Comedy of Errors
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Well, on a positive front, my dovetails are getting better. Got the chisel box done and I’ve been working on the sliding top box. Now, if I can just stop making flat out stupid mistakes, I’ll be going somewhere.
First, cut my tails, started the pins, 5-6 saw strokes in, I realized I was on the wrong side of the line. Tried to salvage it by moving the other line, no go. Had some leftover cuts, so cut a new end piece… but did the cut on the wrong side of the line!
Eventually got a new piece cut correctly, got the pins cut and most of the joints were half decent. I glued that baby up!
Then realized I forgot to cut the groove for the lid.
Sigh. Not even sure what to do with this thing now. Another chisel tray with one lower side, I guess.
But overall, I’m encouraged. When I slow down and think about what I’m doing, my technique is actually getting pretty good. I ripped my stock to two inches with a hand saw and planed it down to size. What a thrill to see that tiny sliver plane off the corners when I planed down to that marking gauge line.
I’ll pick up some more wood soon and try again.
Fourth box done. Starting to get half decent. Got a Veritas dovetail saw and that does make a big difference. It’s not magical though. I still need to learn to cut straighter and at the right position on the line. Still, though, some of these joints on the last box were nearly perfect.
Onto the next one. My family is now sick of boxes and doesn’t want anymore, but I’ll find uses for them. 🙂
I moved on to the dovetail caddy project. Just finished up my second one of those. So 24 dovetail corners all told. Still not perfect every time, but I think I’m continuing to improve. The last one had two really good joints, and two so-so. But none were horrible. But soon I’m going to need to make a large dovetail box to hold all my small dovetail boxes.
20 May 2014 at 3:27 pm #57296Keep making, keep sawing, keep cutting! It is us overcoming mistakes that leads to progress in our skills.
At least that is what I tell myself. LOL
Adding my own lesson learned. When chopping the waste out in thin pine (1/4″ or less), use a *sharp* chisel, don’t just press down on the chisel to push through the soft wood, and avoid placing the wood over a doghole.
I discovered that this combination of not-best practices will blow a big chip into the doghole, rather than removing just the waste. (typing this while I wait for the glue to cure on my repair – sigh) -
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