Project by Doug B | posted 04-13-2007 06:44 AM | 5342 views | 2 times favorited | 22 comments | ![]() |
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I wasn’t lying when I called myself a newbie. This is truly my first dovetail joint. It will be fun to look back on this in years to come. It took me around 30 minutes to make this joint. I measured and cut the tail. Then I measured the pin, but cut yet another tail. Then I cut the pin, and 10 minutes of rasping and sanding later, here it is. : )
-- Doug B
22 comments so far
PanamaJack
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4483 posts in 4040 days
#1 posted 04-13-2007 07:03 AM
Looks like a great start to me. Good luck with your woodworking endeavors.
-- Carpe Lignum; Tornare Lignum (Seize the wood, to Turn the wood)
MsDebbieP
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18615 posts in 4123 days
#2 posted 04-13-2007 12:10 PM
you are one dovetail ahead of me!!
it looks like it fits beautifully.
-- ~ Debbie, Canada (https://www.facebook.com/DebbiePribeleENJOConsultant)
markrules
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#3 posted 04-13-2007 12:27 PM
One ahead of me too. Good work!
Dick, & Barb Cain
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#4 posted 04-13-2007 12:48 PM
Nice job, I wish you well in your future projects ahead of you.
-- -** You are never to old to set another goal or to dream a new dream ****************** Dick, & Barb Cain, Hibbing, MN. http://www.woodcarvingillustrated.com/gallery/member.php?uid=3627&protype=1
lclashley
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#5 posted 04-13-2007 02:47 PM
I think I’ve read, the thicker the stock the harder the joint making. For dovetails anyway.
There is a cool video on finewoodworking.com about making practice dovetails. I’ll try to find it again and post the link here.
coloradoclimber
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548 posts in 4030 days
#6 posted 04-13-2007 04:37 PM
The joint looks great. It looks clean and tight.
I cant tell because of the rounded edges but how is the edge to edge offset, the centering of the tail ?
Buchanan
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3 posts in 4040 days
#7 posted 04-13-2007 06:00 PM
Nice Job! It look like you used a 2”x 4” to try this. It’s not easy to use framming lumber to make joints like that by hand.
-- Buchanan, New Jersey,
jockmike2
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10635 posts in 4209 days
#8 posted 04-13-2007 06:48 PM
A whole lot better than my first dovetail. jockmike
-- (You just have to please the man in the Mirror) Mike from Michigan -
Bill
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2579 posts in 4124 days
#9 posted 04-13-2007 06:55 PM
I have not made one by hand, and probably will not. I will rely on my Leigh jig for my dovetails. But, congratulations on the joint. Good job.
-- Bill, Turlock California, http://www.brookswoodworks.com
Quentin
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47 posts in 4108 days
#10 posted 04-13-2007 07:36 PM
Very nice dovetail Doug. Could you list here the exact tools that you used to make this? I’m also interested in starting to hand-cut some dovetails and would like to do as you have done.
Karson
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35111 posts in 4363 days
#11 posted 04-13-2007 07:45 PM
Great start. The first step on a long trip. Welcome to the wonderful world of woodworking.
-- I've been blessed with a father who liked to tinker in wood, and a wife who lets me tinker in wood. Southern Delaware soon moving to Virginia karsonwm@gmail.com †
CharlieM1958
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#12 posted 04-13-2007 07:51 PM
That looks darn good to me!
Personally, I’m a jig person. I wonder if the people who like to hand-cut dovetails are the same ones who like to drive a stick shift?
-- Charlie M. "Woodworking - patience = firewood"
Don
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2603 posts in 4139 days
#13 posted 04-14-2007 12:44 AM
Doug, congratulations on doing this. I also kept my first dovetail joint and dated it as well. It sits in my office behind me as I type this.
But it wasn’t long before I learned that making dovetail joints was simply a matter of practice. Once the mystery was taken out of it, it became relatively easy to make them – and the quality kept getting better.
I’ve never tried making dovetails in 2×4’s. I’m not convinced that this is the best way to practice, either.
I would suggest you use hardwood no greater than 3/4” thick. Make sure that you have a good sharp dovetail saw and sharp chisels. After getting the standard dovetail down pat, go on to making them different sizes and at different angles. It’s lots of fun.
-- CanuckDon "I just love small wooden boxes!" http://www.dpb-photos.com/
Doug B
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4 posts in 4024 days
#14 posted 04-14-2007 04:22 AM
Thanks for all the nice comments. Yes, I used 2×4 cutoffs lying around the shop. Not ideal, I agree. I have some nicer shorts on which to practice the next round.
lclashley: I got the idea from Gary Rogowski’s 5-minute dovetail exercise on finewoodworking.com, so maybe that’s the video you referred to. If there are more out there, I’d love to see them.
Quentin: I used a backsaw (dovetail saw) to make the initial cuts. I cleaned out the tail with a coping saw and fine tuned the joint with some various files I had lying around.
Don: Great post on your dovetail. Good motivation for me to continue.
Coloradoclimber: I think the joint just looks offset because It’s not as tight or straight as it could be. Not intentional.
-- Doug B
Chip
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1904 posts in 4055 days
#15 posted 04-14-2007 05:22 AM
Dip it in bronze and make a base for it. Well, at least keep track of it. Great stuff Doug. Something you will always remember. Keep us posted on your next effort.
-- Better to say nothing and be thought the fool... then to speak and erase all doubt!
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