# I made an appliance to make it easier to transfer tails to the pinboard



## schnekkern (Feb 10, 2021)

So, after watching Rob Cosman use a saw blade to transfer the tails to the pinboard, I made this appliance to make it easier to get the offsets right.

It is designed so that the tail board is offset to the left in relation to the pinboard when transferring one side of the tails. It is then moved to the right (using a ruler as a shim) and the other side of the tails are transferred.

I filed saw teeth on the edge of a cabinet scraper to use as a miniature saw when creating the kerfs.

I will need to make some adjustments to get the fit perfect, but it is looking promising.

I made a video of it here.





If you like it, please feel free to join my other 5 subscribers on Youtube


----------



## SMP (Aug 29, 2018)

Seems awfully complicated when you can just mark with a marking knife. Watch how Paul Sellers does it, WAY easier. I think Cosman overcomplicates things to sell a bunch of fancy dooodads you don't need.


----------



## zoro39 (May 21, 2019)

Nice tight joints. Using the ruler shim with another saw cut accomplishes the same thing as a Paul Sellers knife wall or a Derek Cohen chisel wall


----------



## jdh122 (Sep 8, 2010)

I like the idea of marking with the two boards offset by the thickness of the saw so that you can saw on the line rather than leaving it. But when I've tried it I got mixed up about which side of the joint to saw in relation to the offset a significant proportion of the time. That leaves huge gaps to fill with little shims. Then again I'm not great at spatial thinking, although I could probably memorize it or make a note somewhere…


----------



## schnekkern (Feb 10, 2021)

I don't think this is complicated at all. Actually, doing it this way, I don't have to depend on my less than great eyesight. Come to think of it, this could probably be done without seeing at all 

I think Paul mostly uses a pencil. But he still needs to rest the tail board on the pin board and align it. Also, it helps to have 50+ years of experience like he has. For me, it is a little hard to judge exactly where to place the saw when cutting the pins.
Making a chisel wall works ok, I think, but it is an extra step.

When doing it this way, there is already a kerf to drop the saw into.

Another benefit, is that both the pinboard and the tailboard can be clamped next to each other and and the waste can be cut one right after the other.

To remember which side to mark on, I just make sure the saw is pointing in the same direction as the tailboard offset.


----------



## SMP (Aug 29, 2018)

> I don t think this is complicated at all. Actually, doing it this way, I don t have to depend on my less than great eyesight. Come to think of it, this could probably be done without seeing at all
> 
> I think Paul mostly uses a pencil. But he still needs to rest the tail board on the pin board and align it. Also, it helps to have 50+ years of experience like he has. For me, it is a little hard to judge exactly where to place the saw when cutting the pins.
> Making a chisel wall works ok, I think, but it is an extra step.
> ...


You can use a knife instead of a pencil, problem solved. Its not hard to align at all. Though probably the easiest method for poor eyesight is Mike Pekovich's way of doing it. He puts blue painters tape on the pin board. Then he lays the tail board on, uses a knife, then peels away the tape. This way a near blind person can see exactly where to cut. If you feel the need to have a kerf before sawing then you just need more sawing practice. Paul Sellers recommends just sawing 100 kerfs in various angles. Its all just muscle memory but it builds quick when practicing on scrap.


----------



## controlfreak (Jun 29, 2019)

I like the Rob Cosman method and bought a cheap little saw on Amazon (sorry Rob) and don't have any issues moving the saw width over. I prefer the little saw kerf over the knife line because it make an easy target for the saw blade without the stress of which side is the waste side.


----------



## therealSteveN (Oct 29, 2016)

Seems to be just another of many woodworking ways to get the same job done a LOT of different ways.

IOW whatever works best for you. I'm a marking knife guy. One swipe along each edge shows me the way, quick, easy, nothing to build. Saw to the line, done.

Hardwoods I leave a ghost of line, Softwoods line mostly still there. test the fit, if it locks tight, maybe clean it up. If it's tight, shave a bit with your chisel, but don't get wild, or you'll be the guy everyone calls sloppy floppy tails…..


----------



## AlaskaGuy (Jan 29, 2012)

Thanks for sharing. Don't let the naysayer get you down.


----------



## TheBossQ (Jan 10, 2011)

> I don t think this is complicated at all. Actually, doing it this way, I don t have to depend on my less than great eyesight. Come to think of it, this could probably be done without seeing at all
> 
> I think Paul mostly uses a pencil. But he still needs to rest the tail board on the pin board and align it. Also, it helps to have 50+ years of experience like he has. For me, it is a little hard to judge exactly where to place the saw when cutting the pins.
> Making a chisel wall works ok, I think, but it is an extra step.
> ...


Just remember, if you can't make dovetails completely freehand, the "I'm better than you and I know it" people are going to jump on you. The fact is, if the end result is pleasing to you, it doesn't matter how you get there.

It's not my lifelong dream to cut dovetails freehand for the approval of keyboard jockeys. I simply don't care. I use a cutting guide because I get excellent results now. I've used Paul Sellers' knife wall technique and have also used the offset technique Cosman demonstrates. The results are equally good.

The alignment board is something I've intended to make for a long time. Since I first saw David Barron using one nearly 10 years ago. But other projects I'd rather undertake leave me going back to the knife wall.


----------



## Unknowncraftsman (Jun 23, 2013)

I used to be very good a handsawing and chiseling Dovetail joints for drawers and boxes. Not anymore my saws are dull my eyes are going south and I just don't feel like it anymore.
You can have the crown if you want it. But beware its heavy and will weigh you down.


----------



## SMP (Aug 29, 2018)

> I used to be very good a handsawing and chiseling Dovetail joints for drawers and boxes. Not anymore my saws are dull my eyes are going south and I just don't feel like it anymore.
> You can have the crown if you want it. But beware its heavy and will weigh you down.
> 
> - Aj2


Yep, box joint jig and blade is much faster.


----------



## AlaskaGuy (Jan 29, 2012)

> I used to be very good a handsawing and chiseling Dovetail joints for drawers and boxes. Not anymore my saws are dull my eyes are going south and I just don't feel like it anymore.
> You can have the crown if you want it. But beware its heavy and will weigh you down.
> 
> - Aj2


Not sure what that means or who it's directed at.


> ?


??

I do know one has to be very careful when posting home built jigs here.


----------



## pottz (Sep 15, 2015)

forget all that stuff,i just use my porter cable dovetail jig and their perfect everytime,plus box joints.sorry but i aint getting any younger and dont have time to make myself feel good saying i did em by hand-lol. too each his own though.


----------



## SMP (Aug 29, 2018)

> forget all that stuff,i just use my porter cable dovetail jig and their perfect everytime,plus box joints.sorry but i aint getting any younger and dont have time to make myself feel good saying i did em by hand-lol. too each his own though.
> 
> - pottz


Yep! I just buy Ikea furniture now. Its a win win. I get swedish meatballs, the furniture comes with all the tools needed, and don't have to fuss with all that joinery nonsense


----------



## pottz (Sep 15, 2015)

> forget all that stuff,i just use my porter cable dovetail jig and their perfect everytime,plus box joints.sorry but i aint getting any younger and dont have time to make myself feel good saying i did em by hand-lol. too each his own though.
> 
> - pottz
> 
> ...


whoa smp i didn't say i was crazy,just lazy-lol.


----------



## schnekkern (Feb 10, 2021)

Wow, that escalated quickly


----------



## schnekkern (Feb 10, 2021)

> Thanks for sharing. Don t let the naysayer get you down.
> 
> - AlaskaGuy


Thank you!


----------



## Unknowncraftsman (Jun 23, 2013)

> I used to be very good a handsawing and chiseling Dovetail joints for drawers and boxes. Not anymore my saws are dull my eyes are going south and I just don't feel like it anymore.
> You can have the crown if you want it. But beware its heavy and will weigh you down.
> 
> - Aj2
> ...


It's directed at anyone who wants to wear the crown of the lumber jack Dovetail champion. 
When I first started posting on lumber jocks I proclaimed myself as the Dovetail master. I willingly admit I have fallen from the top and replaced by the quick witted fixture making YouTube watching woodworker.


----------



## Foghorn (Jan 30, 2020)

> I used to be very good a handsawing and chiseling Dovetail joints for drawers and boxes. Not anymore my saws are dull my eyes are going south and I just don't feel like it anymore.
> You can have the crown if you want it. But beware its heavy and will weigh you down.
> 
> - Aj2
> ...


I'm still using a sharp rock (usually chert as there is no flint around here) for this at times. My jigs and power tools are faster, but the rock works just as well if care is taken!


----------

