what happens.
    Ah, you are talking about sawing the shoulders on the ends of the tailboard. Agree, the knife wall would be a good idea.

  14. #14
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    Those look good for a first try. Mine didn't look that good over years of trying.

    +1 on making them a bit proud. After one set of proud tails on a drawer many of my dovetails have been made to be proud. This is a project made for holding remotes on the sofa:

    Finished Sofa Box.jpg

    Don't make them this proud if you want to keep them flush with the other surfaces.

    jtk
    "A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
    - Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)

  15. #15
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    They look pretty good to me too. I like clamp a small 1 inch x 1 inch square scrap to my baseline to guide that last cut.
    On soft woods I use the guide to slice the wood fibers downward. Instead of chopping and hoping they don’t crush.
    Good Luck
    Aj

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