# Round or square dovetails



## tynewman (Mar 10, 2019)

Im building a tv console out of thick (1 1/4 inch) Alder. The corners of the cabinet are joined using large through dovetails. The jig I made to cut them left the dovetails rounded on the inside. The original plan was to use a chisel to square them out, but now I'm thinking about leaving them round. So I'm throwing it out there. Should I leave them round or square them off? Opinions…


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## tynewman (Mar 10, 2019)

This is what it looks like now


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## Mikhail2400 (Mar 30, 2019)

Leave it! Thats a look for a dovetail I havnt seen before and I think its nice looking. How do they look when connected?


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## tynewman (Mar 10, 2019)

The pins are still square, I was trying to decide whether to round the pins or square the dovetails. I have trouble making decisions some times.


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## Unknowncraftsman (Jun 23, 2013)

I say square. Here's why it's a crisp sharp look.
Round ones will have a organic look if you plan on lots rounded edges on the doors or edges the organic look might be ok.
Thats what I think. 
Good luck


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## AESamuel (Jan 20, 2015)

Squaring with a chisel would probably be easier to achieve a tight fit rather than trying to fit into the round.

I would think the round corners would give more of a machined look which is down to personal preference, but not my favourite.


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## xeddog (Mar 2, 2010)

While I prefer the more "softened" look of the rounded edges, it seems like it would be much more difficult, and a lot more work, to get all of those sharp corners rounded perfectly.

Wayne


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## tynewman (Mar 10, 2019)

I went out and played with them a little bit and discovered rounded tails to be much easier, so that's what I went with.
I do like the crisp look of the square tails and I may regret it, but I was intrigued with the round look. the dry fit looked pretty tight, I will post pictures when it's done.


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## BlueRidgeDog (Jan 2, 2019)

I know of no dovetail bit that cuts a round bottom corner like that. What bit did you use?


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## RJweb (Mar 12, 2011)

Yes how did you get the rounded dovetail? RJ


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## tynewman (Mar 10, 2019)

I did not have a dovetail bit large enough (1 1/4 inch), so I cut them from the face using a 1/2 inch flush cut bit following a jig I made for the purpose. It's rounded because that's as deep as I could get.


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## CB_Cohick (Dec 22, 2014)

The dovetails are less interesting than the jig you made. Let's see that!


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## waho6o9 (May 6, 2011)

It's unique run with it.


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## pottz (Sep 15, 2015)

leave em round their unique,everyone makes square ones.id love to see that jig too.


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## tynewman (Mar 10, 2019)

They turned out really well. I got a bit of a gap on the pins I didn't round enough. Too much would have been better than to little.









Here are the jigs 








The tail jig sits on the face of the board and the pin jig sits on the end grain.


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## tynewman (Mar 10, 2019)

I know I'm going off topic, but why do all of my pictures post up side down?


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## diverlloyd (Apr 25, 2013)

Take them in panoramic mode with the phone or the need edited by cropping them a bit and then they will be right.


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## tynewman (Mar 10, 2019)

Here is the box put together


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## diverlloyd (Apr 25, 2013)

Very nice and the picture is in the right position.


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## tynewman (Mar 10, 2019)

Yes, thank you! Wonder why it does that.


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