My very first handcut dovetails

Tom Henry

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I started to practice my handcut dovetails and after reading and watching some videos here they are... my very first set...not too bad and I got a bit of blowout on the one from cleaning up the ends... Live and Learn, the next set I will plan a bit more and then onto a small box I want to attempt...:p

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I started to practice my handcut dovetails and after reading and watching some videos here they are... my very first set...not too bad and I got a bit of blowout on the one from cleaning up the ends... Live and Learn, the next set I will plan a bit more and then onto a small box I want to attempt...:p

You're a far, far better man than I.......

Nice work.
 
The look good Tom, much better than my first hand cut dovetails :thumb:

I've only just begun the learning curve, but I can do a corner in about 15 minutes now, compared to a good hour (and a half :rolleyes:) and I imagine with more and more practice I can improve on that time too.

Why the emphasis on time?

If you can dig out your tools for the job and complete it in a few minutes, and do a good job of it, why would you want to mess up your shop with a router jig and all of that noise ;) :D

Obviously I'm not running production here, but I've seen guys with the skills bang out 4 drawers in a lot less time than it would take for me to set up and get the router jig all going.

I practice with Luan, a cheap kind of Mahogany, I cut the boards about 6" wide, by 1/2" thick and maybe 8" long, I then do a set, and when done, I trim the set I just did off, 1/2" and do another, so I can get 8 sets before the boards become too short to bother with, this is a really quick way to learn, and you don't use a lot of materials.

I practiced for about an hour a day for a good week or two before I could do them somewhat well, consistently, which reminds me, I need to do my monthly practice session:rolleyes:

I really enjoy doing them, it is a nice quiet time for me in the Dungeon, and I like having this skill.

BTW, what is the saw you have in the pic?

I use a Japanese pull saw and like it.

Cheers!
 
Looks great, Tom, especially for the first set.

I was getting ready to tell you that chisel would cut a little faster without the rubber tip on it, but I see in the last pic that you figured that out already. :p
BTW, the saw came out looking sweet, too.
 
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