Defeated by Small Dovetail Box
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15 November 2013 at 3:24 am #21471
I have been sharing my victories (projects that went well), this one defeated me. Just about everything went wrong on this box.
It is ok, because it was just for practice. Let me just list the short comings:
1. I sawed on the wrong side of my line on one of the pin recess, resulting in a super gap and very loose dovetail.
2. I managed to gap 3 out of 4 dovetails.
3. I planed and scraped off all the markings on all the pieces. A to A, B to B, etc.
4. I got glue everywhere.
5. The box was squared until I clamped it out of square.
6. I measured the bottom wrong resulting in length falling too short for a round over.
7. I was trying to follow Mr. Sellers demo on the pencil box to make the bead NOT go through corners. I got 3 out of 4, then ran right off the edge.
Over all, I am still glad I completed the box. It was lessons learned. I will still use the box for something.
The sides are mahogany, bottom is poplar. I applied a couple layers of shellac. It is approx. 8″ by 4″ and 1.75 ” tall.
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You must be logged in to view attached files.15 November 2013 at 4:11 am #21478Great post John. I know I learn more from my errors then my successes. Sometimes I get tired of learning though ;). Its still a handsome and useful box.
John, Dove tail boxes kick my butt every day… I saw one of Paul’s videos on YouTube about the 8 minute dovetail box. I’m down to about 45 minutes and mine still don’t look near as good as the 8 minute boxes I saw, and for all the reasons you noted in yourpost… Keep chopping!
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You must be logged in to view attached files.26 November 2013 at 8:40 pm #22350I concur with Greg still a useful and a good learning curve.
I can cut Mortise and Tenon joints without much of a problem.
Dovetails alway been my nemesis but I am getting better.
Keep sawing and chopping you will get there.I just completed the sides on my second dovetail box. This box was designed to have the sliding lid in a grove.
BUT>>>>> in my excitement to finish, I glued up the sides before plowing the groove. I still haven’t figured out how to salvage this one. And my dovetails have a long way to go, but the mistakes keep piling up…..as does the practice and experience.
26 November 2013 at 11:23 pm #22368@deniseg
You could make a scratch stock to make groove it will be slower than a plough plane but it could work just finish ends in corners with chisel. Will be tricky and lot of patients. Also use gauge lines and use cutter you make on scratch stock in between those gauge line.
I used scratch stock on my clock to do stringing I can’t see why you cannot make a bigger cutter you do nee a bit of saw plate or old card scraper.Picture of my scratch stock.
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You must be logged in to view attached files.@deniseg – If it makes you feel any better, I took my box apart and started making the groove on the outside face of the box. Luckily I hadn’t gone too deep, and it could be salvaged by planing about 1/16th” off both sides.
You might still be able to cut the grooves with a narrow ‘gents saw’ and chisel out with a 1/4″ chisel. Would take a lot of patience but probably just about possible.
26 November 2013 at 11:47 pm #22378Learning curves, sometimes are painful.
Thanks for the comments and support.
Martin and Mark. Thanks for the great ideas. I think I can make a knife walk for the grove with my circular cutter marking gauge and then use scratch stock and a gent saw to plow the grove out. I had almost given up on the lid but now I’m keen to try these ideas.
I’ll be back to wood work as so as the turkey and pies are cooked.27 November 2013 at 5:19 am #22406I did the same thing. I did a box with the best dovetails I have ever done. I glued it up then realized I forgot to run the groove for the lid. I tried to take it apart but the molecular bond had formed! I never did figure out how to fix it. I think I sawed it apart. I think I have made every possible mistake!
Folks, you have to remember that when watching Paul, you are watching a practised hand with some 40-50 years (I think) experience making stuff out of wood.
I had the same issues when I first started doing dovetails, but after finishing a whole lot of boxes, tool cabinets etc, they don’t intimidate me now. All it takes is practice and after a while you’ll be cutting them without even thinking about them. Keep at it and keep smiling!
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