Hi all
First time posting here.
So I’m attempting my first build from the magazine. I typically build turned furniture like stools and side tables as well as more sculptural pieces.
I’m starting to become a fan of more classically styled pieces like the side table in the latest issue.
I’m all milled up. I’ve glued up the top panel as well as the apron with the drawer cutouts. Next I will make the runners and start assembly.
The place I’m a bit intimidated is cutting the half blind dovetails for the drawers. I have cut through DTs with some success but never half blinds and I’m worried about it. The smaller of the drawer fronts is around 7/16ths thick and 2 1/4″ x 3″.
Am I overthinking it? Is there anything to watch out for? I used all the cherry I have down to the last bit more or less so new fronts in the case of a mess up is slightly outta the question for now.
I have a dovetail saw and necessary chisels but no rabbet plane or flat ground table saw blade for a rabbet on the tail boards.
In the end I will buck up and do it, just curious if there are any tips. I’ve watched a few videos and other than C.B.’s they all bust out some specialty tools that I don’t own.
Thanks for lookin 🙂
Replies
Hi chuckvandyck,
I'm glad you're tackling my table, it's a fun piece to build. I'd recommend taking some time to practice your dovetailing skills on scrap stock (but stock that is similar in density, hardness, etc. to the cherry you're using for the table). It's a lot of pressure to put on yourself to try something for the very first time on a critical part of a piece of furniture, with no backup material available. So take some of the stress out of it and practice until you feel confident in tackling the drawer parts.
As far as tools, I'd say knowing how to use the tools you have is way more important and valuable than having every tool available. I do all my dovetailing by hand using a marking gauge, dovetail saw and chisels.
Good luck,
Mike Korsak
What Mike said.
You really don't need any unusual tools. The tails are pretty straightforward, as with through dovetails.
The real key -- the place where most dovetails go wrong -- is transferring the tails to the pins on the front. Make sure both halves are rock solid and don't shift when you mark the pins.
There isn't much pin sawing. Just take your time chiseling, and creep up to the lines.
Do a bunch of practice boards. Before you know it, you'll wonder why you ever worried about hand cut dovetails.
Hey guys, thanks for the advice. And a few words from the designer himself, wow! That rocks.
I was totally in my head after watching too many videos on "how to" and overcomplicated it.
I sat at the bench today and just worked through a few. Now I'm feelin' confident enough to give it a go.
I tend to try and do everything fast. Slowing down a bit and letting something that inherently takes "more" time, take more time, got me to where I wanna be.
“[Deleted]”
Thanks Mike and others for the encouragement and tips.
I botched grain continuity on the drawer fronts, but that lesson has been learned and will be carried to other pieces. This is my first time building from plans and I can’t recommend it enough.
It looks nice! Cherry? It will darken a lot under the sun, and the grain will be less noticeable.
Thanks John. Yup, cherry. Looking forward to the day the its darkens uniformly :)
Put it in bright direct sun. I finished a small table last summer and put it on the patio for a couple of days -- daytime only. It was amazing how much it darkened.
7/16's is kinda thin for 1/2 blinds, isn't it?
That’s what the plans called for so that’s what I did. I think they’ll hold up fine and it was fun working with such small pieces. The drawer sides were like 5/16, maybe less. Its not exactly a high use item. The drawers are quite cute. Only big enough for a few canvas coasters and a pack of incense.
I like having delicate parts on small drawers. The construction, especially for the bottom, has to be different. But it's very satisfying.
There is no such thing as a botched job. Only jobs that provide redesign opportunities. Take the two drawers and either paint them a contrasting black or sand them and learn how to ebonize. If you can resist the urge to tell everyone what you did...no one will know! Enjoy yourself and give yourself a break.
Haha, hey man, I'm embracing it. I learned a long time ago to get over my foot in mouth disease. But we're all friends here right, so I figured I'd be honest.
I did consider pulling out the jar of steel wool & vinegar, and even bought a sample jar of blue milk paint, thinking I'd treat the drawers with one of those. Maybe I still will. For now, I'm ridin' the wabi-sabi wave. I think it looks pretty cool patchwork-y. Def not something I'm losing sleep over!
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