Dovetail Boxes: Episode 2
Posted 9 January 2013
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In this second episode Paul continues to show how to cut the dovetail and also shows how to prepare the box for glue-up. This requires a few hand plane tricks that will prove helpful in future projects and are well worth watching! Enjoy!
Nice job Paul, I’m learning more every video buddy
I really enjoyed making this one.
Time to go dovetail an old 2×4.
Great looking dovetails Paul, I will be made up if mine are half as good
Paul,
this film is so peaceful it’s a delight to watch. Together with the small details is very welcome!
Thank you very much.
I am in agreement with the others, every video I learn more and more, thank you very much for your patient explanations. I can’t even begin to tell you how enjoyable these videos are and these are fun projects which I am anxious to make.
Thanks again Paul !
Steve
Well done Paul and company, I especially agree with Sergio’s comment. Peaceful is a wonderful way to describe the way you work and present.
These videos are like having Christmas every week. They are such good quality and Paul’s teaching style is so empowering. Really great!
Paul,
You have a refreshingly straightforward style of teaching. Your years of experience and your economy of motion make each step work just as planned. It is great motivation to go, practice and learn. Thanks
Mike
Another good one. Thanks.
Thanks Paul ! I have to agree about the A,B,C,D marking system, Got tripped up slightly with that on my first project :s.
I watched this with my two month old grandson in my lap. I guess it is never to early to start. He started out fussy, but your peaceful style soothed him to sleep. Thanks for all your excellent teaching, and for calming down my grandson. Can’t wait to pass on this craftsmanship to him and his siblings. Luckily I have time to learn from you, sine the oldest is just turning three this month.
Great video Paul.
Couple of questions:
-Why don’t you use a marking gauge to define the base line of your DT’s. It seems like that would be faster and easier?
-Also, why do you use a chisel to flush up the joints instead of a plane? It seems like the plane would be faster and there would be now risk of breakout on the end grain?
Thanks!
I’m learning so much from you Paul. Mostly I’m learning to love wood work more than ever.
Thank you.
Paul, I’ve been watching your YouTube videos for a month or two now. Finally dished out the big money (15 whole dollars!) to see more. Fantastic. You’re a great teacher. I love your down-to-earth, no-nonsense style. I’ll be starting my chisel box soon.
Well, I got my dovetails done. First pins I cut on the wrong side of the lines, making the opening at least 1/16″ too big. Thought about gluing some wood in there to fix it, but wound up just cutting off the pins, so now my box is 1/2″ thinner. As for the four final joints, they range from poor to almost good. I can say I learned a bit more on every single one, so I just might crank out a few more of these boxes until I get this down.
Beautiful chisels! Would love to know where to purchase it. Any direction?
@jakegevorgian, I think they may be these Robert Sorby plastic handled chisels
http://www.robert-sorby.co.uk/woodworking/bench-chisels/f50003a-cab-handled-gilt-edge-chisel
Thank you!
Paul, you are a great encouragement to me in my transition from a loud, dusty shop to a peaceful one with clean air.
Thank You WWMC Team!
I really appreciate your detailed remarks as work progresses. The close-ups are also a definite added value to the explanations.
I made the first dovetail joint and its a bit loose, any suggestions on it, I think I may have got the pin marking wrong.
You make it look so easy, it’s remarkable, I am thinking of getting the tight fit on all the other three joints.
regs
Maninder having only made a handful of dovetails myself I hear you. All I can say is make more of them, and watch the videos again. My first corner was bad, the other three got progressively better. Oh and try not to compare yourself to Paul, because it’ll take a while to get to that level.
Great Video Series,
Are the Half Tails always on the Pin Board, or Can you put them on the tail board ?
Whoops sorry for the confusion, I meant to say Half Pins, are always on the Pin Board,
I may be making mistakes with the layout ?
Hi Anthony,
The half pins are always on the pin board as far as I’m aware. They definitely are on this piece.
Videos are great! But what if the box is out of square just after a glue? Yours was dead square. But I wonder what your technique would be to square it up? Maybe that’s coming up later in the series?
Brian
Do you recommend using a fret saw to remove the bulk of the waste on the pin board?
Hello Paul,
Paul does use a coping saw to remove the waste on less fine or utilitarian pieces, but you don’t tend to get the same crispness.
Best, Phil
Just going back again for a little technique review. I find it helps to remember the simple (but very useful) steps in the process that are easy to forget from one project to the next.