Replies

1. 
   Sgian_Dubh | Oct 29, 2000 06:02pm | #1

   *
   1. Layout,

   < Obsolete Link >

   The angles depicted in the drawing are exaggerated for clarity. This is the same image as the link below, so no need to click on that. Sliante.

1. 
   Sgian_Dubh | Oct 29, 2000 06:10pm | #2

   *2. Assembly. First step. Sliante.

1. 
   Sgian_Dubh | Oct 29, 2000 06:12pm | #3

   *3. Assembly, 2nd. step Sliante

1. 
   Sgian_Dubh | Oct 29, 2000 06:15pm | #4

   *4. Dry Assembly Completed. Sliante.

1. 
   Sgian_Dubh | Oct 29, 2000 06:24pm | #5

   *5. A complete example.View ImageHave fun at it!! Sliante.

2. 
   Paul_Tower | Oct 29, 2000 07:19pm | #6

   *I'll try to scan in a sketch of what I ended up with! I see that the official method hasn't any voids, think I'd have given myself a headache trying to figure that! Thanks for the repost. Paul PS thats so smooth looking! Darn it I can't get my neighbors scanner to work and he isn't here to point out why!

3. 
   Sgian_Dubh | Oct 30, 2000 06:45pm | #7

   *Some suggestions to help you with this brain teaser.*1. Ensure the end grain is b perfectly square to the two faces and the two edges.*2. I'd make up your samples out of something like poplar. Cheap, not too hard, and easily disposable into the round file if required.*3. Dimensions I'd recommend for experimenting are about 18-22 mm thick, by about 125 mm wide. Length of each piece probably best at about 300- 400mm long. These dimensions are big enough to lay out the joint, and to hold the timber securely in vises and the like whilst you are cutting it. If you work in Imperial, which I don't, those dimensions are about 3/4" to 7/8" T X @5" W X 12" to 16" L.*4 Tools. A rip toothed dovetail saw works much better than a standard tooth pattern for cutting to the angled layout lines. If you use one of the Japanese pull cut saws, I'm sure that they work fine too. They are not in my armoury of tools.*5 In the first drawing that I provided, Post 1, the rise used for all the layout is indicated as being 1 in 8. Strictly speaking the amount of rise shouldn't be important. You could probably set it to anywhere between about 1 in 5 to about 1 in 11, but it's my experience that a rise of about 1 in 8 to 1 in 9 works best being the best compromise between the extremes. The trick is to set the bevel gauge and then not alter it.*6. Start marking at an outside corner, and take the lines around to the shoulder lines flipping the bevel gauge as needed. Use a knife line, not a pencil for this. You can run a 0.5 mechanical pencil in the line to help see it. My first note indicated that the end grain must be absolutely square to the faces and edges. If this is not the case, marking will be inaccurate, followed by inaccurate sawing, and the joint won't assemble.*7. Start cutting the lines in at the outside corner holding the saw at an angle until you reach the inside corner, and the outside shoulder line. The kerf thus formed acts as a guide allowing you to cut down to the inside shoulder line.*8. Use a cutting gauge to mark the shoulder lines. Much better than a marking gauge which tears the grain.*9. Meticulous attention to detail and accuracy really is needed for the thing to work, I'm afraid.These tips should help I believe, but if I've not been clear, get back. I have no idea if this is the 'official' way of cutting this joint. I worked out a method of doing this myself after someone raised the idea of dovetailing in two directions at once. I didn't know I was re-inventing the wheel, but perhaps I was. Anyway, no matter, it works for me. I don't use the joint too often. It's fiendishly expensive to produce, so I use it primarily on gallery or exhibition furniture as a sort of advertisment saying something like "If you want this level of craft ability, you can have it, but dig deep into your pockets." At the same time I don't equate the ability to make such joints with good design. That's a different issue outwith the scope of this thread.Sliante.