How do you cut Dovetails - Poll

[Anonymous]

Hi all


Thought it might be interesting to find out how people cut dovetails and what (if any) jigs they have/use.

Please let me know any that I have forgotten and I will attempt to add them to the list


Tony

 

[Anonymous]

I use the 'Screwfix' Dovetail jig, the plastic rather than alloy template, is the only minus point I've found with this jig other than that it does what it is designed to do.

 

[Chris Knight]

Tony,

I cut them by hand, with the Woodrat and the Leigh, depending on the number and size I want - but your voting system won't let me put that in.

Now as to hand cut dovetails, do you cut the tails or the pins first? (I do both but on the whole, prefer to cut pins first)

 

[Bean]

I'm with you there Waterhead, I cut them by hand and generally tails first.

Bean

 

[Anonymous]

Chris

I think that a user can only vote once on these things and so I think people should vote for their preferred or most used method.

One thinkg I hope to get from this is an idea of rat v leigh v other so-to-speak

Cheers
Tony

 

[chiba]

I need another option:

"Badly, and with much cursing"

:roll:

 

[gidon]

I've only cut them by hand. I did buy a Elu jig recently but it was on Ebay after less than a week - I hadn't quite appreciated: 1 - how boring the joint would look; 2 - just how much time it takes to set up for one drawer; and 3 - that ideally front and back of drawers are meant to be the same thickness and the sides can't be less than 1/2" - not what I'm used to.
So still doing them by hand - for the time being .... With a large mix of sawdust and pva glue to hand .
Cheers
Gidon

 

[Adam]

I cut them by hand and with the woodrat. Like Chris, finding the poll doesn't have enough options!

Adam

 

[johnjin]

I second Chiba on this.
And carry on dreaming of a Woodrat.

John

 

[Steve Maskery]

I had a Leigh. The results were excellent.
BUT.
If you only do them occasionally (like me), the learning curve in getting it set up correctly, plus it is not silly person-proof, means that it took longer to do one drawer than by hand. If you have a whole kitchen to do, that is another matter.
Personally I either cut by hand with a Japanes saw, or on the bandsaw using Mark Duginski's method. Fast, aesthetically pleasing and accurate.
Cheers
Steve

 

[Charley]

I cut them by hand now and then but mainly use my Leigh