[ad_1]
Final week, Chris questioned what your ideas are about all issues dovetail. Right here’s what’s come again in our mailbag! — Editor
“I discovered hand-cut dovetails once I was 16 and labored with my dad within the mid Seventies. I used to be taught that as a substitute of shopping for an costly jig that solely did one job within the store, take an additional half-hour or so and hand-cut them as a substitute. To today, I make all my drawers with hand-cut dovetails, and after 50 years and lots of and lots of of drawers and packing containers I’ve by no means thought of utilizing a jig. The additional time it takes to put out and lower is store time in my blissful place.” – Rick Smith
“Dovetails are a part of almost the whole lot I make anymore. I take advantage of hand instruments for this process to avoid wasting mud and noise whereas buying extra ability with the instruments.” – Denny Lawson
“I’ve used my first-generation Rockler jig to make dovetails once I need them. Principally half-blinds for drawers, however such as you, I’ll sometimes use them to create curiosity on a bit that wants one thing further. I’ve at all times needed to attempt hand-cut dovetails, however I’ve not taken that step. A good friend who has taught courses in hand-cut dovetails assures me that it’s fairly simple, however he’s shifty.” – Rob Hahn
“I’ve tried to chop dovetails with considerably passable outcomes. I bought a dovetail jig from Peachtree Woodworking a number of 12 months in the past, and it cuts flawless dovetails. This jig makes dovetail reducing easy and exact.” – Dennis Sheehan
“Years in the past, I constructed a toy field for my granddaughters and determined to make use of dovetail joints. I hand-cut all of them over a interval of per week. In my view, they turned out fairly good for my first time reducing them. I solely needed to regulate the match on three or 4. The toy field continues to be in use after 10 years and nonetheless in good condition.” – Samuel Lytle
“I take advantage of dovetails so much on my initiatives. I do plenty of design and construct within the area of medium to massive measurement furnishings initiatives. I’ve been into woodworking since retiring from {the electrical} trade in 2009. I do all my dovetails by hand. I’ve tried to do dovetails on the desk noticed however screw up greater than I do by hand. I’ve slowed method down on my initiatives the previous few months on account of most cancers of the esophagus. My surgeon has given me two years to stay. I intend to make a liar of him. It’s been my aim for years to stay to the age of 106.” – Invoice Self
“I made the ‘Gluing Provides Caddy’ that appeared within the February problem of Woodworkers Journal(see above). I needed to attempt to enhance my novice abilities of hand-cut dovetails. I watched YouTube movies from Rob Cosman on by dovetails, half-blind dovetails and his three video sequence on drawers. I made some errors alongside the best way, which I discovered from. Though I made some errors, principally in not reducing the tails sq. sufficient to the board, the caddy turned out good. I’m pleased with the completed undertaking. I used white oak that my father-in-law milled from timber he and my mother-in-law felled after they cleared their lot to construct their residence. I used purpleheart I had available for the pin boards. I constructed the drawer 4-5/8″ excessive as a result of I needed 4-1/8″ of peak from the highest of the drawer backside to the highest of the drawer. It was just a little difficult getting the drawer to slip freely so it might open in each instructions. Planing just a little off the inside sides of the carcass with my 5-1/2″ bench airplane and a skew block airplane solved that downside. I completed it with satin polyurethane. I then hand-rubbed it with 0000 metal wool, Rockler pumice stone, Rockler rotten stone and paste wax.” – George Maehrer
“Dovetails are stunning and at all times fascinated me, but for a few years they remained intimidating. Lastly one winter, I made a decision to provide them a try to lower my first try in a pair items of scrap 1″ x 2″. The ensuing dovetails have been crude but surprisingly sturdy and efficient. That gave me the bug and encouragement to attempt once more. I wanted a fundamental workbench in my storage and requested a neighborhood contractor to let me know the following time he did a kitchen cupboard improve for somebody. He referred to as whereas I used to be out procuring and stated he had left a pair cupboards in my driveway and to let him know if I needed them or not. There have been a number of cupboards with loads of countertop, one being 16 ft. lengthy. I thanked him and paid what he requested, which was a pittance in comparison with new costs. A pair drawers have been lacking, which turned the right time to make some new ones utilizing dovetails. Not having a workbench with the massive open vise, I constructed a Moxon vise and clamped it to the wing of my desk noticed. Then I learn and watched YouTube movies on dovetails till I used to be comfy with the marking, hand sawing and chiseling course of. Taking my time to get them proper, the dovetails got here out superb. They nonetheless have just a little hole right here and there, however glued up tight and are good for a storage cupboard. It has been a pair years since then, however I’m now not frightened of the method and will certainly lower extra when the necessity arises for drawers, packing containers or wherever they might make a great impression in a undertaking.” – John Eickstadt
“I’ve lower dovetails for years. Like many, I lower my first dovetails as a take a look at of my ability stage. The joint was the suitable one for the undertaking — a toolbox. My first dovetails have been lower by hand, and I nonetheless favor that technique. I’ve lower them with a jig—half-blind (Porter-Cable 12″ jig). As soon as I discovered lay them out rapidly, I might lower by dovetails sooner than I might with a jig. They give the impression of being higher and are faster. (The fussiness of getting a jig arrange, doing take a look at cuts and so forth takes plenty of time and materials that I favor to make use of another way). My focus for the final a number of years has been making packing containers on fee and for family and friends. Dovetails are sturdy and exquisite. If one other joint is extra acceptable, I take advantage of that joint (just like the mortise-and-tenon frames across the Kumiko panels). In the event you have been actually enthusiastic about producing a buzz, you’d have requested whether or not we lower pins or tails first. (And there are sensible and opinionated practitioners of every method.)” – Rusty Farrington
“I’ve made field joints with assist of business jigs on the desk noticed and with a router, in addition to dovetails with a router desk jig. To me, getting them set as much as match and look nice offers comparable satisfaction to what I might need gotten by hand-cutting dovetails. I’ve thought of attempting to hand-cut the dovetails a number of occasions, however I at all times discovered a brand new method to be taught that was extra fascinating to me.” – Jim Thorp
“On small initiatives with few joints, I take advantage of dovetails lower by hand as a result of it’s sooner than organising machines and making/measuring samples. They normally improve the power and look as properly. I think within the days earlier than corded instruments, they have been the simplest technique to make constantly sturdy joints and look enhancement got here alongside later. On initiatives with plenty of drawers, I’ll arrange a router jig (Rockler) and lower them that method. I solely use finger joints the place the product’s look is enhanced by them. Whereas long-grain glue surfaces make them sturdy, setup accuracy is essential as a result of errors compound over lengthy joint spans. (And as soon as the setup is ideal, they’re extraordinarily boring to make in amount.) Miter joints are reserved for joints the place materials peak or product look (grain continuity, and so on.) necessitates them. Their lack of power makes them inappropriate in lots of purposes except strengthened internally with splines or biscuits, or externally with inside braces, gussets, and so on. (extra work and time).” – Ernie
“What an fascinating query. I’m, I suppose, what you possibly can name a hybrid woodworker. Once I first started woodworking, I used to be taught lower dovetails (tails first) in a category the place I used to be being instructed on the development of a nightstand (I used to be really constructing a stitching cupboard for my spouse that integrated a hinged flush prime with swing out leg helps.). I finally purchased a 12″ half-blind dovetail jig and, with follow, was capable of end up handsome half-blind dovetails. I finally took a category to assemble a chest of drawers. Having lengthy been a fan of campaign-style furnishings, I made a decision to design and construct a marketing campaign secretary (with the assistance of Christopher Schwarz’s ebook). I used to be (and am) in possession of fairly a stack of camphor lumber that I obtained from felling a tree in my entrance yard. The milling of which resulted in quite a few 8/4 slabs in widths of 26 inches and fewer. I used to be capable of mill the slabs into the 18″ boards I wanted for my carcasses. I made a decision to make use of by dovetails on the corners of every carcass. I first tried to make use of a Porter-Cable jig owned by the varsity, however it proved greater than just a little recalcitrant to maintain the spacing repeatable. Fortuitously, I discovered and bought a Leigh DR-4, 24″ jig; and, with the acquisition of few substitute elements was capable of full the eight units of dovetails required for the undertaking. I plan on utilizing field joints for the elements of the secretary that can reside throughout the prime half. I’ve hand-cut by dovetails on some small initiatives, principally packing containers to carry instruments, because the camphor can be considerably rust preventative. I’ve by no means hand-cut half-blinds. To sum up, I’d wholeheartedly suggest the Leigh jig for its spectacular versatility and an instruction guide that’s the finest I’ve ever seen. As outdated as my jig is, there are nonetheless elements out there and a package in order that it may be upgraded to a DR4-PRO.” – Ralph Loimbardo
“Once I was taking woodworking courses at Ivy Tech College in Kokomo, Indiana, a fellow scholar needed to make a cupboard with hand-cut dovetails. He spent the whole semester engaged on these dovetails, whereas I used to be engaged on a undertaking with drawers. On the finish of the semester he nonetheless hadn’t accomplished his undertaking. I used the P-C dovetail jig for my dovetails and completed in a single class. Until you’re very expert at making dovetails by hand, I personally assume it’s a waste of time. With wonderful dovetail jigs, why spend hours or days doing it by hand?” – Carol Johnston
“I’ve been woodworking for over 40 years. My philosophy on dovetails is to make use of them as a lot as doable, as they’re one of many strongest joints. For kitchen cupboards or utilitarian makes use of, I take advantage of machine-made dovetails with a Porter-Cable template and router. For positive woodworking, normally one-offs, I make hand-cut dovetails. They each have their challenges for getting it proper.” – Tracy Novak
“I construct furnishings in my store primarily. Most items have one or two small drawers. I’ll hand-cut these, since I can get them finished earlier than my jig may even be arrange. Once I constructed an apothecary chest for my spouse’s good friend, I broke out the Rockler dovetail jig and knocked out the 30 odd drawers in a pair hour’s work. Hand-cutting dovetails is simpler than many assume; it does take some follow to get good, however it helps me really feel linked to my craft once I do it. Form of a ceremony of passage.” – Ralph Bagnall
“I believed I’d share my expertise with dovetails and my journey that began again within the 70’s with woodwork. I taught woodshop on the middle-school stage and have at all times been impressed by what individuals can do with their very own arms, instruments and dedication to the craft. Proper or flawed, dovetails have at all times been the supposed ‘hallmark of expertise.’ To me, they’ve at all times been the epitome of high quality work and I do know that’s subjective. That being stated, reducing and becoming them by hand is the one technique to go. In my early fee work, I’d bang them out with a Craftsman jig and router however was by no means actually glad with the outcomes. Magnetic guides to carry the noticed are extra of a crutch; I really feel it is best to work in your muscle reminiscence to realize the joint. I’m into my seventh decade now and my imaginative and prescient isn’t what it was, however I discover with sufficient gentle I can nonetheless lower to the road. I’ve by no means adopted the adage that point equals cash; as a substitute I just like the adage that point equals care! As I recall, one of many nice woodworkers of the 70’s and 80’s stated that, possibly Krenov or Carpenter. So, there’s my old-school response! Right here’s a photograph of my newest undertaking — a pair of nightstands constructed from vertical-grain Douglas fir. There’s a complete of 104 dovetail joints in them. I keep in mind the Doug fir being fairly stringy and never reacting properly to chisel and dovetail noticed, however that’s all a part of the problem! CNC could also be good however lacks soul; I just like the saying about the fantastic thing about an object created by hand is its imperfections!” – John G. Eugster
“Dovetails are great, not solely as a result of they’re stunning but in addition due to the mechanical power they create to the joint and due to this fact the piece. I take advantage of them each time it is smart. I do all mine by hand (identical to I do the whole lot else).” – Edward P. Leonard
“I’m a self-taught woodworker and I’ve but to show myself make dovetail joints. It’s on my bucket checklist! I hope that is the 12 months for that to occur. Once I was a teen in highschool, women have been forbidden to take any kind of ‘store’ class. My love for woodworking was inherited from my dad who had NO electrical carpentry instruments. He did the whole lot with hand instruments. I solely want he lived lengthy sufficient to show me. If I ever win the lottery, I’ll purchase the most effective woodworking instruments and can construct a workshop devoted to ‘all issues associated to woodworking’…each gal’s dream!” – Janice L. Olson
“The one time I’ve lower dovetails is when repairing a bit of furnishings. Since I used to be attempting to match an present piece, it was best to hand-cut the substitute. Again within the days when cover and fish glue have been about the one selections, the dovetail made plenty of sense. With fashionable adhesives, there are stronger methods to hitch wooden which might be, for my part, additionally extra useful and — dare I say it? — engaging.” – Eric Patchke
“I take advantage of a Leigh D4. It’s an older one and I hate it. I’m 81 years outdated, and the instructions aren’t simple. Additionally they arrive with the machine, however they’re on VHS.” – Jim Thomas
“Machine-cut with a Leigh D4R jig. Love the look on drawer packing containers and different uncovered joinery just like the case of a chest of drawers or a dresser base. Don’t really feel I can lower them as exactly by hand, and my purpose is for beauty over proving I can hand-cut a dovetail! And it’s a lot sooner with a router and the jig.” – Frank Baltich
“I don’t use dovetails. Extra present than go.” – Tom Triola
[ad_2]
Supply hyperlink