For Steve Southwood - Tails & Pins

Looks great Bill. Was thinking about giving a set a go this weekend. Now I think I really will. Keep it coming

Thanks Steve. That's it for now. I got two drawers glued up this weekend, but the last one and biggest (9" tall drawer) will have to wait until I get back home in two weeks.
 
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Exciting Bill, very exciting. Really thinking about give it a go

What do you have to lose, Steve? Dovetails by hand are almost all about sawing. Practice sawing with your new dovetail saw. Just set a practice board up in your vise and mark out the different saw cuts (dovetail vs pins). I do it to warm up before tackling a bunch of dovetails.

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But don't stop there, try to make a dovetail joint. If you run into any trouble just drop me a PM and I will try to help. I am not at home as I am on assignment in CA so I won't have access to my tools/camera to demonstrate anything for another week and a half.

Chris Schwarz is the best at teaching hand sawing and I have taken classes from some of the best. I think he might have a dvd that he did on the subject. I was lucky enough to take a class from him.
 
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Good job Bill, as you mention it is a matter of sawing practice. Funny enough, when I spent a couple of month committing myself to make a set of dovetails everyday in order to do the right and fast ( there is post about it somewhere in the forum I never succed in finding old posts ) I found out after struggling with the tails first method, (which is said to be easier) that if I used the pins first method my cuts where more precise and my joints tighter. Don't know why, problably my brain functions in a different way LOL
 
HERE is my take on dovetails....

Hey, I missed that thread. Great comment about using the reflection in the saw to verify if you are at the correct angle. I really use that trick for cutting the pins, but the image is at a 45 degree angle and it takes some experimenting to understand what should be the correct angle in the mirrored image.

That dovetail kit Brent bought must have been for his Thanksgiving Table. I know Brent...I am bad. ;)
 
Good job Bill, as you mention it is a matter of sawing practice. Funny enough, when I spent a couple of month committing myself to make a set of dovetails everyday in order to do the right and fast ( there is post about it somewhere in the forum I never succed in finding old posts ) I found out after struggling with the tails first method, (which is said to be easier) that if I used the pins first method my cuts where more precise and my joints tighter. Don't know why, problably my brain functions in a different way LOL

I wish my brain functioned as well as yours does, my friend.
 
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