Dovetail work...
Ok, the main reason I am building a box for these, is this..
![Table Wood Drawer Shotgun Hardwood]()
As this is NOT a way to treat chisels….so…may be building a few more?
Dovetails: I do mine as Pins first…YMMV…but it just seems I have better luck doing the pins first….so
First from that pile of tools, is a marking gauge…
![Automotive tire Wood Gas Automotive wheel system Auto part]()
From the pin to the fence is the same as the thickness of the piece I am trying to use….usually the Ends of the box, as the pins will be in the sides of the box. Idea is to mark where the joint ends..
![Wood Natural material Wood stain Office ruler Plank]()
I then use the knife to deepen the lines (Baseline?) and then use a pencil to darken the lines…so I can see them better…then, stand the "Pin board" up in the vise..
![Wood Gas Brick Machine Engineering]()
So I can mark out the pins. Angle? I use what will look right to me. Don't want it too broad in the beam, nor to narrow that my chisels can't get in….I do have to chop these, after all…I start with a 1/2 pin on each edge, and work towards the center. Doesn't matter how wide a board is, just seems to work better, that way…next..
![Wood Composite material Gas Flooring Hardwood]()
The little combo square is also set to the thickness of the tail board, I use it to draw lines for the saw to follow, in making a few cuts….I do both faces. I can either miss the line on either side, or split the line ( I try for the split) as the tails will be traced from whatever the pins wind up looking like….then
![Wood Metalworking hand tool Gas Wood stain Plank]()
I drop the board as low as I can….cuts down on any vibration…easier to saw, too..and start. Saw all the lines.
![Wood Hand tool Crosscut saw Metalworking hand tool Tool]()
I then set up a block to chop on, instead of my bench….get a selection of chisels…and clamp the pin board face up with a clamp….I then deepen the knife wall a bit. then chop about 1/2 way down…
![Wood Metalworking hand tool Gas Air gun Hardwood]()
And leave a little porch. Idea behind the show face first, is to prevent any blow outs when chopping from the inside, the porch adds a bit of support, as well…once this face has been chopped, flip the board over, and repeat the chops, this time the goal is to get the waste out..
![Wood Wood stain Hardwood Gas Lumber]()
I also mark which is the inside of each piece…comes in handy in a little bit. Sometimes, there are little nubs left inside the waste area…that coping saw can be used as a rasp..
![Hand tool Wood Metalworking hand tool Tool Brickwork]()
To clean things out….Now the fun can begin….take the pin board, and stand it up on the end of the tail board…note which way is "inside" and make sure both boards match that…otherwise, something will wind up bass-ackwards….Hold the pin board steady, and use a sharp pencil to trace around each pin..and across the inside of one pin….you can set a square to cut a baseline across.
![Wood Rectangle Hardwood Plank Composite material]()
Should come out like this…make sure the pin board doesn't move while tracing around. Straighten the lines…then comes the bandsaw part. I use a bandsaw because I have issues hand sawing a bevel line….the bandsaw allows me to better see and control the cuts….I also add a few extra cuts…easier to get the waste out….bandsaw is to cut on the waste side of the lines, make sure you mark which is which..
![Wood Rectangle Brick Plank Building material]()
Something like this. Goal is to leave the line…the more of the line you leave, the tighter the joint will be. Then, back to the chopping block, show face first, again..
![Wood Rectangle Brick Red Paint]()
Just like on the pins, leave a little. then flip the board over, and finish the chops…
![Wood Grey Line Brick Wall]()
I also number the parts for each joint. this is the first corner I am doing, so each side has a #1 right by the joint…don't want a #3 pin board in a #2 tail board….about time for a dry fit…usually a mallet is needed..
![Wood Gas Wood stain Hardwood Rectangle]()
Not too hateful? Now, all that is needed, is to do the next 3 corners the same way…if possible…
![Wood Rectangle Composite material Gas Window]()
That one loose corner? Somebody split a line…was the last corner of the day…oops. should glue up nice enough..
And that is it…next episode? Going to get Groovy..and maybe a glue up?
Stay tuned…
Ok, the main reason I am building a box for these, is this..
As this is NOT a way to treat chisels….so…may be building a few more?
Dovetails: I do mine as Pins first…YMMV…but it just seems I have better luck doing the pins first….so
First from that pile of tools, is a marking gauge…
From the pin to the fence is the same as the thickness of the piece I am trying to use….usually the Ends of the box, as the pins will be in the sides of the box. Idea is to mark where the joint ends..
I then use the knife to deepen the lines (Baseline?) and then use a pencil to darken the lines…so I can see them better…then, stand the "Pin board" up in the vise..
So I can mark out the pins. Angle? I use what will look right to me. Don't want it too broad in the beam, nor to narrow that my chisels can't get in….I do have to chop these, after all…I start with a 1/2 pin on each edge, and work towards the center. Doesn't matter how wide a board is, just seems to work better, that way…next..
The little combo square is also set to the thickness of the tail board, I use it to draw lines for the saw to follow, in making a few cuts….I do both faces. I can either miss the line on either side, or split the line ( I try for the split) as the tails will be traced from whatever the pins wind up looking like….then
I drop the board as low as I can….cuts down on any vibration…easier to saw, too..and start. Saw all the lines.
I then set up a block to chop on, instead of my bench….get a selection of chisels…and clamp the pin board face up with a clamp….I then deepen the knife wall a bit. then chop about 1/2 way down…
And leave a little porch. Idea behind the show face first, is to prevent any blow outs when chopping from the inside, the porch adds a bit of support, as well…once this face has been chopped, flip the board over, and repeat the chops, this time the goal is to get the waste out..
I also mark which is the inside of each piece…comes in handy in a little bit. Sometimes, there are little nubs left inside the waste area…that coping saw can be used as a rasp..
To clean things out….Now the fun can begin….take the pin board, and stand it up on the end of the tail board…note which way is "inside" and make sure both boards match that…otherwise, something will wind up bass-ackwards….Hold the pin board steady, and use a sharp pencil to trace around each pin..and across the inside of one pin….you can set a square to cut a baseline across.
Should come out like this…make sure the pin board doesn't move while tracing around. Straighten the lines…then comes the bandsaw part. I use a bandsaw because I have issues hand sawing a bevel line….the bandsaw allows me to better see and control the cuts….I also add a few extra cuts…easier to get the waste out….bandsaw is to cut on the waste side of the lines, make sure you mark which is which..
Something like this. Goal is to leave the line…the more of the line you leave, the tighter the joint will be. Then, back to the chopping block, show face first, again..
Just like on the pins, leave a little. then flip the board over, and finish the chops…
I also number the parts for each joint. this is the first corner I am doing, so each side has a #1 right by the joint…don't want a #3 pin board in a #2 tail board….about time for a dry fit…usually a mallet is needed..
Not too hateful? Now, all that is needed, is to do the next 3 corners the same way…if possible…
That one loose corner? Somebody split a line…was the last corner of the day…oops. should glue up nice enough..
And that is it…next episode? Going to get Groovy..and maybe a glue up?
Stay tuned…
