Hand Cut Half Blind Dovetails - 122

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Dovetails: very few joints are held in such high regard. Not sure why exactly, but there seems to be a nearly universal love and adoration for this flying vermin-inspired interlocking joint. And I don't care what anyone says, doves are just dirty pigeons in a lighter-colored outfit. To be fair though, the joint is beautiful, incredibly strong, and requires skill and attention to detail to cut by hand.

One of the most common variations of the dovetail is known as a half-blind dovetail. You'll find this joint most often on drawer fronts where you don't necessarily want to see the joint from the front. With a few tools, a little know-how, and a lot of patience, this beloved joint is well within your grasp.

And speaking of patience, what's the rush people?!?! It seems like some folks feel that if they aren't cutting their dovetails in three minutes, they aren't doing it correctly. I say put the breaks on and enjoy the process. After all, isn't that why you're cutting them by hand? If I wanted them cut in just a few minutes, I'd keep a dedicated jig set up and knock them out with my router. Take your time.....be one with the wood......

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• woodworking
• hand-cut
• dovetails
• half-blind

[evanwhitman]

Great video bro! One thing though, I think that you have your pins and tails confused. Your're calling your pins, tails and your tails, pins. Your're calling your pine sides tails when there're pins and your're calling your cherry drawer front pins when in fact it is the tails part. Think of a birds hind flared tail.

[TheWoodWhisperer]

@evanwhitman Thanks for the kind words. But I can assure you the terminology is correct. And if it wasn't, the other commenters would never let me live it down, lol.

[evanwhitman]

@TheWoodWhisperer I stand corrected. I was taught wrong in my terminology. I actually researched it before I responded. I probably should have done that before posting originally. :)

[TheWoodWhisperer]

@evanwhitman haha no worries. I find it best to think of the function of a drawer and that you always want tails for the drawer sides. Looking at the functionality of a drawer, there is only way the joint would make sense in terms of resisting years of pulling forces....and that's with the tails on the side. Sort of helps me remember which is which.

[evanwhitman]

@TheWoodWhisperer I appreciate the gentle correction. I guess I always thought of it as the human anatomy, men have {ah-hem} and women have... you get the point. I also would applaud you for putting yourself out there and exposing yourself to blog snipers {like me in this case, sorry about that}

[TheWoodWhisperer]

@evanwhitman After six years, I learned to deal with it. :) If you can't deal with feedback, you don't last very long on the web. :)

[evanwhitman]

I’ve watched a few of your videos and there're very informative and educational with a non condescending manner. Well done! I enjoy watching young guys {like me} taking hold of a craft that is dying. Ah yes, the video game era! Thank you Microsoft! Cheers Bro! You have my respect.

Evan

[TheWoodWhisperer]

@Knapper32927 Thanks for the kind words. Glad you liked the video. As for scribing, I would say only scribe twice if you don't feel the first scribe line is deep enough.

[Knapper32927]

This is awesome - slight humor, and great detail on information - the graphics are great also, giving some great insight and a superb teaching method. One thing though:

I was always told "you aint gonna cut that wood with the marker, kid" whenever I would mark more than once - at 1:55 - 2:02 on the end piece, he scribes the wood twice. Do you recommend doing that for a rookie? Not me of course, I'm a superman - but the average rookie....lol Thank you for the video too :)

[TheWoodWhisperer]

@olinewoodworker Honestly, it all depends on the drawer. For a small one like this, these numbers seemed good to me. I don't worry too much about perfect dovtail spacing though since the eye usually can't pick up little discrepancies. But the easiest way I know to divide them up is using an actual divider. Short of that, you can just do the math or simply lay them out in a way that looks visually pleasing.