Double Twisted Dovetail Fun

[Philly]

Hi All,
I've been toying over a new coffee table design and wanted to try something interesting in joining the top to the ends. Came across double twisted dovetails in an article by Alan Peters and thought I'd have a go. It certainly is an interesting joint but it does demand extreme accuracy in its making. Have a look....

I have put some step by step photo's on my website, here....
http://www.philsville.co.uk/doubledove1.htm

It was a bit of struggle getting the joint together as you have to offer the parts up at 45 degrees to each other. The first attempt split just as I got the parts fully home :roll: . My second go (with a little table saw help ) went a bit smoother.
What do you think?
Cheers
Philly

 

[Noel]

Hey Philly, nice joint and good step by step. Worth a try.

Rgds

Noel

 

[radicalwood]

Hi Philly,

Nice looking joint. If you have to assemble at 45 degrees, how do you make it into a nice box :lol: :lol: .

All the best

Neil

 

[Philly]

Neil
Don't think its possible to make a box-putting the joint together was hard!!! My coffee table will have three sides of a box (i.e. top and two ends or legs)-that should (just about) be possible. Or I might just biscuit it instead. :lol: :roll:
Cheers
Philly

 

[Chris Knight]

Well done Philly - looks distinctly difficult.

 

[Newbie_Neil]

Hi Philly

I'm sure that it is difficult but, I'm sorry to say, I don't find the end result pleasing.

Cheers
Neil

 

[Philly]

But Captain, I find that illogical........Opps! :twisted:
Sorry Neil, fair enough. But you dont see many of those at Ikea! :lol:
Cheers
Philly

 

[Newbie_Neil]

Hi Philly

Sorry Neil, fair enough. But you dont see many of those at Ikea! :lol:

Technically I think it is excellent and you should be very proud of your skills.

I'm sorry, but I just can't cope with the angles.

All the best
Neil

 

[Alf]

D'you know, I'm pretty much agreeing with Neil. I admire the skill and technical know-how, but as far as the finished effect goes, it leaves me cold. I find I often suffer the same reaction to technically brilliant turnings and such. Great workmanship, but sort of a waste of effort. Sorry, Philly. Great show-off joint to display your skills though.

Cheers, Alf

 

[Anonymous]

I quite like it Philly. Looks hard to cut but quite interesting when completed. Would look pretty decent on the coffee table

 

[MikeW]

Hi Philly,

I think it is excellent work (I also admired the photo of your daughter--but to the point here, the dovetails in the background were equally excellent).

From an asthetic point of view, for myself, I really like how the joint presents on the side of what could be a drawer or an exposed table apron. But depending upon how modern vs traditional the form of the table was, it presents itself a little jarring to my eyes on the front (right side of the photo anyway).

I think a table could be sketched that those joints could be appealing to me...but then, its your idea. You know what vision you have for this coffee table.

Why not make a poplar or pine mock up and have a look?

 

[Gill]

It's certainly very skillful but, like Alf and Neil, I don't find it to my taste. I think you'd have to be very careful how you used a joint like that in practise because its intricacy could distract from the overall piece.

Gill

 

[tim]

Philly

I like it!

T

 

[Chris Knight]

Philly,
Re the joint's appearance - must be a male thing?? I think a coffee table in a thickish section would look great with that at the corners - but please, not in contrasting woods! However, a thick section would place a premium on accurate sawing - good luck!

 

[Alf]

Re the joint's appearance - must be a male thing??

Steady, Neil. No, don't belt Chris over the head with your handbag... [-X :lol:

I seem to recall Rob Cosman at Tools'03 suggesting that it's no bad idea to ask your SWMBO if you're not sure about the looks of your dovetails, as he claimed women have a better natural ability to judge that sort of thing. So maybe it is indeed a male thing and you like it for all the wrong reasons? :wink:

Cheers, Alf

 

[AndyG]

That's superb... Although it does make my brain hurt looking at it. It's like an Escher picture and one of those magic eye things rolled into one!! I don't think the photo quite does it justice. Perhaps seeing it in the flesh might convert the non-believers ;-)

I wonder if the widths of the pins and tails (which seem loose terms in this joint) were more equal the effect might be more pleasing to the eye.

Grand job though.

 

[Scott]

I'm afraid I have to side with Neil and the ladies!

Sorry Philly. Nothing personal because you obviously have great skills but visually the joint itself kind of grates on me...at least that's my initial reaction. Maybe it's all the odd angles .... but then I'm one of those people that lines things up with the edge of the dinner table! :lol:

 

[Aragorn]

Hi Philly
I've long been intrigued by these joints. Yours looks excellent - superb skills!

 

[devonwoody]

Philly,

Not often envious of anyones elses labours, but that was a super piece of woodwork.

As regards design/appearance, Some like it hot and some dont. :wink:

I have noticed that picture number 3 of first set of joint photo's you have a little jig still positioned in your vice. Was this used to line up the two pieces of timber when marking out the joints?

 

[Philly]

Dw
It is just to keep the jaws of the vise parallel, a bit of timber the same thickness as the workpiece. Sorry-no secret weapon this time! :wink:
Cheers
Philly