Nice dovetail marker

[ydb1md]

This is one of the nicest dovetail markers that I've seen.

http://shop.woodreview.com.au/details/163294.html

 

[devonwoody]

Yes it is attractive but has some drawbacks( :wink: ) because when you approach the side of a piece of timber there is not support for the tool. You almost need a set, one with a reversible setup.

 

[CHJ]

Yes it is attractive but has some drawbacks( :wink: ) because when you approach the side of a piece of timber there is not support for the tool. You almost need a set, one with a reversible setup.

John, do you not just mark from the other face of the stock? or am I missing something here.

 

[ydb1md]

Hmmm . . .

I guess that's true. But as long as you clamp your board in the vise oriented in a way that's complementary to the guide's orientation it should be ok.

 

[sxlalan]

Just turn the board around?

 

[bugbear]

John, do you not just mark from the other face of the stock? or am I missing something here.

Probably OK for DT's, but slightly fiddly to do.

It breaches the important rule of always using one datum face, since you can't guarentee perfectly parallel workpiece, which is not a rule I'd like to be in the habit of breaking.

I use one of these (apprentice made in my case)

http://catalog.starrett.com/catalog/cat ... roupID=212

With the pivot moved to roughly the centre of the stock, it has the opposite (or is that complentary) angle present, you can always get a decent amount of stock onto the reference face.

BugBear

 

[ydb1md]

Bugbear, I like the idea of a small bevel gauge. Richard Kell makes a nice one in brass -- it's just a little too much $$$ for my taste.

 

[Chris Knight]

I like the Veritas bevel gauges with their style of clamping mechanism which never gets in the way of anything and can be operated in one hand.

 

[ydb1md]

I like the Veritas bevel gauges with their style of clamping mechanism which never gets in the way of anything and can be operated in one hand.

Once again serious $$$, even the small version.

I guess that anything worth having isn't cheap. :roll:

 

[bugbear]

Neither the Kell nor the Veritas serve the function I mention. The pivot point must be in the middle of the stock's length the get the DT angle, and it's supplement (*) which allows all marking to be done from one side.

BugBear

(*)
http://www.mathwords.com/s/supplement.htm

 

[ydb1md]

Neither the Kell nor the Veritas serve the function I mention. The pivot point must be in the middle of the stock's length the get the DT angle, and it's supplement (*) which allows all marking to be done from one side.

BugBear

(*)
http://www.mathwords.com/s/supplement.htm

Ahhhh . . . I see said the blind man! #-o

 

[bugbear]

I guess that anything worth having isn't cheap.

To make a DT marker that is functionally equivalent to the universal bevel gauge illustrated, you simply need 2 (tiny) laths drilled and with a nut-bolt through the middles. A fixed one (e.g. 1:6 or 1:8) could be glued!

The sliding functionality of the universal bevel (in both arm and stock) makes it very versatile, but a dedicated DT gauge can function without.

BugBear (hmm. may head for workshop tonight)

 

[ydb1md]

I guess that anything worth having isn't cheap.

To make a DT marker that is functionally equivalent to the universal bevel gauge illustrated, you simply need 2 (tiny) laths drilled and with a nut-bolt through the middles. A fixed one (e.g. 1:6 or 1:8) could be glued!

The sliding functionality of the universal bevel (in both arm and stock) makes it very versatile, but a dedicated DT gauge can function without.

BugBear (hmm. may head for workshop tonight)

Yeah, I'm gonna start looking for a nice piece of exotic wood, maybe the size of a pen blank, and some stainless steel or brass that I can use for a blade. Take a brass knurled screw to clamp the blade . . . .

This place is always good for inspiration 8)

 

[CHJ]

John, do you not just mark from the other face of the stock? or am I missing something here.

Probably OK for DT's, but slightly fiddly to do.

It breaches the important rule of always using one datum face, since you can't guarantee perfectly parallel workpiece, which is not a rule I'd like to be in the habit of breaking.

I use one of these (apprentice made in my case)

http://catalog.starrett.com/catalog/cat ... roupID=212

With the pivot moved to roughly the centre of the stock, it has the opposite (or is that complentary) angle present, you can always get a decent amount of stock onto the reference face.

BugBear

I respect the working from one face rule, just expect new stock for dovetails to be even thickness.
The few I have done I have used this (with mitre blade centred) but it does need a two shot approach to mark angles and verticals in two ops' needing more care.

 

[Alf]

I would strongly argue that marking all from one side is going to make markedly (markedly, gettit?) less difference to your DT cutting than being able to mark off the 90° line across the end grain with the same tool at the same time. So I "do a Cosman".

Cheers, Alf

 

[bugbear]

mark off the 90° line across the end grain

Is it heresy to say that I don't bother? Most of my stock is so thin that the line so marked is too short for any alignment purpose anyway...

I just eyeball the saw against a square placed on the bench top.

I (and from memory Mr Cosman ditto) also don't mark the verticals for pin cutting.

BugBear (who is normally Mr. Precision ;-)

 

[sxlalan]

These almost worked for me. You could flip them over and get the complementary angle from the same side of the board which was nice. The only problem was (as Alf alludes to) the straight section generally wasn't long enough to mark the 90° line across the end of the board.

 

[Scrit]

I was taught to measure from the inside face of the joint only, so for that doesn't it work? I'm with bugbear about using a sliding bevel - it's easy to mark out 1:6, 1:8 or any other angle you want that way - so it's what I do despite having both a Collet dovetail jig and one of Richard Kell's whizzy little brass ones.

Scrit

 

[Alf]

mark off the 90° line across the end grain

Is it heresy to say that I don't bother?

'Scuse me while I just step to one side in case of any stray lightning bolts... :wink:

Is it heresy to mention that some persons regard dovetail markers in the same light as jointer fences, honing guides and training wheels on kiddies bicycles? Me, I need all the help I can get and I know it. :lol:

Cheers, Alf

 

[Scrit]

Me, I need all the help I can get and I know it. :lol:

Psst.... So, d'you wanna buy my collection of DT marking gauges

Scrit