Michael Dresdner: The only areas that require glue on dovetails are the diagonal faces. All the diagonal faces are long grain, all the square faces are end grain, and all the flat faces abut end grain. Therefore, you need only apply glue to the diagonal faces on the tails or pins, or both.
What is the best glue for dovetails?
If you are doing a simple Drawer, or small box with dovetails, then I say, use white/yellow (PVC, PVA) glue, (D3 grade) if its only a couple of tails on each corner, then I will even use the “Express” white glues (the stuff that sets up or has a press time of in 5-10 min), because it does not take long to put the glue …
What are the rules for dovetail joints?
The general rule is that they measure half the thickness of timber plus around 1 mm along the shoulder line. So these two awl dots are 7 mm in from each edge. These two dots, which mark the corners of the half pins, are now converted into a 1:8 slope at each side.
How tight should a dovetail joint be?
If you can use your fist as a hammer to nudge them together, they’re just right. By the way, when you realize they will fit nice and snug, (hopefully by the time they are less than half way down) take them apart and don’t put them together again until you glue them.
What is the weakness of dovetail joint?
The disadvantages of dovetail joints are that they can be fairly difficult to mark out and cut, and if they are made badly these joints lose the advantages listed above. Depending on the project, function, and design, there are a number of different types of dovetail joints to choose from.
What is the best glue for dovetails?
If you are doing a simple Drawer, or small box with dovetails, then I say, use white/yellow (PVC, PVA) glue, (D3 grade) if its only a couple of tails on each corner, then I will even use the “Express” white glues (the stuff that sets up or has a press time of in 5-10 min), because it does not take long to put the glue …
What makes a dovetail joint so strong?
The dovetail joint is very strong because of the way the ‘tails’ and ‘pins’ are shaped. This makes it difficult to pull the joint apart and virtually impossible when glue is added.
Is a finger joint stronger than a dovetail joint?
For box joint, some people put a lot more fingers than it is possible to do with Dovetail. In this case, the gluing surface is larger, and the joint is likely stronger. Also, some find a way to hide a finish nail in the joint. Dovetail has the advantage of a mechanical lock independent of the glue.
How do you set out dovetail joints?
The shoulder line should be fractionally bigger (0.5mm) than the thickness of the wood to allow for a little overhang when the joint goes together. Mark out the two ‘half-pins’ at the edges on the first piece of wood. The ‘pins’ are the bits of wood between the tails so there are two half-pins; one each side.
Is a dovetail joint strong or weak?
Dovetail joints are known for their inherent strength and resistance to being pulled apart (tensile strength).
What is the most popular dovetail joint?
Single-lap Dovetail The single-lap (known to many folks as a half-blind dovetail) is the best known of the dovetails since it’s used to join the front to the sides of a drawer.
Are dovetail joints permanent?
The strongest and most permanent right-angled joints made in wood are the ‘dove-tail’ joints, as illustrated below. The so-called tails and pins fit together to form a secure joint.
When did they stop using dovetail joints?
Hand-cut dovetailing was the default until 1860 when uniform machine-cut joints were introduced. But fine cabinetmakers persisted in fitting their joints by hand until the early 1900s, and cabinetmakers in Europe cut dovetails by hand well into the 1930s.
What is the weakest joint in carpentry?
A butt joint uses a simple technique whereby two pieces of material are joined together at their ends, without any special shaping or cutting. Although it is simple, the butt joint is also the weakest of the wood joinery types.
What is the best angle for a dovetail joint?
Lower (7° to 9°) angles are often advised for joining hardwoods, while higher angles (10° to 14°) are recommended for softwoods and even higher angles (14° to 18°) for half-blind dovetails.
What are the strongest joints in carpentry?
Mortise and tenon joints have stood the test of time for their remarkable strength. This traditional joint involves a projecting piece of wood, called a tenon, securely fitting into a corresponding cavity, a mortise. It can be reinforced with glue or wedges for stability for a stronger hold.
What is the strongest wood joint glue?
Gorilla Wood Glue There are several reasons why Gorilla tops the list when it comes to larger carpentry or woodworking efforts. Its thicker viscosity makes it easier to spread over broad areas than thinner glues. Gorilla Glue also has an open time of up to 15 minutes.
What is the best adhesive to joint wood?
Polyvinyl acetate (PVA) glue is a synthetic adhesive and the most common type of wood glue. It is colorless and odorless. PVA glue sets best in areas with good air circulation and dries quickly at room temperature. Not all PVA glues are waterproof, so check your product’s instructions.
What is the best glue for metal joints?
Epoxy adhesives form the strongest metal-to-metal bonds. They consist of two parts – the adhesive and the hardener. These combine to create strong, long-lasting bonds between different types of metal or between metal and concrete surfaces. For metal you may want to find yourself a two-part epoxy adhesive.
What is the best glue for trim joints?
Titebond No-Run, No-Drip provides a strong initial tack and fast speed of set, yet allows realignment of working pieces. It also develops a bond stronger than the wood itself, offers excellent sandability and is unaffected by finishes.
What is the best glue for dovetails?
If you are doing a simple Drawer, or small box with dovetails, then I say, use white/yellow (PVC, PVA) glue, (D3 grade) if its only a couple of tails on each corner, then I will even use the “Express” white glues (the stuff that sets up or has a press time of in 5-10 min), because it does not take long to put the glue …
How big should a dovetail joint be?
Typically we use 1 ½” – 2” deep dovetails that are about 2” less deep than the joist, and 4” less deep than the girt – but that is just a starting point – the loads and reactions have to be calculated from there.
Is a half blind dovetail joint strong?
Leigh Router Joinery Jigs Joining drawer sides to drawer fronts using the half-blind joint leaves the front of the drawer without visible joinery while providing great interlocking strength opposing the stresses constantly applied to the drawer when opening and closing.
What is the easiest joint in carpentry?
A butt joint is the easiest of all simple wood joints, but also is the weakest. The cut end of one board butts up against the edge of another piece at a right angle.
What is the easiest and strongest wood joint?
What is the strongest woodworking joint? For excellent stability, the mortise and tenon joint is a great choice. It’s a relatively simple joint, yet it holds well. Woodworkers have been using it for generations because of its strength, versatility and simple design.
How hard is it to make a dovetail joint?
Hand-cutting a dovetail joint is kind of a woodworking high-wire act; one slip of the saw or chisel and the joint either won’t fit together or will look sloppy. It takes a lot of time to master the ability to cut dovetails quickly and well (by hand or machine), without a lot of fussing around.
