Hi guys;

I'm building some dovetailed jewelry/treasure/keepsake boxes for
Christmas, and I want to vary the size and spacing of the dovetails
for a bit more dramatic effect than the usual constant size-spaced
dovetails. (I'm using a Leigh D-4). But the spacing schemes I've
come up with so far just don't seem to look right.

Anybody have any suggestions? Is there a "rule" for variable spacing
analogous to the "golden rectangle" for box dimensions? Any soures
for inspiration (i.e. pics)?

Thanks a heap,
-Zz

Zz Yzx (in ) said:

| I'm building some dovetailed jewelry/treasure/keepsake boxes for
| Christmas, and I want to vary the size and spacing of the dovetails
| for a bit more dramatic effect than the usual constant size-spaced
| dovetails. (I'm using a Leigh D-4). But the spacing schemes I've
| come up with so far just don't seem to look right.
|
| Anybody have any suggestions? Is there a "rule" for variable
| spacing analogous to the "golden rectangle" for box dimensions?
| Any soures for inspiration (i.e. pics)?

Hmm. I don't know how inspiring they might be; but I have a few
pictures that might help get the juices flowing...

At http://www.iedu.com/DeSoto/JBot.html (top of page) is a photo of a
3-dovetail arrangement that I like. They're equally spaced and
same-sized, but used in a way that tries to not overdo the dovetail
construction.

At http://www.iedu.com/DeSoto/jigs.html are drawings and a pair of
photos of some through-tenon alternatives to dovetails for a bit more
drama. For these, you might need to make your own templates.

I've been tempted several times to try sliding dovetails for box
joinery. You'd probably need to track down an unusually small dovetail
bit; but I think they're available. The dovetail would only be visible
at the top and bottom of the corner, but I think the "wow" factor
would be fairly high.

HTH

--
Morris Dovey
DeSoto Solar
DeSoto, Iowa USA
http://www.iedu.com/DeSoto