How to cut dovetails 4 different methods. From hand tools to fancy machines. For 10% off your very first purchase, go to:
Japanese Pull Saw:
Marking Gauge:
Dividers:
Marking Knife:
Square:
Dovetail Jig:
Coping Saw:
Sculpt:
Router Dovetail Jig:
Dovetail Bits for Router Jig:
Router:
Stepcraft CNC:
Dovetail Bit for CNC:
Handheld CNC:
Handheld CNC Table Jig:
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Detailed Dovetail Video:
5 Minute Dovetails:
Double Inlay Dovetails:
Half-blind Router Dovetails w/ Jig:
Handheld CNC Shaper Origin:
Laney Shaughnessy CNC Dovetails:
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I may have misspoke about the dovetail gadget in Vcarve. If you have experience with it please let me know how it works. Thanks!
This is great! AliKat has been asking to do dovetails. She’s gonna love this!
I have the Rockler dovetail jig and I’ve never used it. Too intimidated. I just might try it now thanks to your videos.
It does take a decent amount of work, start with the half blind. I DO find with the half blind it is critical, but a little finicky to get the board on the face perfectly aligned with the board on top. It is also important to keep track of what is the inside and outside of the board and which is the top and bottom. It is one thing to make a single dovetail but another thing to attempt to make a full box, especially one such as a drawer where the dimensions have to be perfect. Watching a few videos specifically about this jig (like David’s) will help a lot. Definitely practice on some scrap but try to hit a specific dimension. Good luck!
100% agree. Thanks Jeremy!
This is exactly what I needed to give me the confidence to actually attempt dovetails.
with hand cut dovetails I angle the board for my guide marks to be vertical to cut dovetails with the saw vertical. the saw registers in a knife line. I think it was something I learned from Wood wright’s shop. someone I knew cut his dovetails on the table saw. you have to have a blade with flat teeth.
Glad you’re still loving the jig brother! Thanks for the shout out!
I love the CNC method but I’d probably have a nervous breakdown trying to make sure everything is indexed correctly.
Personally, if I have to cut a lot of identical dovetail pieces, like building a bank of drawers, I like to use a jig with a tablesaw. I was surprised that wasn’t one of the ways you covered. It was the second way I learned to do dovetails, after hand cutting.
I don’t know why, but I didn’t see a table saw jig for dovetails that I liked. 😕
But it definitely would be the way!
Cutting dovetails has got to be the most intimidating skill in woodworking. Thanks for showing us options!
David’s getting excited about dovetails! He’s hittin’ the sauce. I always enjoy your energy and enthusiasm. A method for everyone. Thanks!
A long time ago, I bought a much cheaper version of the router jig. I tried to use it once and was completely discouraged. It’s been sitting on the shelf ever since. I should pull it out and give it another try. Thanks for sharing!
I like how you showed many ways of doing this. I want to build myself a CNC router, now I really want to do it sooner so I can cut dovetails.
David very nice and very useful and every information video this week. Thanks so much. Can’t wait to see more videos soon. Keep up the great craftsmanship and hard work my friend. Keep making. God bless.
Great film, super informative. Mahalo for sharing! : )
was wondering if you were going to do what a lot of YT’ers are doing….build a jig for the table saw….nice work as usual sir.
Great tips👍👍
Pretty interesting indeed, Dave! Thanks! 😃
I need to pick that jig up as well! It’s fantastic!
Anyway, stay safe there with your family! 🖖😊
Great stuff as always David! Just don’t blow too many dovetails 😆. I picked up a KM (Katz Moses) jig a while back and I’m digging it. We use jigs for so many things, I see no reason for some to crap over their use in cutting dovetails. I saw an alternate version of hand cut where you cut by hand, waste out with coping saw, but then clean out the bottom with a router with pattern bit (may have been Matt Kenney?). Haven’t tried that way myself yet, but looked interesting.
Also – still not quite used to you sans beard lol. Thinking of bringing it back? (you know I am pro beard biased lol)
Nice job and appreciate you showing several methods. The KM jig is very helpful and it’s very satisfying making it by hand. 👍🏼