OK, I have decided to try my hand at dovetails for a jewelry box I am
making for my wife. For some reason I would like to learn to do it by
hand. I have an appropriate saw, but I wanted to use a marking knife
to make the lines. They have one at Lee Valley for $22. Of course,
while on their site, I looked around. Why do I do this???? Anyway,
they have a dovetail cutting aid that sells for about $50, or they have
marking guides for $20 (2, one for hardwood, one for soft), or another
set of guides for $10, not sure yet of the benefits of the more
expensive ones, have to look at that.

My point is, am I silly to be spending money on this stuff? I mean,
for a few dollars more I could get the dovetail jig on sale at Rockler
for $59. I don't do things at a production level though, so do I
really need something like this. Is it really that hard to manually
cut dovetails? From reading it sounds like the holy grail of joinery.

Thanks,
-Jim

jtpr wrote...
OK, I have decided to try my hand at dovetails for a jewelry box I am
making for my wife. For some reason I would like to learn to do it by
hand. I have an appropriate saw, but I wanted to use a marking knife
to make the lines. They have one at Lee Valley for $22. Of course,
while on their site, I looked around. Why do I do this????

Ah, Grasshopper. Who among us is without flaw?
-- Master Po

Anyway,
they have a dovetail cutting aid that sells for about $50, or they have
marking guides for $20 (2, one for hardwood, one for soft), or another
set of guides for $10, not sure yet of the benefits of the more
expensive ones, have to look at that.

My point is, am I silly to be spending money on this stuff?

At this point, you shouldn't. You want to learn to hand-cut dovetails.
That's a worthwhile ambition. But don't let anxiety over how they'll come
out push you into buying high-priced tools, or lead you into a search of
tricks or gimmicks for success. High priced tools aren't needed and the
gimmicky stuff plays to your anxiety, but not to the job. What you really
need is practice.

Any straight sharp saw will do. A high-quality dovetail saw can be easier
to use and as your skill progresses it would give you better results
than, say, a drywall saw, but wait until you understand why the saw you
have isn't achieving the results you want before you buy a better one.

If you really want a marking guide (you don't need one), you should make
it from scrap.

Good marking knives are handy, but an X-acto blade works fine.

for a few dollars more I could get the dovetail jig on sale at Rockler
for $59. I don't do things at a production level though, so do I
really need something like this. Is it really that hard to manually
cut dovetails? From reading it sounds like the holy grail of joinery.

You need a saw, a sharp chisel, a marking knife or pencil (!), and
practice. Just get started. Practice on scrap. I bet that after you make
two or three drawers worth of dovetails (may as well get some use out of
your practice!), you'll have developed the confidence and skill to do the
jewelry box. You may still be dissatisfied with them, but no one else
will be.

Cheers!

Jim

"jtpr"
OK, I have decided to try my hand at dovetails for a jewelry box I am
making for my wife. For some reason I would like to learn to do it by
hand. I have an appropriate saw, but I wanted to use a marking knife
to make the lines. They have one at Lee Valley for $22. Of course,
while on their site, I looked around. Why do I do this???? Anyway,
they have a dovetail cutting aid that sells for about $50, or they have
marking guides for $20 (2, one for hardwood, one for soft), or another
set of guides for $10, not sure yet of the benefits of the more
expensive ones, have to look at that.

My point is, am I silly to be spending money on this stuff? I mean,
for a few dollars more I could get the dovetail jig on sale at Rockler
for $59. I don't do things at a production level though, so do I
really need something like this. Is it really that hard to manually
cut dovetails? From reading it sounds like the holy grail of joinery.

Thanks,
-Jim


I've cut many a dovetail by hand. However, now the only time I cut them by
hand is to show someone how or when I want a very special sized (usually
vary large), a one off box or unusual shape dovetail. I would not dream of
making a set of drawers without my Liegh and router.

Dave



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On 23 Jan 2006 05:58:17 -0800, "jtpr" wrote:

OK, I have decided to try my hand at dovetails for a jewelry box I am
making for my wife. For some reason I would like to learn to do it by
hand. I have an appropriate saw, but I wanted to use a marking knife
to make the lines. They have one at Lee Valley for $22. Of course,
while on their site, I looked around. Why do I do this???? Anyway,
they have a dovetail cutting aid that sells for about $50, or they have
marking guides for $20 (2, one for hardwood, one for soft), or another
set of guides for $10, not sure yet of the benefits of the more
expensive ones, have to look at that.

My point is, am I silly to be spending money on this stuff? I mean,
for a few dollars more I could get the dovetail jig on sale at Rockler
for $59. I don't do things at a production level though, so do I
really need something like this. Is it really that hard to manually
cut dovetails? From reading it sounds like the holy grail of joinery.

Thanks,
-Jim


Jim, You don't need a lot of things to handcut dovetails, just some
time. I don't use a template at all. Here's what I use:

Bevel gauge
Marking gauge
Various chisels, skewed chisel for half blind dovetails
Small knife
Dovetail saw
Small mirror on adjustable stand (use this to check the opposite side
as you cut)
Pencil and pencil sharpener
Good lighting

The money spent on these items is not wasted at all, as you'll use
these tools for other operations. Handcut dovetails are easy to do
after several quiet hours of practice. A bandsaw could be used to cut
the tails.

"jtpr" wrote in news:1138024697.718204.184990
@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com:

OK, I have decided to try my hand at dovetails for a jewelry box I am
making for my wife. For some reason I would like to learn to do it by
hand. I have an appropriate saw, but I wanted to use a marking knife
to make the lines. They have one at Lee Valley for $22. Of course,
while on their site, I looked around. Why do I do this???? Anyway,
they have a dovetail cutting aid that sells for about $50, or they have
marking guides for $20 (2, one for hardwood, one for soft), or another
set of guides for $10, not sure yet of the benefits of the more
expensive ones, have to look at that.

My point is, am I silly to be spending money on this stuff? I mean,
for a few dollars more I could get the dovetail jig on sale at Rockler
for $59. I don't do things at a production level though, so do I
really need something like this. Is it really that hard to manually
cut dovetails? From reading it sounds like the holy grail of joinery.

Thanks,
-Jim


It's not that hard, it jsut takes lots of practice to get the idea...if
you can saw to line you can cut dovetails...

There is a pretty good web site with many links about handcut dovtails..
its he
http://home.nj.rr.com/afoust/dovetails.html

or you could just search google for hand cut dovetails...They are nice
joints...but I wouldn't call them the holy grail of joinery...now Twisted
Dovetails...thats a horse of another color.....

Regards

DCH