Yesterday I finally deided it was time to make the drawers for my small bench. I made the case at the same time I did the big bench but never got around to doing the drawers. I also decided it was about time for a good challenge so I also decided I would hand cut all the dovetails and complete it in one day. Drawer sizes were 2 3/4, 3 3/4, 6, and 10 1/2. Cherry fronts, pine sides and backs. Traditional half blinds on the front and through on the back. Boards were milled to thickness already but had to be cut to length and width.
I’mm happy to say I got it done. Took me all darn day and a late evening but they are all cut, they fit better than nearly all the router cut dovetails I have done, and I got pretty darn good at it by the end of the day. I did the through dovetails on the ten inch drawers last and it took just under an hour for both drawers including layout and assembly. I cut the half blinds earlier in the day.
I have cut dovetails before but this was a concerted effort to improve my technique and speed up the process. It was definately time well spent and I would recommend anyone who is timid about cutting them try it.
Tom
Douglasville, GA
Replies
The proportion is not right here sorry to say. Over time the wood movement would bust these joints IMHO. Nice work thow!
Maybe you could explain that to me. What proportions are you talking about and how is wood movement going to break these joints? Drawers have been built exactly like this for centuries. With shrinkage rates for cherry and eastern white pine being only about 1-1.5% different I don't see these tearing themselves apart in my lifetime.
Tom
Douglasville, GA
Edited 3/8/2004 9:13:17 PM ET by Tom
I swore I saw tiny 1/16'' looking dovetails. That's it, I am getting a new computer and MONITOR! When I jumped on Knots at lunch time to read up a while, I was eating my sandwich, many of you corrected, my bad, post on your proportion to the dovetails you made. I admit what I saw last night on my crappy monitor and what I saw today are way different. Sorry, it appears that the cuts are perfect and matched well as a set. As I said also, very nice work. - Brogan (the other guy.)
What are you talking about????? Those are VERY well done and should outlast all of us.
Tom,
The only proportions to worry about for the drawers for your toolbench should be based upon what you intend to put in them. The dovetails look fine, too. IMHO.
Dale
I agree. I'm was just trying to fugure out what the heck he was talking about.Tom
Douglasville, GA
Tom the only problem I see with your dovetails is that you have maybe set the benchmark to high for the next set you will have to cut. Looks good to me and I have several drawers that are built out of different species of wood and have never had a problem with any of them.Scott C. Frankland
Scott's WOODWORKING Website"He who has the most tools may not win the race of life but he will sure make his wife look like a good catch when she goes to move on."
I like 'em a lot, Tom. I almost missed the beginning of "American Chopper" (best show on TV) getting wrapped up in trying to reply to this post last night.
If there's something wrong with doing half-blind dovetails in cherry and pine like this, somebody better speak up with some good gouge. This is my favorite style - exactly like you did them.
They're fine. Other guy who made a comment about proportion and the joints failing is misinformed.
Good example to the power tool only set that hand tool woodworking can be very productive. I can assure you that there are many, many router and jig woodworkers who would think they'd had a very productive day if they did all those drawers.
And you did them with hand tools.
Edited 3/9/2004 9:18:54 AM ET by CHASSTANFORD
That was really the point of the post. Anyone can cut dovetails by hand with a little practice.. I wanted to see how quickly and accurately i could get it done. By the end of the day I was cutting them pretty darn quick and they would fit perfectly without trimming on the first try.
By doing that many in a day I think I'm a pretty good beginner at this point. I began by cutting and paring to the line but by evening was cuting right to the line quickly and accurately. I don't think I could have produced that many drawers of different sizes with both through and half blinds that quickly using a my leigh jig. It may never come out of the drawer again. The fit of these was better and they have that look that simply can't be duplicated by machine.
This project wasn't about the proprtions of the drawers, they are for a bench, function dictated that. It was a very satisfying exercise that will pay huge dividends in my work.Tom
Douglasville, GA
Sounds great Tom, cheers and good luck with your woodworking.
I think they're beautiful dovetails - now mind you, I know nothing about how the proportion might make them fragile, but I know I'd be proud to have produced them.
BTW - I too was waiting on American Chopper last night but was disappointed that it was a rerun! AND, I believe your shop would qualify for Taunton's book - looks pretty dang neat to me AND look at the quality of the work! Great!
Robin"Well-behaved women rarely make history."from the Sweet Potato Queens' Book of Love
It looks a lot neater in those pictures than it really is. I much prefer woodworking to cleaning. I guess it just has that worked in look and that can't be all bad. Tom
Douglasville, GA
Tom,
Your dovetailed drawers are fantastic! You are motivating me to get off my
duff and try hand cut DT's my self.
Thanks,
Mike Narges
Tom
"Looking good from this end of town". Charles doesn't compliment often, so you got a real plus with your new discovery. As you stated, the Leight probably won't see much use as you seem to be in the "zone".
As you know, I've seen your work and feel you are one of the most promising "up and comings" to come along in the Atlanta area in awhile. You just took another gaint step in what you already do excellently. Just promise when you get to the top of the ladder, you will take a second to look down the rungs and at least wave at us less talented folks.
Maybe if I get rid of my $4.97 Buck Bros. mitre saw and get one like you got, I can someday get decent DT's too. Or then again, it might have something to do with effort put forth from the person holding the saw and not the brand. Hey, maybe I'm onto something here! he.. he...
:>)
sarge..jt
Proud member of the : "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>)
In your largest drawer, the closeup of the dovetails looks like the center dovetail is pretty much a finger joint; ie, no slope on that pin. I've done this a few times on accident, I was wondering if you did this on purpose...
Tom
It does look like that in the picture. I'll have a look when I get home. I don't think I had any pins that are as wide as that appears. Hmm. Tom
Douglasville, GA
If the angle is a little shallow on one pin/tail combo. then no big deal. You probably had to do a little more fitting there than on the others.
The angle on that one is a little shallower but the real culprit is the corner of tht one tail is chipped off a little. These aren't glued up yet but it's nothing a small wedge won't fix. If that's the worst i can find wrong with them I'll certainly be happy with them.Tom
Douglasville, GA
definitely! I was just considering trying an alternate dovetail/ finger joint on small drawers for a decorative touch, and that was what I was picturing .
I made my drawers with rabbits, but I like your dovetails better!
You cdertainly work fast enough.
Since there was a comment about the quality ...
With a good monitor and even in my graphics progam it is impossible to tell if the dovetails are good or not.
You need to take pictures from closer.
Critique away. I didn't cherry pick the drawers, the pics are pretty typical of how they all look. Pics of the through dovetails didn't have enough contrast to bother posting them. Tom
Douglasville, GA
I'll chime in again and say they look great to me. Tom, maybe you need to post a picture of the workbench you built to give some of the other a little perspective on your skill level.
Charles
Charles
He might throw in a pic of a Morris chair and otto-man and a bed for this daughter and mention the fact that both won their class at the Atlanta WW Show two years ago. He was also slated to teach a 4 day seminar on building Morris Chairs at Highland Hardward last year.
Then again, he's kind of humble! He is a master of the Leight Jig and looks like he's on his way to becoming a master of hand cut DT's. I personally think the only reason he's not already is he just hadn't got around to them yet.. ha.. ha...
sarge.jtProud member of the : "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>)
The photo detail is good enough quality to make comments.
They look good.
10dr... (second dovetail from the top has the saw cut a bit deep but I find that acceptable.)
Tom,
Pretty work. Keep it up!
Regards,
Ray
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