# slot dovetail method



## CharlesA (Jun 24, 2013)

I am cutting a double slot dovetail for the desk I am building. How would you cut the two recesses to accept the dovetails? These are large, so a router bit won't work. I was thinking of using a forstner bit to cut away a majority of the waste and then chisel the remaining. Thoughts?

I'm using a Fine Woodworking plan that says "make the sockets."


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## mds2 (Jan 28, 2013)

I'd use a dovetail saw and a chisel.


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## CharlesA (Jun 24, 2013)

mds2,

So the dovetail saw would be for pretty minimal setting of the lines (at an angle), and the chisel for 90% of the work?


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## pintodeluxe (Sep 12, 2010)

I wouldn't be so quick to dismiss a router. I have had good luck routing dovetail sockets with a 1/4" spiral bit. The big advantage with a router is the bottom of the cut will be uniform. Cut close to the line, and pare the rest with a sharp chisel. 
http://lumberjocks.com/pintodeluxe/blog/38791


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## CharlesA (Jun 24, 2013)

Willie, I hadn't thought of using a straight bit, just not a dovetail bit. Good thought.


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## jmartel (Jul 6, 2012)

One thing that you can do is to chisel out the very top of the dovetail socket, say 1/8" deep. Make sure it the dovetail fits it nicely. Then you come back with a router with a pattern bit, and set it up so that the bearing rides on the area you have just chiseled out.


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## mds2 (Jan 28, 2013)

> mds2,
> 
> So the dovetail saw would be for pretty minimal setting of the lines (at an angle), and the chisel for 90% of the work?
> 
> - CharlesA


Yes, exactly. You are essentially making a half-blind dovetail, correct? Or am I mistaken?


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## timbertailor (Jul 2, 2014)

I second the use of a 1/4" down cut spiral carbide bit.


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## mds2 (Jan 28, 2013)

Like this:


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## PaulJerome (Feb 4, 2010)

Do it with saw and chisel. You'd be surprised how fast it goes when chopping the waste. Just take your time when paring to the scribe lines.


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## CharlesA (Jun 24, 2013)

I watched the video, mds2. It's pretty funny that his method he repented of in the first video is precisely the forstner method I thought I had dreamed up. I tried the dovetail saw/chisel method on a piece of scrap, and it worked just fine. I wouldn't have thought of the multiple saw cuts.

I've only done half blind with a jig before, so this was kind of fun.


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## Loren (May 30, 2008)

If doing more than a few, figuring out a way to waste
it out with a router after sawing what you can of the
edges may be worth the effort. If just doing a few,
excavating it all with chisels is not too onerous.

Good excuse to buy or make some skew chisels if
you don't have a pair.


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