# double double dovetail



## flomp (May 31, 2008)

these joints look amazing and im intreseted in how they are achived. could some one plz explain/describe. thanks


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## GaryK (Jun 25, 2007)

Just get an Incra router table fence and this:

http://www.incra.com/product_booksplans_master.htm


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## flomp (May 31, 2008)

do you think these could be hand made?


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## GaryK (Jun 25, 2007)

Someone here has done it. I don't remember who though. Do a seach.


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## flomp (May 31, 2008)

http://lumberjocks.com/topics/3301

thats one but it dosent show how to do by hand


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## AlNavas (Oct 16, 2007)

You can also use a dovetail jig, as I did in this one - the Leigh D4: A box with inlaid dovetails, and end-on-end dovetails on the lid. For the lid I did the procedure twice, to get the bow tie effect. You will find this box at the Leigh Inlaid Dovetails Gallery :










You will find the Leigh procedure at their Customer Support page , "How to route inlaid through and half-blind dovetails".

In addition, I did a 3-part video series on doing inlaid dovetails, which you will find at my blog . It will make a LOT more sense if you view the series in order, starting with Parts 1 & 2, and then viewing The Finale.


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## Taigert (Nov 20, 2007)

Al,
I Watched your video, good job


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## douglas2cats (Mar 31, 2008)

Al
Your's look great. Most of them I've seen look too thick with the contrast wood and sort of gaudy.


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## Woodhacker (Mar 16, 2008)

Flomp, I'm currently taking pictures on my first actual project using hand cut double dovetails… which you found and referenced above at http://lumberjocks.com/topics/3301. I plan to do a blog on this project, but haven't started writing it up yet. Technically I guess these aren't really double double…just double. Perhaps the pictures below will give the idea though…One of the keys to this joint is cutting a rabbet joint on all four sides of the box as you can see in the first picture. The depth of the rabbet equals the width of the "inlay".

I actually agree with Doug, but since this is my first attempt, I didn't want to go to thin with the "inlay" portion….doing this by hand makes consistency in the angles of the dovetail and double dovetail very important.


















This is as far as I've gotten so far, but as I mentioned above I'm planning on a more detailed blog with explanation, but hopefully these pictures will help. In the meantime let me know if you'd like to discuss it further.

(By the way, Al your boxes look incredible!)


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## AlNavas (Oct 16, 2007)

*Ed, Doug, and Martin (Woodhacker):*

Thanks! I love making boxes with inlaid dovetails - and challenge myself to make the inlay as thin as I possibly can.

*Woodhacker:*
I cannot even cut regular dovetails by hand - as a result, I truly admire your work in doing the inlaid variety by hand too!!! THAT is terrific.


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## flomp (May 31, 2008)

thank you al i looked on the link you gave and the inlaid half-blind dovetail joint was incredibly good.

woodhacker this is exactly what i wanted a step by step guide of how to hand make the double dovetails thank you very much and i will follow your blog.


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## flomp (May 31, 2008)

one question wodhacker what woods did you use in your pics above?


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## Woodhacker (Mar 16, 2008)

Flomp, the woods used in this box are:

Front/Back (the horizontal longer and darker pieces in the first picture above) honduras rosewood.
First inlay dovetails are birdseye maple, although it's rather pointless to use birdseye for what ends up being an inlay "strip"...(it's what I had handy at the time) These pieces are of course "sacrificial".
The sides are carribean rosewood. I've used this wood on a few projects and really love working with it…it's hard, close grained, and colorful and finishes welll.

Note about the honduras rosewood…I'd not used it before…it is extremely hard and brittle…reminds me a little of gaboon ebony in terms of brittleness. Chopping out the waste from the pins in it was very laborious. I was resharpening and rehoning my chisels every 5 or 6 blows. Frustrating, but finally finished it…I think my chisels have too shallow of a grind angle for this type of wood. It made the maple (which was fairly hard) feel like poplar in comparison. I think it's going to be beautiful once this wood is finished, but on the next box, I'll probably pick a hardwood that's a little easier to work using hand tools.

On the box above, I've not decided on the lid yet, but was thinking of some type of mitered frame/panel, possibly with the maple inlay line wrapping across the top (both in front and in back), perhaps even inlay a "dovetail" shape in the top to tie it all together from a design perspective.

Good luck with yours…let me know how it goes.


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## flomp (May 31, 2008)

thank you for the info 
once i start my project i will post it up.

i am looking for two woods which are contrasting , durable and easy to usedo u have any suggestions


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## Woodhacker (Mar 16, 2008)

My preference is always hardwoods, but some are harder to work with than others. To me a walnut and maple are always good contrasts. Of course using three woods would not be necessary as I'm doing in the project above. Cherry is an excellent wood for use with machine or hand tools, but the contrast between it and either walnut or maple will be more subtle, and remember that cherry will darken quicker than walnut over time. So a walnut/cherry contrast diminshes over time. Cherry/maple might be good. Cherry is also softer, and close-grained compared to walnut.

Mahogany would also be a good hardwood that's not too hard and easier to work with hand tools than either of the rosewoods I'm using on this box. I think mahogany and maple would also be a nice combination. Everyone's perceptions are different, but I've used jatoba (brazilian cherry) on boxes and as a fairly hard hard, dense wood, I like the way it works with hand tools too…it's about the color of mahogany…lighter than walnut, and both darker and harder than cherry.

I'm sure we could come up tons of other combinations too.

Flomp, regardless of your woodworking experience with hand tools and dovetails, I would recommend making some practice double dovetail joints (as shown in my first picture above) before trying it for real. I found I learned a lot by doing this, and even though it took more time. it made these much more satisfying.

(note about the project above…since the last picture above, I've done final fitting on the joints and am hoping to get time this weekend to cut a tongue and grooved hickory base to be set in place as I glue up the sides. Then I'll begin on the lid's design/contruction.)


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## flomp (May 31, 2008)

thank you very much for your replies woodhacker you have been incredibly helpful.
Cherry/maple mahogany/maple look to be the best options.

i have practised some normal dovetails and they were quite sucsessful and i agree practice does realy improve technique and i will do at least 3 practice double dovetail joints. i think it will definatly be a hard challenge and ill see how it goes.

thanks


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## flomp (May 31, 2008)

i was just searching the internet for double dovetails and i found these amazing varations

you must see this


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## flomp (May 31, 2008)

mindbogaling

i realy want to try the boxtail joint.


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## Woodhacker (Mar 16, 2008)

Wow! Flomp, thanks for showing these…That would be awesome to try. The Boxtail almost gives me a headache to look at, but I love it!

If you try the boxtail please let me know, I'd love to see how that turns out…I'm definitely going to have to try that at some point. After my current one, I want to try a few more to get the inlay narrower.

There are so many possibilities,... not enough time….(at least until I can retire)....Thanks again!


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