Replies

1. 
   eddiefromaustralia | Mar 06, 2004 04:02am | #1

   Luca,

   Attached sketch shows layout.

   These are splay or canted dovetails.  Note that the pins are aligned with the grain direction as drawn, not square to the edge of the board.

   Posts # 2 & 3 were mine (now deleted).  I made a few mistakes in the rough sketches - too much happenning in the background at the time.

   (edit) the sketch shows lapped or half-blind (US) splayed or canted dovetails

   Best regards,

   eddie

   
   

   ---

   Edited 3/5/2004 9:20:46 PM ET by eddie (aust)

   
1. 
   SgianDubh | Mar 06, 2004 11:25am | #3

   eddie, Luca may be making a pyramid with the top cut off, akin to a hopper which is the same but the other way up-- I'm not sure from his description.

   If that's the case then there is a complete description of how to mark and cut dovetails for this structure in Ernest Joyce, The Technique (US Dictionary) of Furniture Making, ISBN 0 8069 7142 8-- see attached image lifted from Joyce. It can be got from online booksellers, and it looks like Luca's english is pretty good-- he/she may be english speaking but lives in Italy. Joyce also shows how to mark and cut the canted dovetails you illustrated. Slainte.RJFurniture

   
1. 
   eddiefromaustralia | Mar 06, 2004 11:54am | #4

   Thanks RJ,

   I turned on the computer after dinner and we're pretty close to a real-time conversation here.

   Yes, it could be a hopper-type assembly, I may have misread the post.

   Here's a good resource on how to hand cut a dovetail too, Luca. 

   I've mentioned lap dovetails as they are harder than through dovetails.  If you're cutting through dovetails, chisel the shoulder in halfway, then turn the piece over and chisel out the rest - gives you a clean shoulder line

   http://www.popularwoodworking.com/features/fea12.html

   The only area where I disagree is on page h, or thereabouts, where the writers say that it is traditional to cut into the back of the drawer when you're sawing the shoulders on the tail sockets.  It's sloppy, in my opinion.  We've always been trained to cut to the line and never beyond it.

   Cheers,

   eddie

   Edited 3/6/2004 3:57 am ET by eddie (aust)

2. 
   llelli | Mar 06, 2004 11:55am | #6

   Thank you everybody, I'm going to the workshop and start immediately on two pieces of scrap wood, before trying to ruin my nice cherry boards.

   Luca

2. 
   llelli | Mar 06, 2004 11:56am | #7

   Thank you everybody, I'm going to the workshop and start immediately on two pieces of scrap wood, before trying to ruin my nice cherry boards.

   Luca

2. 
   joinerswork | Mar 06, 2004 06:12am | #2

   Luca,

   Like Eddie says, the pins are aligned in the same direction as the grain .  Cut sides and ends at the slope angle.  Set a bevel guage (sliding T-bevel, bevel square) to that angle.  Lay out the pins' ends as usual, then you will "square" the pins down the box's sides with the bevel square. Cut the pins. Scribe around the pins onto the box end,and use the bevel square to project the tails around the corner of the box end. Cut the tails.

   This is assuming you are making a box with the same angle on sides and ends, what is commonly called a "hopper" corner.  If the splay is different on sides and ends, you will need two bevel squares, one for each angle. 

   Good luck,

   Ray

1. 
   llelli | Mar 06, 2004 11:55am | #5

   Thank you everybody, I'm going to the workshop and start immediately on two pieces of scrap wood, before trying to ruin my nice cherry boards.

   Luca