These two dots, which mark the corners of the half pins, are now converted into a 1:8 slope at each side. So these two awl dots are 7 mm in from each edge. The general rule is that they measure half the thickness of timber plus around 1 mm along the shoulder line. The ‘pins’ are the bits of wood between the tails and there are obviously two half-pins, one each side. Step two is to mark out the two ‘half-pins’ at the edges. The line should be marked out a bit further from the edge, as the thickness of wood has to be accounted for, this will create a small overlap when completing the joint. Each piece should be accurately evened out and all the edges should be exactly at the right angle.įirst, let's mark out a line signalling the depth of the joint. The prerequisite for precise work is a proper preparation of wood. The beauty lies in the strength of the joint and its resistance to mechanical pull in one direction, which makes it ideal for the production of drawers. Dovetail is used to join two pieces of wood. In the following articles, we will take a look at how to properly make a dovetail joining. 5 Silky Woodboy Dozuki Hand Folding Saw.2 Titebond II Premium Wood Glue D3 - 237ml Plastic Bottle.1 Carpenter Adjustable bevel, arm 180 mm.Just take a look at what the Japanese make and you will be amazed of what they're capable of making abroad. It's true that dovetail is hard to make, but all it takes is a couple of stabs at the joint and even a novice will be happy about the results. Then you cut a couple of them, they look presentable, and one starts to think it's the highest possible success in their production of dovetail joints. When I think about my first dovetail joint, I can't really talk about creating something highly artistic. Even though this practice is taught in the first year of high school. Joinery basics: How to make a dovetail jointįor some reason, loads of woodworkers think that making a dovetail is the peak of their crafting career.

How to dovetail with a router