First sets of handcut dovetails

Puts my first effort to shame.

Each one is improving- that’s what we all hope for.

I cut my first ones with a hacksaw…that part worked fine. The fact that I cut one end backwards did little to boost my confidence. I used Tage Frid’s book as my guide, the internet had not been invented yet. No such thing as a personal computer unless you were one of the Rockefeller clan.

I have seen quite a few antiques that had similar looking dove tails as your effort #4. They were for utility more than show…maybe I should say old furniture rather than antiques. I had a garage full of what I call “quick and dirty” dovetails that were designed to hold drawers together. They certainly were not for “show”.

I think they look good. Like Lew said, all we can hope for is to improve.

-- jstegall

Those are good first efforts. What I really wanted to comment on is the saw. I know people say all kinds of things about how the saw doesn’t matter, but I couldn’t cut squat with the crown saw. My dovetail efforts were awful.

-- Greg, CT

The Crown is a step up from my Ace Hardware Dovetail Saw

I think I might practice saw sharpening on that Ace Saw.

I hope you don’t mind but I am going to throw in my 2cents. First, congrats on trying to tackle something that you wanted to get better at, I highly applaud your efforts. I used to be afraid and frustrated with my dovetail joints, I wished I had kept my first attempts, but they were so bad and I was so unhappy with them that they quickly found their way to the burn pile. Yours are pretty good to start with, I would disagree with you about the saw though. My results made a huge improvement when I bought a quality dovetail saw. But the saw alone was not the answer. I also learned how to saw better, that is, how to saw a straight line without wandering, how to hold the saw correctly, how to stand properly and how to saw by using the right amount of pressure. All these things made a big difference in how I cut dovetails, I have not thrown out any since I changed with way I saw. Now the only time my dovetails come out crappy is because I am in a hurry.
I wish you well in your efforts and I hope that you get as much enjoyment out hand cutting dovetails as I do.

-- "You get what you inspect, not what you expect"

You know, I’ve known a lot of folks that have bought cheap $50 guitars and wound up putting them away and never playing them. OTOH, other folks have made the investment in a decent guitar, and have not been frustrated by the poor instrument (it does make a difference!) and continue to play. My suggestion (and this is only one perspective, just food for thought) would be to go ahead and make the commitment to the dovetail saw of your choice, and take that impediment out of the equation. I say this because I, too, started out on a Crown (still have it) but I bought the equivalent of the Lie-Nielsen, and improved immediately. It may be the combination of better steel, a better, more ergonomic handle, or the fact that I had made the investment and have to hold my feet to the fire, but either way, dovetails are a lot more fun now! As I say, just an alternative perspective, and the bottom line is the best way to get good at cutting dovetails is to cut them! You’ve improved dramatically already!

-- There's no tool like an old tool...

Congratulations on taking the plunge, your efforts are commendable and the results rewarding. Won’t say how my first DT’s came out but lost a pencil in one of them. Keep on trying as there is no better teacher than experience.

Also agree with the above comments regarding the use of quality tools, I have never regretted going for the upper shelf. The joy of using a quality tool is reward enough in itself with the added benefit of making craftsmanship a much easier task.

-- I can so I wood but why are my learning curves always circles