# 30 hand cut dovetails in 30 days



## CharlesA (Jun 24, 2013)

Until 6 days ago I had never hand cut a dovetail. Found a blog post by Chris Schwarz in which he writes that he learned to hand cut dovetails by cutting one a day for 30 days. I decided to use my new Dave Barron dovetail guide and learn to hand cut dovetails. I have improved dramatically in five days (I'll cut today's sixth dovetail later today), but still have a ways to go before they're great. I can get them tight now, just need to get rid of the gaps. It's a great learning experience. I'm cutting each joint off after finishing and dating them so I can mark progress and learn from my mistakes.

Here's number 5:


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## JayT (May 6, 2012)

Looking good, Charles. Those David Barron guides are a real time saver and make the process much more enjoyable for me.


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## WillliamMSP (Jan 3, 2014)

Very cool. I've been thinking that I need to do some similar muscle memory practicing.


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## hotbyte (Apr 3, 2010)

Neat. Having the 30 day progression should be really cool. Would be interesting to "score" them 1-10 and see what the curve over time looks like


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## CharlesA (Jun 24, 2013)

Oh, I laid these out with dividers-something I'd never done before.


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## iminmyshop (Dec 9, 2012)

Are you also using an offset along with the Dave Barron guide? It makes a very big difference.

Dave Barron video of use of an offset with his guide
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=df47iISSQFQ#!


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## johnstoneb (Jun 14, 2012)

Those are looking good. It just takes practice.


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## CharlesA (Jun 24, 2013)

I had not seen his offset trick. I have been doing that informally to tighten them up. Wonder why he doesn't do that in his basic instructional video?


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## JayT (May 6, 2012)

I hadn't seen the offset video, either. For me, I line the metal part of the guide exactly on the marked line and let the thickness of the slick tape over the magnets provide the offset. I had to take a little bit of set out of the teeth of the primary saw I'm using for dovetails (one made by Wally331 received during last year's swap) to get it to line up well, but works like a charm now.


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## CharlesA (Jun 24, 2013)

well, I think I'll try my feeler gauge instead of spending $50 for the Drake offset gauge! Jay, did you make a dovetail board? It looks convenient.


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## SuperCubber (Feb 23, 2012)

Looks great, Charles. That 30-day process does seem like a great way to learn.


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## CharlesA (Jun 24, 2013)

I've now looked at a number of David Barron videos. Each one contains some helpful techniques, particularly with square shoulders, my current area of need.


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## ElChe (Sep 28, 2014)

I'm like the beginner golfer that practices and practices without stepping onto the golf course because he wants to be a scratch golfer on his first round of golf. I practice cutting to lines for the pins and tails. I practice making straight cuts to a line. I practice on 1/2" and 5/8" stock. I'm getting pretty good at cutting with a Western saw. But, I can't bring myself to cut a freaking dovetail. I like this idea. I'm going to go for it. Thanks. Tom


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## HornedWoodwork (Jan 28, 2015)

Practice, practice, practice. It's my number one tip. No one got great by sheer force of will. Good job and post a video or slideshow about your progress.


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## CharlesA (Jun 24, 2013)

Tom, it is a lot of fun, and it doesn't take very long. I'm trying to be careful, but I'm also not obsessing over each one since I'm in a learning curve and I want to learn to cut them quickly. Takes about 15 minutes or so per attempt.

My first few efforts when I was slower on the sawing and chiseling, I didn't lay them out carefully but just make random sizes. Now that I'm more efficient with the cutting, I'm working on the aesthetics as well.


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## JayT (May 6, 2012)

> Jay, did you make a dovetail board? It looks convenient.
> 
> - CharlesA


No, I didn't. I use my benchtop bench for dovetailing and just clamp the board to be marked in it flush with the top, lay the other on, square it up and mark. I know a couple of other guys who use the magnetic guides use an alignment board and I may make one in the future.


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## CharlesA (Jun 24, 2013)

Thanks. I am doing as you are and it works pretty well. Maybe I could make one with pocket screws . . .


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## CharlesA (Jun 24, 2013)

Here is a pic of dovetail number 1:









here is a pic of today's dovetail:


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## jmartel (Jul 6, 2012)

Wow. Major improvement on that last one from today. This something I need to do as well.


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## CharlesA (Jun 24, 2013)

Day 7-made wide tails and more narrow pins. This set is a hair loose.


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## ElChe (Sep 28, 2014)

You are getting there my friend. I'm inspired. Gotta get in the shop.


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## CharlesA (Jun 24, 2013)

I ended up making one of David Barron's dovetail alignment boards. Turns out it is pretty convenient for me. I am able to mark the pins more consistently. Day 10 dovetails:


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## helluvawreck (Jul 21, 2010)

Congratulations. That's a good way to learn.

helluvawreck aka Charles
http://woodworkingexpo.wordpress.com


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## parkerdude (Dec 13, 2008)

Hey Charles, nice work, I have a box full of "learning tails", to keep track of my progress.

How do you clear the waste? I was playing around super thin pins, just as wide at the top as the saw kerf. I couldn't always get a marking knife into the pin socket. The coping saw that I have had too much tooth set.

I didn't find happiness until I took the advice of Rob Cosman, the Canadian dovetail guy, and bought an inexpensive jewelers saw, (like $7.25), and blades, (like $6.01). Fast, cheap, does a good job too.

Please keep posting, always nice to have inspiration to keep us focused.


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## Joel_B (Aug 14, 2014)

I have only made two so far, the second was a lot better than the first.
I need to practice too, but its hard to find the time.


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## parkerdude (Dec 13, 2008)

BTW, I love that you are sometimes using plywood as a secondary wood. I hadn't yet had the nerve to try it !


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## CharlesA (Jun 24, 2013)

Why is plywood nervy?


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## Beams37 (Feb 21, 2015)

I need to do this.


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## parkerdude (Dec 13, 2008)

> Why is plywood nervy?
> 
> - CharlesA


I don't know, just never thought to do it.


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## CharlesA (Jun 24, 2013)

I used plywood mostly because I was practicing making drawers, and I'll use plywood in most of those.


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## pmayer (Jan 3, 2010)

I did the same thing about 15 years ago. I ordered a Leigh jig, and decided I would learn to cut them by hand while I was waiting for the jig to arrive. After a week or so of 1 per day dovetails I decided I was well on my way, and I cancelled the order for the jig.


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## CharlesA (Jun 24, 2013)

Here's my latest half blind and the dovetail alignment board I made.


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## JayT (May 6, 2012)

Getting pretty good there, Charles.

Nice alignment board.


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## CharlesA (Jun 24, 2013)

Thanks. This piece of African mahagony I've been using cracks really easily-not sure why. Only one crack on this one, but I was using a cherry board first and it didn't crack like this one does. I am using the sharpened card scraper trick on the pin walls on the half-blind dovetails, and I always end up with one little crack.


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## CharlesA (Jun 24, 2013)

By the way, one of the big helps to me on the half-blind was a tip I picked up somewhere to plane a piece of wood to the thickness of the pin wall that can then be used on the bench as a guide when chiseling out the height of the pin.


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## parkerdude (Dec 13, 2008)

Hey CharlesA, I know why I'm surprised about using plywood.

All of my methods include hand-planing my pins and tails to finish.

I don't think that I am skilled enough to align my boards and have a high quality result.

Your work is very good.

How do you do it?


> Why is plywood nervy?
> 
> - CharlesA
> 
> ...


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## CharlesA (Jun 24, 2013)

Beyond the fact that I am especially skilled ;-), you mean?

With the half-blind dovetails, one is limited in how much you can adjust with a plane, so, here's what's been helpful to me:
1) undercutting slightly with the chisel
2) Using the guide board to guide the depth of cut when paring the last of the pin sockets
3) using the David Barron dovetail alignment board (I had to build it).

Charles


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## rwe2156 (May 7, 2014)

Are you laying out with a pencil or marking knife?


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## bonesbr549 (Jan 1, 2010)

> Until 6 days ago I had never hand cut a dovetail. Found a blog post by Chris Schwarz in which he writes that he learned to hand cut dovetails by cutting one a day for 30 days. I decided to use my new Dave Barron dovetail guide and learn to hand cut dovetails. I have improved dramatically in five days (I ll cut today s sixth dovetail later today), but still have a ways to go before they re great. I can get them tight now, just need to get rid of the gaps. It s a great learning experience. I m cutting each joint off after finishing and dating them so I can mark progress and learn from my mistakes.
> 
> Here s number 5:
> 
> ...


you have inspired me. I just got my Barron guide last week. I'm going to start the challenge this weekend! cudo's


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## CharlesA (Jun 24, 2013)

Post a pic!


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## bonesbr549 (Jan 1, 2010)

Will do, after the week I've had, cutting things up is going to be fun!


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## CharlesA (Jun 24, 2013)

> Are you laying out with a pencil or marking knife?
> 
> - Robert Engel


Marking knife, mostly. I mark off the tail on the end of the board with dividers, and then draw lines with a pencil. After that, all lines are with a marking knife because they guide the chisel and saw cuts the rest of the way. I can't imagine how ragged my chiseled shoulders would be if I were lining them up by sight on a pencil line.


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## CharlesA (Jun 24, 2013)

Finally made a drawer.


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## ElChe (Sep 28, 2014)

You are getting there!! Nice!!


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## parkerdude (Dec 13, 2008)

Still watching CharlesA,

How many practice dovetails do you think that you've made so far? Did you get to the full 30 in 30?

Really nice work.


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## CharlesA (Jun 24, 2013)

Nah, I think I did somewhere around 18-20. I found myself flagging when it was just practice and actually started using my ww time to build something. That something had drawers in it, so I knew I'd get back to it.


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## hotbyte (Apr 3, 2010)

Looks great! Congrats on developing a new skill!


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## gfadvm (Jan 13, 2011)

That drawer is very impressive. I'm curious how long it took to make this one drawer?


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## CharlesA (Jun 24, 2013)

Making the drawer took a couple of hours-about 20 minutes cutting the dovetails per side. What took a long time was sizing it to the opening. I took the Chris Schwarz advice of making it the size of the opening and then planing/trimming it down. That took me a while.


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## pintodeluxe (Sep 12, 2010)

You are a braver man then I Charles. The thought of cutting a dresser full of drawers by hand makes my skin crawl. I sure do like dovetails though, and have been getting good use out of my Akeda jig. Kudos to you hand tool guys that have the patience to cut DT's by hand!


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## CharlesA (Jun 24, 2013)

Who knows if I'll continue to do them. But my handsaw and chisel skills are way improved.


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## gfadvm (Jan 13, 2011)

Thanks Charles. You have my respect for doing these.


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