I had a little fun in the shop yesterday and today trying to get my dovetails to look reasonable. I have tried to cut them in the past with mixed results, and never actually used them in any projects I have done, but I really want to learn to cut this joint by hand and I think I am on my way.

My attempt a couple weeks ago yielded sloppy results, I was using 3/4" pine and the softness of the pine made it difficult to chop the waste out.

Earlier practice

My attempt earlier was rushed too, I clicked on a YouTube video in my home, took mental notes and carried them into the shop and just went at it, I also had a little too much coffee.

Latest attempt

This time, I sat down with purpose, and focus, and took each step slowly and deliberately. I am a big fan of the Mortise and Tenon Magazine and the editors thereof, I think I might have everything they have published and a few other wonderful reads off their store.

I pulled my "Joined" book out of my library, and I carefully read through the chapter for through dovetails, and verbatim I followed each step to the letter, and I am pleasantly pleased with my progress on this 1/2" thick Poplar board. I finished each step, and turned the page of the "Joined" book slowly, and thoughtfully and worked through it.

It was a combination of less coffee, more focus, slowing my roll, accepting the fact that the first few runs are going to take awhile, and just like anything once the understanding comes clear and the techniques get comfortable, I'll be more efficient and better in the future, it'll just take time and practice.

The book "Joined" by Joshua A. Klein is meant to be at the bench, to be used and abused, and referenced frequently, this is the first time I have used the book for its intended purposed since I bought it over a year ago, needless to say, it now has a permanent place at my bench.

Below are my dovetails, and, it was a fit the first shot, I pressed the joint together and gave it some taps with my steel hammer head and they sat in pretty good, not bad! Still needs much work, but it's light years ahead of my attempt above, but my above attempt was a needed stepping stone to get to this point. And uh, ya, I need to be careful how I tap my tails in to the pins, you can see some hammer marks in the tails. 🤷

The tails and pins sat a hair proud, I planed them down with a few swipes of a plane.

Feel free to share your dovetails in this topic so I can see how you are doing, and so I have something to aspire too. 😊

The above book can be found in a bundle now, at a great price, I bought both Joined and Worked separately as they came out, but the bundled price is a wonderful deal.

Mortise & Tenon Magazine

Bundle: “Worked” & “Joined”

A Two-Book Discounted Bundle Worked: A Bench Guide to Hand-Tool Efficiency & Joined: A Bench Guide to Furniture Joinery  By: Joshua A. Klein In Joined: A Bench Guide to Furniture Joinery, author J

Most excellent!!!

1 minute ago, lew said:

Most excellent!!!

Thanks sir.

I even took both attempts into the house and proudly showed my wife and she was impressed! It's funny how grown men like little boys, still try to impress the women in our lives, and seek that patronizing "oh very nice honey, good job!". 🤣

Ain’t that the truth…