Fast dovetails

[Benchwayze]

So the married woodworkers don't then!



Now, I really do collect pocket knives!

\/
John

 

[Mr Ed]

I thought the ability to do a sideways cut with the edge of the chisel looks really useful. I was thinking of making one with an old chisel I have lying around.

Ed

 

[jimi43]

You need on of them there grinder things from Lidl Ed!!

:wink:

Jim

 

[jlawrence]

Makes sense to me, but eventually my chisel rack runs out of spaces! :lol: John

....but every single woodworker on the planet has a Stanley knife or a pocket knife........

Yes, but if you're making say a small box then you won't get a knife in there easily.

 

[MikeG.]

Well, I said I would have a go at this against the clock, and I did. First photo is the array of tools I used, and a couple of scraps of ash:

Second photo is the finished item............9-1/2 minutes later. (You'll just have to take my word for it......no photographic way of proving it I could think of.......) It is truly awful! It looks like something that the dog has chewed, but, nonetheless, it is a strong joint, and I didn't bust any edges off......nor need a lump hammer to get it to go together:

The big lessons I learnt in the process:
1/ Rob Cosman is a genius
2/ Ash is not the right wood to be attempting records with......with, say, walnut I reckon I could knock a minute or so off that time easily.
3/ You have to pre-set a number of your marking tools
4/ Undercutting the unseen faces is an obvious ploy. I would be interested to hear from Rob whether all his internal faces are rectilinear, or whether they are undercut. (Undercutting is traditional in construction joints in green oak, for example).
5/Don't bother marking out the tails.....just hack something out as quick as you can!

Here is one I made earlier, just to show I can do it relatively well given a few extra minutes:

Remember, this is just a bit of fun!

Mike

 

[Paul Chapman]

=D> =D> =D>

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[Mr Ed]

Well done that man - nice to see someone step up and have a go.

Ed

 

[jlawrence]

LOL. I've yet to even attempt half blinds. I've never timed it but I'm certain even through dovetails would take me at least 20 minutes - it feels like it anyway - and they still never come out presentable.
I will get the hang of it one day I promise. Failing that I'll have to talk swmbo into a Canadian holiday so I can go on a course

 

[MikeG.]

Thanks chaps.....

Ed, yes, I had a go. But I think it fair to say that I was found wanting! I have a secret yen to try again after practising a bit, and to do it with walnut. Rob Cosman said on here that he did about 15 of these in trying to get the filming right......well, that's a lot of practise!

Mike

 

[woodbloke]

Well done Mike. To my mind, your d/t's looked better proportioned than those done by RC...and yours is how I would set them out - Rob

 

[MikeG.]

Thanks Rob,

as I said, I didn't set them out at all......I just hacked!

Mike

 

[Alf]

Nice one, Mike. =D>

 

[MikeG.]

Thank you Alf. If we meet at Tom's GTG in the spring, there is one thing I can guarantee.......




...........I shan't be bringing that dovetail joint along!!

Mike

 

[David C]

It is good practice to have a narrow pins at the edges, when doing secret mitre or double lap carcass dovetails. This is to increase gluing area at the edges, where the joint might fail.

This is one case where wide fishtail or similar chisels will not work.

For this reason I like to have a pair of 1/4" skew chisels.

The fishtail will clearly save time but not everywhere.

best wishes,
David Charlesworth

 

[devonwoody]

DavidC, can you define the difference between a pin and a tail so the my mind recognizes the part in my mind when these terms are mentioned?

(it might be my age that is the problem)

 

[MikeG.]

A tail, when viewed from above the piece of wood flat on the bench, is shaped like............


............a tail! A dove's tail, or a fish's tail.

The other ones are pins.

Mike

 

[David C]

Sorry, my post was not quite clear.

Will do this later as the long commute to work beckons!

David

 

[devonwoody]

Sorry, my post was not quite clear.

Will do this later as the long commute to work beckons!

David

No problem, enjoy the ride and watch out for the frost this morning, it is as thick as snow down here.

 

[mr grimsdale]

DavidC, can you define the difference between a pin and a tail so the my mind recognizes the part in my mind when these terms are mentioned?

(it might be my age that is the problem)

It's easier if you forget tails altogether and just think pins and pin holes. It's the pin end grain which is the most obvious feature, the 'tails' are just the bits left in between.

 

[Jake]

Welcome back, MrG. (Even if it is only for a short while).