Nearly 50 years ago, in my Grandfather’s shop, I was taught to remove most of the waste with a coping saw, and perhaps using a (true) forstner bit on half blind dovetails; the result leaves very little paring chisel work before fitting the joint. “Chopping out the waste” and “hammer” or “mallet” were simply not a part of the routine. We “pared” the small amount of waste with a beveled butt chisel – bent over the workpiece lying on top of the bench – using our upper body to apply controlled downward force through our chest to the hand holding the chisel. This paring waste takes on the appearance of tiny, thin shavings.
How many out there ever use a coping saw or jewelers saw for this? Funny, but my narrow frame coping saw has never had the blade installed any way but at 90 degrees to the frame …. for this purpose! Just curious! (Sorry if this is covered in an earlier thread, but I haven’t time to scan them.)
John in middle Tennessee
Replies
John, I use the bandsaw to cut away most of the waste from my pins, and sometimes from the tails (depending on the size of the pins... if the pins are small I don't want to risk slipping and losing a chunk of tail).
David
Look, I made a hat -- Where there never was a hat!
You mean something like in these images, Tails? I substitute a router, small cutter, and side fence for the forstner or saw tooth bits you mentioned. The router trick, if done right, will define the shoulder line almost into each corner.
A bit of final paring should be all that's needed to complete the job. The dovetails being cut in this example are slightly more complex than normal being the double twisted variety. Click on the labelled images in the order 8, 9, 10 and 14 to see the stages leading towards assembly, (i.e.,. top left, top right, bottom left, bottom right.) Slainte.
Hi RJ,
Since nobody else has bitten, I will.
Any chance of posting an exploded view of the joint? I'm familiar with the trick dovetail, but can't, for the life of me see how to assemble this one.
Cheers,
eddie
It looks like you can slide them in at 45 degrees to each other. ie push on both sides
Tom
I've just rewritten the text and added new images. All very poor quality jpegs I'm afraid-- nothing over 21 KB. Slainte.
Some stuff I've made.
Edited 1/13/2003 6:28:54 PM ET by Sgian Dubh
Thanks RJ,
Appreciate this.
eddie
Richard,
You ole coot, you told me you made those with your teeth and fingernails, like a good Highlander.
Tim :-)
Well, I used to Tim, until I discovered modern technology, like saws, chisels, routers and the like, ha, ha. Slainte.Some stuff I've made.
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