# a call to experienced dovetailers



## Jeff82780 (Mar 15, 2010)

hi, am am going nutz over here! I keep getting gaps in my shoulders or baseline. I've tried different techniques such and nothing seems to work. Is there something I could be doing wrong that I am not aware of? thanks.


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## Loren (May 30, 2008)

Use a gauged line (I prefer a cutting gauge). That line
will hold a chisel but you have to be careful because if
you just tap it straight in too hard it will compress the
wood and go past the line.

To start tap the chisel on those gauged line just 
a little, then flip the chisel around and make shallow
relief cuts to get little wedges out. Then there's
no wood there to force the chisel to compress
into the line, so you go a little deeper and repeat.

Actually what I usually do is cut out most of the 
waste and cut little shallow pyramids in the bottom,
being careful to have the outside of the joint
right on the gauged line as I described above. Then
pare off the pyramid until you have a flat plane
between the lines (which are now gone).


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