I’d like to start experimenting with cutting dovetail and box joints by hand. Any recommendations on dovetail saws or other tools that you have found invaluable in helping you do this? Any I should avoid?
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Replies
Hi Jay,
I've got the lee valley jig and accompanying saw. I've cut all of a half dozen joints with it (to practice) and have found each one to be progressively better. I'd almost consider my last to be useable for a joint. First one took forever but have been getting quicker! (Learning to sharpen up my chisels is helping too.)
Andy
Many would recommend the Lie-Nielsen or Adria dovetail saws as the weapon of choice for cutting dovetails, but at $130+ they are a bit intimidating if you don't have the budget. I have found the Japanese-style saws you get from a variety of sources to be a bargain, and very versatile. I have a dozuki from Lee Valley (about $35 I think) that I reach for many times over the L-N.
Jay,
The newest Fine Woodwoking has an excellent article on developing hand-tool skills.
As to tools, both western-style saws that cut on the push stroke, and Japanese saws that cut on the pull stroke will work just fine. If you have money to spare, Adria and Lie-Nielsen both make excellent saws. That being said, however, your can make a garage sale backsaw or gent's saw perform very well if you're willing to learn how to set and sharpen them.
-Jazzdogg-
Whether you think you can, or you think you can't, you're right.
The Japanese-style pull saws are a lot easier to learn with, if you are not already proficient at hand sawing. Less expensive, too.
You will also need a marking gauge and a bevel gauge, if you don't already have those. And really sharp chisels.
Look at the latest FWW - there is an article on developing hand-tool skills that discusses some of the techniques you will be using: sawing and paring.
It's a lot of fun, and you can get usable results right off. And the early efforts provide ideal specimens for learning repair techniques, like the inserted spline...
"Everything should be made as simple as possible, but no simpler." A. Einstein
http://www.albionworks.net
These are great suggestions. I just got the August edition yesterday and saw the articles on improving hand tool skills. That's what got me thinking. I have a router and have contemplated getting a dovetail jig, but I really want to learn how to do it by hand, and I'm afraid if I pick up the jig then I'll never take the time to learn how to do it without the power tools.
And quite frankly, I'm a poor college student and a $35 japanese saw sounds a lot better than a pricey Leigh dovetail jig. Of course now I have to figure out how to sharpen and set a saw.... one project always gives birth to another :) Thanks for the input. By the way, a while ago I picked up a cheap compass from Woodcraft. Is there any problem in using that to measure my bevels and cuts? (I also have a copy of Tage Fried's Joinery and Finishing that I refer to religiously so that should help - that man makes everything look easy - with a bow saw and a pair of thick rimmed glasses you can build anything!)
I bought a folding Japanese saw from Highland Hardware. It work much better at my stage of development than my Crown tenon saw. Maybe I can learn both someday.
Keep your chisels super sharp and pare the pins and tail a bit at a time, testing the fit. After cutting twenty so far on a chest, I am worn out. Just keep in mind that every article I read says that the authentic 18th century furniture had gaps in most dovetails. Anyone else have a comment on this?
The recent article and some by Lonnie Bird are great excercises. I just wish I'd praticed more. Even cutting them with my Leigh Jig is not always perfect, just a bit faster if you have many of the same size to cut.
Jus a few coments from a real ameature. Anyone else can help me please.
Rick
"I'm a poor college student and a $35 japanese saw sounds a lot better than a pricey Leigh dovetail jig. Of course now I have to figure out how to sharpen and set a saw"
Jay,
Unless you have a big red S on your chest, you won't need to learn how to sharpen or set a hand saw if you choose a japanese saw - don't get me wrong, they can be sharpened - but it is not a task I would recommend for someone new to hand saws.
By the way, Lee Valley/Veritas makes a set of detail chisels to master woodworker Yeoung Chan's specifications that are ideally suited to cleaning up dovetails, mortise & tenons joints, and the like. I have a set, and they are a nice compliment to my other chisels.
-Jazzdogg-
Whether you think you can, or you think you can't, you're right.
Edited 6/24/2005 1:19 am ET by jazzdogg
So if most people don't sharpen japanese saws on their own, do they simply toss them when they get dull? I can't imagine paying too much to get a $35 saw professionally sharpened.
Thanks for the tip on the chisels too. I have a set of old wood chisels from my Dad's shop that are in desperate need of sharpening, but I've been saving up to buy Lee's book on sharpening so I can learn to do it myself.
"I've been saving up to buy Lee's book on sharpening so I can learn to do it myself."You will read a million different things about sharpening on this site. I've read them all. IGNORE IT, and don't spend any money yet. Go out to your shop and grab some sand paper. Start with a 200 grit then use a 400. They are old chisels, don't worry about messing them up just go to it.You'll be amazed at how simple and effective it is. Of course it won't be *sharp*, not by the standards around here, but it will be damn sharp anyway. Chisel some wood.Then go back and start reading. With that experience under your belt everything you read will have more meaning.Andy
Jay,
I can't tell you how many people sharpen their own hand saws - western or Japanese - my guess is that the first number is small, and the second is even smaller.
I sharpen my own western-style saws, but haven't sharpened any of my Japanese saws yet - though I went ahead and bought the files needed to sharpen both kinds.
BTW, you can spend a lot more than $35 for a Japanese saw, although $35 will get you a good entry-level tool. You should know, however, that softwoods are predominant in Japanese woodworking (though they are equally skilled with hardwoods), and many Japanese cutting tools are optimized for use with softwoods; carelessly using a saw designed for softwood in hardwood can ruin it with alacrity!
If you get into hand-cutting dovetails, you may find it helpful to have two skew chisels (left and right), and a dovetail chisel to clear out the waste that can hide in nooks and crannies where ordinary bench chisels cannot reach. You can buy three inexpensive, plastic-handled, 1/4" bench chisels at your local big box for under $20 and reshape them on a grinder, or you can spend more and buy them ready-made (I have acquired both over the years and they both do the job).
Have fun,-Jazzdogg-
"The trouble with the world is that the stupid are cocksure and the intelligent are full of doubt" Bertrand Russell
This thread has been incredibly informative! I have to admit that some of the suggestions I read on here I print off and save for later when I can afford to put some of them into practice. As it is I get all of my wood salvaged (eg digging through construction site dumpsters, collecting old wood that people are tossing out - in fact I'm finishing up a bed I've built from two old redwood porches that people tore apart and tossed away for that new composite material stuff). Anyway, the fact of the matter is, all I have to use is generally softwood right now because people don't toss out walnut, hickory, or maple. My shop is full of pine and redwood. So I don't have to worry about using a cheap japanese saw to try to cut through hardwood. :)
Honestly, I can't wait for the day when I can afford to go down to a local mill and ask for a load of something nicer than white pine - and I won't have to cut off shredded ends or pull out crooked nails! But for the meantime I figure this is a great time to hone my skills. After all, I don't mind screwing up a piece of scrap pine nearly as much as I would a nice piece of mahogany, cherry, or birds eye maple.
The best advice that I can give is to get a video or take a class where someone will teach you. You do not need good tools to make perfect dovetails. I have good tools and they only make me faster not better. With my Lie-Nielsen dovetail saw I cut right on the line and no paring required. If I used a cheap $5.00 saw I would simply cut away from the line and then pare to it. Spend the money on learning how to do it, and not on the tools. Peter
Jay,
As your working through the options and saving up the pennies, don't forget the library as a great source for books. Also, swap meets can and do provide wonderful tools for a few dollars. After I went through the gent saw, Dozuki and bought the LN I found many a great Disston for dirt cheap at the swap meets....I did not make the same mistake with chisels and got some real beautiies for $6-8 a piece.
My two cents:
I'm also learning dovetail joinery, and loved Frank Klausz DVD: Dovetail a drawer, by FWW (20$). To the point and interesting (though I screamed when I saw how fast and precise his hand cuts are).
I went with the japanese saw (70$) and love it.
Cutting dovetails is truly a great, enjoyable experience. That's why I started WW...
Good day to all
Julien
do they simply toss them when they get dull.. Yep I would suppose so but a big mistake.. Grind the teeth off and makes a GREAT wood scraper!
"I've been saving up to buy Lee's book on sharpening so I can learn to do it myself."You might try your local public library. Mine has a few decent books on woodworking. Then you'll see firsthand if the book is what you need.If you decide to buy, try your local used bookstores. Again, I found one that has a pretty good selection of woodworking books. I got Lee's Guide to Sharpening for $9.00 US. It was used but it was in very good condition.
"I've been saving up to buy Lee's book on sharpening"
Jay,
You might want to check out:
http://www.abebooks.com/
They have a wide variety of books, including woodworking books, both new and used. I've found hard-to-find books and textbooks there at bargain prices.
For example, I recently obtained a used copy of "Make a Chair from a Tree" (long out of print) in good condition from them at a reasonable price.
-Jazzdogg-
"The trouble with the world is that the stupid are cocksure and the intelligent are full of doubt." Bertrand Russell
Thanks all for the advice; I'm seeing some of my mistakes slowly as I go and read everyone's advice. I've some gaps at the "end" of the dt (long dimension of an apron) and will try to square it and insert a bit of contrasting wood to hide the mistake and add a bit of, hopefully, interest to the design since the same thing happened on all four long apron joints. KDMKenneth Duke Masters
The Bill of Rights
December 15 1791
NRA Endowment Member
LEAA Life Member
CRPA Member
Thanks for the advice on finding books too. I went to my local library and found Lee's Guide to Sharpening. (Interestingly enough they also have a copy of "Make a Chair from a Tree" which I thought looked interesting and then read Jazzdog's post). I'm pricing out some Japanese dozuki saws now, but picked up another book on hand tools and am reading up on some of the suggestions in this book regarding back saws, japanese saws, etc. I can't recall the name/author of this other book and don't have it handy, but it appears to be a really good guide on hand tools for those of us who haven't had a whole lot of exposure. Lots of good pictures too to demonstrate how to use, clean, and repair hand tools.
I also realized that I'm going to need an end vise or some other tool to hold down my piece while I cut out the dove tails. I just finished building a large work table/bench area but did not include an edge or shoulder vise so I need to come up with something that will hold my workpiece while I cut.
A fancy and expensive saw is nice, but is a luxury. Many fine joints have been made with garage sale tools. It's more the care and skill than the cost of the tool.
Tom
Forget about sharpening a Japanese saw! Replacement blades are available for most models and at a reasonable price. The problem that I have with the Japanese saws is that one can't steer them the way you can with a western saw. I suppose that, with sufficient skill, steering isn't needed but I ain't there yet!
I usually use my Incra fence and router for dovetails..
OK laugh at me.. BUT...
When I hand cut for small stuff I use one of my more than several different X-ACTO saws I have for model making.. They cut pretty well.. I think the deepest cutting blade is about 2 inches...
VERY FINE cut....
O.K., I am about to get into trouble, but the best machine for box joints is a Bridgeport milling machine. Tried it once. Got those joints to fit perfectly on the first try. Worked great - until I tied to glue them together! I don't have access to a machine like that anymore. Probably just as well.
I have access to a BIG milling machine.. I forgot the brand.. For metal and I think it takes small up to 3 inch diameter bits... Runs at almost any speed... Power feed table with indexing you set with cams...
I never thought of it for doing wood... Geeee... I may try if I can get time on it...
Went to an auction of a machine shop here in Shreveport, LA. It was a rainy day and there were not't many there. They sold a LeBlond 15X54 lathe for $500, Brown & Sharpe horizontal universal mill for $100 (two of those), 6X12 surface grinder $450, Several Bridgeports for $1,000 and up. Lots of very larger machines. A 60" surface grinder for $2,500. They had a lathe with an 80" swing. I don't know what it sold for. I could have gotten everything I wanted for my own little machine shop for $5,000 easy. I didn't buy anything because we are moving and it would all weigh too much. The opportunity of a life time. A friend of mine did buy one of the B&S universal mill and a Bridgeport. Then he found out about the cost of having a rigger move it for him! Actually it was kind of sad. The end of an era for those old time machinist. They did have a lot of CNC machines, but they are pricey and not what I would have wanted but I am told those went for fire sale prices also.
Just about every kind of saw has been used to cut dovetails- from Japanese dozukis to western bow saws. I have tried most of them. The short answer is that most will work fine if: 1. they are properly sharpened and 2. you practice, practice, practice (it's actually good therapy to go down to the shop and cut a few dovetails).
Sharpening is not a trivial issue. Most western saws, for example, do not come properly sharpened out of the box (LN may be an exception to this). Older, well made wastern saws can be tuned up, but it's time consuming and exacting and you would be better off having it done by an experienced service. If you do use a western saw, get one with an open pistol grip (not a turned or closed grip)- it will fit your hand better and it is easier to align the saw and direct it then with a gents saw.
I favor the dozuki. You can get one for as little as $35, but I'd recommend a rip dozuki- cutting dovetails is a ripping operation. I've used the LV (http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&p=48338&cat=1,42884) and been very pleased at how easy it follows my scribed lines and tends not to wander. It's $72.50 (US) but I find it to be worth it. I'd advise you to take some 3/4 poplar or mahogany and try cutting with as many saws as you can get your hands on- then pick what works best for you.
For dovetails, I use the LN chisels- but I have cut many , many dovetails with an old set of Marples Blues. As long as the chisel is sharp, it'll work fine.
Just my 2p...
Glaucon
If you don't think too good, then don't think too much...
At a Woodcraft store in Portsmouth NH, I watched a guy demostrate cutting the most complicated piece of joinery with chisels and a back saw. He did the rough cutting, got near the lines and then went for the chisels. He had a tool roll of maybe 20 - 30 chisels and only used four or five.
Once in a while he would stop and strop the tip or take a stone to it for a stroke or two. The fit was just unbelievable because several pieces had to come together there.
I guess what I learned from that was an old saw will do, push, pull or otherwise. As someone said, master the art of sharpening the chisels. I have all the sharpening jigs you can buy and hundreds of dollars of factory sharp chisels and I have yet to dicipline myself to the point of putting on some soft chamber music, get out the water or oil stones, leather stropes, rouge, and whatever then make an evening of it. I did recently sharpen four Sears chisels I bought when I was a kid just to prove to myself that the time is well worth it. Man, do those things cut!
Welcome to the industry, grasshopper.
Jerry
Its not the arrows, its the archer.
Tiger Woods could still whip yer butt over 18 holes using a cueball and a snowshovel.The older I get, the better I was....
I think I agree with your basic point that skills are even more valuable than tools; but without tools that are at least decent, it quite hard to get decent results on ANYTHING. Does one need the absolute best tools? No, of course not; it just makes things easier and maybe more enjoyable, maybe faster. But IMHO, adequate tools really make a positive difference, especially when one is just learning.CharlieI tell you, we are here to fart around, and don't let anybody tell you different. --K Vonnegut
I agree with you 100%.
Don't get me wrong, I have invested in great tools, in order to remove the obstacle of poor tools from my path. In many cases I now have several of everything, as my skills were worthy of better equipment. But the "antique" clunkers were new once, and many men did great work with them.
Oh gawd, have I invested in tools......The older I get, the better I was....
Agree. Very skilled WWs may be able to get good results with inferior tools, but why would they want to?
Good tools can make a difficult job easier- I think the right saw makes a big difference in dovetails, but as I said before, for me, any decent chisel works fairly well. The other thing that matters is your layout tools- a good marking gauge (doesn't need to be expensive) with a knife filed (not needle filed) cutting edge makes marking the DTs a pleasure. I scribe the pins and tails with an awl, and highlight the markings with either chalk or a mechanical pencil (0.3 mm lead).
Its also a good idea to mark the outside and inside of the DTs. Focus on splitting the line with your saw cut on the outside- the inside cut will be buried in the corner and won't be visible.Glaucon
If you don't think too good, then don't think too much...
The "good" tool needed for dovetails are chisels. And they do not need to be very good to do an outstanding job.Saws can be junk and be sufficient to rough out the dovetails.
"Older, well made wastern saws can be tuned up, but it's time consuming and exacting and you would be better off having it done by an experienced service."
You may want to check out the video: "Hand Saw Sharpening" by Tom Law. His straight-forward approach makes the saw sharpening process fairly easy to understand.
It doesn't take much in the way of tools to sharpen a hand saw - it's mostly an understanding of the process, patience, and a good light source (one of those headband magifiers can also help if, like me, your bi-focals aren't quite powerful enough for demanding close-up tasks).
Good luck,
-Jazzdogg-
Whether you think you can, or you think you can't, you're right.
Edited 6/24/2005 11:18 pm ET by jazzdogg
There is a japanese style dozuki designed by Toshio Odate that is a "modified" rip cut, designed for a combination of ripping and crosscutting applications, which is exactly what dovetailing is. Works like a charm, about $50 from either Highland Hardware or toolsforworkingwood.com. Improved my dovetailing enormously.
I would simply practice in pine until you get the hang of it. You'll need decent layout tools, sharp chisels and a decent saw. Make sure the stock is well prepared; no joint will close if the stock isn't flat and square. Keep a loose grip and pay close attention to the position of your body, makes a huge difference in cutting a straight line. Expect to need to use a chisel to touch up after the waste is removed; I still do. Use a pencil to coat the tails with graphite and look where the graphite rubs off on the pins as you assemble the joint; lightly shave off wood from those areas until you get a perfect fit.
It'll take time, but it's well worth learning.
Charlie
Jay,
Here are some things to think about. In my opinion, one of the best "tools" is Rob Cosman's first dovetail video. Better to see them laid out and executed than to read about them (although Ian Kirby's book is pretty good). Also better to understand the how and why it's really better not to rely on paring to knife lines, but rather learning to cut with a good saw to your line in the first place. His layout method, learned from Alan Peters, is about as simple as you can get.
As for Japanese saws, many people use them, but just understand you need to get used to how they will obscure your lines a little as you cut. They cut on the pull stroke and therefor draw the chips toward you. Just a consideration.
I like my L-N chisels, but they might be expensive for you presently. You can buy just a few or buy a few japanese chisels (i.e. from Japan Woodworker) in sizes you think you'd use up front. I use the L-N's in combination with Japanese paring chisels and have a couple of left and right skew chisels (Japanese carving ones), but you can get there with far less than this. Keep them sharp and pare a little at a time and you'll really enjoy it. Just remember that if you cut away from your lines and leave rough cuts, expecting to perfect them by paring with chisels, you could be in for frustration.
cheers,
Greg
I agree.
There is a great temptation to "rough out" with a saw, and finish with a chisel- I think that this is a mistake. You can get decent results doing this, but it takes longer and is tedious and frustrating, and your results are not likely to be as consistent.
The WWs who taught me, and all of the "names" that put out articles and videos that I can think of, all split the line with their saw and stop at the layout line. I think it is best to practice this by sawing multiple dovetail kerfs, and then cutting a few for practice. I remember that when I was learning, I laid out about a hundred identical dovetails in poplar and then began cutting. My recollection is that #37 fit # 84 very well... all the others were near misses... When I go back to cutting dovetails after being away from it for a while, I practice a few kerfs and then start cutting the joint for real.
Since, IMHO, sawing is key to getting consistently good DTs, I think a good saw is important. I don't think that a "junk saw" will do the trick. You don't need a very expensive saw, in fact, you can buy a decent back saw used for ~$20 and get it sharpened properly with a rip cut and have a very good saw for less than a LN... On the other hand, most Japanese saws are under $80 and will last years if not abused. I agree with you that they do tend to push dust onto the layout line, which is a disadvantage.
I like my LN chisels for DTs, although I've cut many with my old Blues. I am curious- where do you find the Japanese or skew chisels to be most helpful? I haven't used either and would be interested in your expereinces with them.
Thanks,
Glaucon
If you don't think too good, then don't think too much...
One problem I'm having (just trying D.T.'s for first time) is that after rough cutting with a saw and chiseling down to the lines my mating surfaces are no longer flat. The parts fit together but if I flatten them further the gap gets bigger. The ones I have been able to do on the router table have flat surfaces but still need some fitting and then............ What do you all use as the last step in fitting joints: chisels, files or ? Do you put lines all the way around the joint?
I'm sure it is mostly a matter of practice but any help is of course most appreciated.
Thanks, KDMKenneth Duke Masters
The Bill of Rights
December 15 1791
NRA Endowment Member
LEAA Life Member
CRPA Member
duke-one,
I'm not sure I understand your question but...but not to let that stop me...lol. I think it's a good idea to mark both sides of your stock when practicing...it'll help show you if your dovetail saw is perpendicular (on tail cuts) or remains properly angled( on pin cuts). Also, if there is a slight rounding(bow)to your tails or pins much if not all of that is eliminated when you plane the sides. However, I have found most often when my pins are too tight using a file or a quick hit with sandpaper(sandpaper wrapped arond a stick) makes all fit very well. I only go back to the chisel when it is obvious that I missed the line or a bit of a stub needs removing. When I've missed the line I use a wide paring chisel...helps keep the surface flat. The more you practice the more you'll understand your own personal quirks and how to avoid them from hurting the outcomes. For instance, personally, I find it much more effective to cut to both lines simultaenously and keep the toe of the saw pointing up in the air. Hopefully this is close to what your were asking.
Edited 6/27/2005 1:03 pm ET by BG
"after rough cutting with a saw and chiseling down to the lines my mating surfaces are no longer flat."
Duke,
I think you've already defined the problem without realizing it: use your dovetail saw to cut precise, straight, lines and leave them alone, using chisels to correct your rip cuts only as a last resort.
I use chisels - across the grain - to clean up the bottoms of dovetail joints, and try to achieve tight fitting saw cuts that need no tweaking at all.
The only place I use a saw to rough-cut when dovetailing, is when I use a jeweler's saw to remove the waste instead of chopping it out with chisels.
Good luck,
-Jazzdogg-
Whether you think you can, or you think you can't, you're right.
I have been reading this since the start. After hearing what everyone said, I invented a dovetail project and went to it.
I have all kinds of saws...lots of chisels for different reasons...An Incra Jig and a Leigh Jig. [plus one of everything else 8:)]
I think I came to several conclusions 8:)
1) A few dove tails: Use a store bought angle template, saw the line and get the bottom with a jewelers saw and chisel
2) A few more then either the Incra Jig if hardwoods* or Leigh Jig for any kind of wood.
*Note: The Incra Jig does not make a fully shapped dovetail that completely seats in the socket like the Leigh Jig does. But man is it fun to use...a poor mans upright spindle milling machine.
3) A substitute for the dove tails is always the finger or box joint. I use it mostly on small boxes and can be cut by hand, on table saw (really quick) , on the Incra Jig (really accurate), and with special template on the Leigh Jig, (Really Fast).
In my opinion, I want to try to be a perfectionist not a purist. I might not always get what I want but have a great deal of respect for those that are both.
Jerry
A couple of suggestions:
As another poster said, lay out lines on both sides of the board. Mark the outside of each board with an X, these will form the outside corner of the joint. When you are cutting the DT, split the line on the outside (you won't be able to directly see the inside layout line). The outside cut (pins) will meet the other outside cut (tails) and will be visible; the inside cut will not be seen and does not have to be perfect, i.e. a gap between the inside cuts won't be seen.
Whether you do pins or tails first (another endless thread...), carefully transfer the one to the other (e.g. the pins to the tails). Use a layout knife or awl and be very precise. You can fill the faint scratch with chalk or a mechanical pencil (this kind of pencil can use a 0.3 mm wide lead which is less than 1/64 of an inch so it will not result in a gap).
Chisel out the waste between the pins and tails, paying particular attention not to violate the outside layout line. Depending on how accurate your saw cut was, the joint may be a little tight (most folks tend to cut on the waste side of the line, rather than the deep to it). Don't force the joint- it will crack if you do.
I gently pencil the inside of the joint with a soft carpenter pencil, covering all the mating surfaces with graphite. I then push the joint together. If it seems tight, I take it apart again and note the areas where the graphite has been worn away- these are proud and can be pared down. I use a freshly sharpened chisel to do this- it's sometimes helpful to use a chisel a bit wider than the thickness of the joint to pare away very thin shavings of wood (like the shavings that come out of a well tuned smoother plane). Using a wide chisel to do this allows you to keep the mating surfaces flat- you are literally handplaning the joint with a chisel, and to make sure that you are not violating the outside layout line- even if you undermine ever so slightly the inside layout line.
Once you get the saw cut down, the rest is fairly intuitive and you get a feel for the paring pretty quickly.
Glaucon
If you don't think too good, then don't think too much...
I think we're on the same page on saws. I really like the L-N saw, as it tracks so well and reduces frustration. As with all his tools, I like it when execution has a fighting chance of meeting expectations.
I sometimes reach for japanese skew chisels to clean up in half-blind sockets. I don't use their dovetail chisels. They're kind of expensive and a little hard to fix into a honing guide. I just bought a couple of 12mm chisels from their line of carving chisels. Sometimes they're just the thing.
cheers,
Greg
p.s. off on a couple of days r&r until Thurs.
I don't know if you are interseted, but in the June 1994 issue #106, there is a great jig you can build with scrap that cuts perfect fitting dovetails. I have made a couple now and they work great and only use about a board foot of extra stock per project.
I learned to cut dovetails at a local community college night school course. Learning how to cut dovetails by hand was by far the best skill I learned, other than learning how to sharpen tools. I bought a router jig for cutting dovetails but found that by the time I set the jig up I could have cut everything by hand. Handcutting dovetails is still by far the best de-stresser I have. I don't have an expensive dovetail saw, yet. Maybe someday.
Keep working at it.
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