Even Faster Dovetails on the Table Saw

Steve Latta demonstrates how to use a spacer to cut symmetrical dovetails on the tablesaw.

By Steve Latta Dec 09, 2020

Hand-cut dovetails are an essential skill, but for cleanliness and speed, I prefer the tablesaw. To speed the process along, I use two miter gauges with an auxiliary fence combined with a specialty dovetail blade ground to the correct dovetail angle.

A hangup happens when I rabbet a case back, though. Ideally, I’d just flip a board edge for edge when dovetailing it (and then end for end), and simply move a stop each time. This would give me fast, symmetrical tails. But with the rabbet there, flipping doesn’t work—or at least not without some help. This is because the rabbet pushes the tails away from the edge. So I came up with a quick workaround.

The fix is to add a spacer that offsets the case side the depth of the rabbet. Do this on the front edge of the workpiece at both the top and bottom. From there, you can simply lay out one set of tails and use it to set your stop. The symmetry allows the process to fly. Cut one tail wall, flip edge for edge, cut, flip end for end, cut, flip edge for edge, cut, and reset the block. Then repeat all the way across.

The spacer must match the depth of the rabbet to offset the dovetails the correct amount.

Attach the spacers to the top and bottom of the front edge. Double-stick tape works well for this.

Push the workpiece against a stop and cut the first tail wall. Latta guides the piece using two miter gauges with a shared fence.

Then flip the board edge for edge... — Then flip the board edge for edge…

... and cut the opposite tail wall. Ensure the spacer sits firmly against the stop. — … and cut the opposite tail wall. Ensure the spacer sits firmly against the stop.

Without moving the stop, repeat on the other end.

Move the stop and repeat across the board. This will give you perfectly symmetrical tails in very little time.

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