How long did it take you ( or your students) to learn to cut gapless dovetails

[tibi]

@tibi Looks like you are getting good results already, I put this video together for the UK Men's Sheds association last year which shows the way I teach students. Some will make excellent dovetails first time but some will require a fair bit more practice, and anyone can easily cut the wrong side of the line even after a fair bit of practice.



Cheers

Peter

I have watched your video. Very useful tips. I especially got interested in chisel paring techniques that you have used and tips about what to watch out so that I do not ruin the piece. I have seen you used a scrap board and a mallet/hammer to drive the tailboard into the pinboard. I have already cracked end pins twice when I practiced dovetails. How do you decide if you will still continue with the mallet or you will pare more of the pins? Sometimes it takes only a little force and the end pin breaks.

 

[Jacob]

If you tap things partly together and then pull them apart before they are too tight you may see the shiny surface where they were a tight fit.
Pare a bit off there, then go on to work out how to avoid making the same mistake again.
Not just repetition but also looking and learning.

 

[Austin Branson]

2 small " things" at 45 degrees across the 2 planks( at the end.) the alternative would be the wall plank thicker and a couple of bare faced through tenons in the top piece and through mortice in the thicker piece like a small cantilever.

Thanks. I understand now. Best wishes.

 

[Derek Cohen (Perth Oz)]

To ensure clean, straight baselines without any chipping or irregularities, always undercut them before waste removal ...

If you use a fretsaw, cut about 1-2mm above the line ...

If you chop, stay about 2-3mm away from the baseline, and work halfway from each side. I always work the non-show side first.

Pare the waste by splitting the amount in half each time, or about 1mm each slice (still only halfway each time, non-show side first) ...

Through dovetails: http://www.inthewoodshop.com/Furniture/ThroughDovetails3.html

Half-blind dovetails: http://www.inthewoodshop.com/Furniture/HalfBlindDovetailswithBlueTape.html

Mitred-though dovetails: http://www.inthewoodshop.com/Furniture/AnotherCoffeeTable2.html

Regards from Perth

Derek

 

[tibi]

If you tap things partly together and then pull them apart before they are too tight you may see the shiny surface where they were a tight fit.
Pare a bit off there, then go on to work out how to avoid making the same mistake again.
Not just repetition but also looking and learning.

Thank you Jacob, a very useful tip for me.

 

[tibi]

To ensure clean, straight baselines without any chipping or irregularities, always undercut them before waste removal ...

If you use a fretsaw, cut about 1-2mm above the line ...

If you chop, stay about 2-3mm away from the baseline, and work halfway from each side. I always work the non-show side first.

Pare the waste by splitting the amount in half each time, or about 1mm each slice (still only halfway each time, non-show side first) ...

Through dovetails: http://www.inthewoodshop.com/Furniture/ThroughDovetails3.html

Half-blind dovetails: http://www.inthewoodshop.com/Furniture/HalfBlindDovetailswithBlueTape.html

Mitred-though dovetails: http://www.inthewoodshop.com/Furniture/AnotherCoffeeTable2.html

Regards from Perth

Derek

Thank you Derek,

I will read your posts about dovetails. I have started to undercut the baselines before chopping / sawing instinctively, just to get a good registration area when later paring the base. I try to slightly undercut the base, so that there is no high point there and the lowest point is around the center of the thickness of the board.

By doing the non showing face first means that this face should face me when paring?

Thank you.

 

[Jameshow]

To ensure clean, straight baselines without any chipping or irregularities, always undercut them before waste removal ...

If you use a fretsaw, cut about 1-2mm above the line ...

If you chop, stay about 2-3mm away from the baseline, and work halfway from each side. I always work the non-show side first.

Pare the waste by splitting the amount in half each time, or about 1mm each slice (still only halfway each time, non-show side first) ...

Through dovetails: http://www.inthewoodshop.com/Furniture/ThroughDovetails3.html

Half-blind dovetails: http://www.inthewoodshop.com/Furniture/HalfBlindDovetailswithBlueTape.html

Mitred-though dovetails: http://www.inthewoodshop.com/Furniture/AnotherCoffeeTable2.html

Regards from Perth

Derek

Posh fret saw is the eclipse 70 ok?
I only have a coping saw ATM.

 

[Ttrees]

Not seen anyone use the parts of one of the cheap fretsaws
and affix to a frame with better stiffness, that's what I have in mind.

 

[TRITON]

On the subject of cheap little fret/coping saws, here's a vid I saw a number of years ago about making one of your own.
It would be so much nicer to chop out the waste using a saw you've made yourself

Thankfully, and unlike most YT vids, theres no need for a laser cutter or cnc machine,welding set up, or robotic something or other and all looks to have been carried out in the makers shed.

 

[furnace]

I can't afford the Knew coping saw but wanted greater tension in my Eclipse's blade. I bought a bottle screw for about a pound and modified the ends to fit around the frame. Rotating the centre portion spreads the ends apart exerting increased tension on the blade. The throat capacity is constrained, but for my purposes (dovetail waste) it works really well and is far more accurate and controllable
Not sure the Chinese will want to copy it.....

I posted this a while back. It works brilliantly and is cheap. Like me
.

 

[Derek Cohen (Perth Oz)]

Brilliant!

Regards from Perth

Derek

 

[paulrbarnard]

On the subject of cheap little fret/coping saws, here's a vid I saw a number of years ago about making one of your own.
It would be so much nicer to chop out the waste using a saw you've made yourself

Thankfully, and unlike most YT vids, theres no need for a laser cutter or cnc machine,welding set up, or robotic something or other and all looks to have been carried out in the makers shed.

When I first started making more dovetails I didn’t have a fret or coping saw. I made these

they are still in use today.

 

[thetyreman]

I've always wondered how you all cope, now I know, thanks for sharing..

 

[tibi]

Here is the finished coat rack and the dovetail. Not great, but everyone has to start somewhere. I used sawdust and glue to fill any small gaps on the dovetail.

 

[Hornbeam]

I think you have achieved a fantastic result. Also look at the ones you posted a week OK
They look great

 

[Pedronicus]

Very nice indeed. I hope the walls are square!

 

[johnnyb]

I didn't expect it to look like that. it's the wrong way around( from what I feverishly imagined) the doves look well mated. nuff said

 

[TRITON]

Here is the finished coat rack and the dovetail. Turned out fantastic.

FIFY
If theres a gap or 2, dont tell anyone.

Actually another sneaky trick, is to run the joint under the cold water tap before the glue dries. The timber expands, covering up any gaps you might have. You then present as perfect.

 

[tibi]

FIFY
If theres a gap or 2, dont tell anyone.

Actually another sneaky trick, is to run the joint under the cold water tap before the glue dries. The timber expands, covering up any gaps you might have. You then present as perfect.

Thank you very much. I will definitely try next time

 

[tibi]

Very nice indeed. I hope the walls are square!

Thank you. I have actually tested that it can be adjusted a few mm in both directions before the wood breaks, so there is some wiggle room for inaccurate walls.