The English tended to use mahogany and oak in the drawer sides and secondary woods. These hard woods allowed finer dovetails. The French also used oak, but the Germans used softer pine, which more or less required a larger dovetail.
Which is better English or French dovetail?
While both English and French dovetail construction are very sturdy and high quality, English dovetail construction is slightly sturdier with the trade-off of being more expensive and time-consuming to produce.
What is a French dovetail?
French dovetails have sliding joints and are shorter in height. A piece of furniture with a curved front will always have French dovetails, because English dovetails will not work with that shape.
How many types of dovetail joints are there?
The following are the different types of dovetail joints: Through dovetail. Half-blind dovetail. Secret mitered dovetail.
What is the most popular dovetail?
1) Through Dovetail Also known as the plain dovetail, this is the most common and basic type of dovetail joint. Through interlocking tails and pins, this joint showcases consistent angles, revealing the wood’s end grains on external surfaces.
Is dovetail the highest quality?
Dovetail is arguably the strongest joint in millwork. It’s made so that it can’t be twisted or pulled in any direction except for one. This means that it’ll take more force to break or damage the joint. Because of the preciseness of each piece, this joint is held into place without the need for extra reinforcement.
What is the easiest dovetail jig to use?
The TD330 is easy to use. The e10 guide bushing guides the router with installed bit in and around the comb of the template to rout the dovetails. The TD330 can be used on a router table, providing quick and easy routing of through dovetails.
When did they stop making dovetail furniture?
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 English dovetail drawer construction?
Noted for its resistance to being pulled apart, also known as tensile strength, the dovetail joint is commonly used to join the sides of a drawer to the front. A series of pins cut to extend from the end of one board interlock with a series of ‘tails’ cut into the end of another board.
What are the different types of dovetail rails?
Dovetails come in several different types and sizes depending on manufacturer, but the most common are the 11 mm and 3⁄8 inch (9.5 mm). Some other less known, but currently commercially available dovetail mounts, are 12, 13, 13.5, 14, 14.5, 16, 16.5, 17 and 19 mm.
Should you glue dovetail joints?
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.
How deep 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.
What is the difference between 11mm and 3 8 dovetail?
The 3/8 Inch is measured across the bottom of the dovetail whereas the 11 mm is measured across the top of the dovetail. A 3/8 Inch dovetail is about 12.7 mm across the top. The measurements 3/8 and 11mm are not the same for this reason plus the angles are different.
What is stronger dovetail or finger joint?
Although the finger joint is not mechanically interlocking like a dovetail, the joint is amazingly strong. Today’s modern adhesives and the large glue surface make the finger joint equally as strong as the dovetail throughout the life of the adhesive.
What is the best dovetail angle?
Although softwoods are more compressible than hardwoods, you needn’t change the dovetail angle to add strength to the joint. Any angle between 7° and 15° will work, regardless of the wood. But stay within that range. If you go below 7°, you’ll start to lose the mechanical strength of the dovetail.
What is the best material for dovetail drawers?
Dovetail drawers are typically made of solid wood or plywood. Solid wood is the traditional material for dovetail drawers, but plywood is becoming more popular because it is more stable and less likely to warp.
What are the disadvantages of dovetail joints?
Hand cut dovetail joints require precise handsaw and chisel skills, and can be fiddly to mark out and cut. If dovetail joints are poorly made they will lose the advantage of strength and durability.
Are dovetail joints difficult?
It’s true that dovetail is hard to make, but all it takes is a couple of stabs at the joint and even a novice will be happy about the results.
Are dovetail joints antique?
Most quality pieces of antique furniture will have a dovetail joint in the drawer construction as it was a very early form of construction, but was so successful, it was used for many 100’s of years. The Dovetail joint, got its name because of its similarity to the shape of a birds tail.
Can you cut dovetails with a jigsaw?
If you have a jigsaw table, a few simple angle jigs can help you create fast, precise and repeatable dovetails.
Can I make a homemade dovetail jig?
All you need is some standard, off-the-shelf hardware, 5 board feet of hardwood , and a piece of hardboard to make your own “comb” template. However, as I got into the project further I found some improvements I could make over manufactured dovetail jigs along the way.
How thick should a dovetail jig be?
Dovetail Jig rave about the user-friendly features. The jig’s patented alignment lines and router bit-depth stop simplify set up and get you up and running in no time. This versatile jig accepts stock from 1/4 to 1-1/8 inch in thickness and up to 12 inches in width.
Is dovetail worth it?
Making sure that you pick a drawer joint that can withstand this type of wear and tear is crucial to the longevity of your kitchen cabinets. Dovetail joints are considered one of the strongest joints used in kitchen cabinetry construction and are the best solution for a kitchen cabinet drawer box.
What is the strongest wood joint?
Mortise and tenon joints are widely regarded as one of the strongest and most reliable woodworking joints. They involve creating a mortise, or a hole, in one piece of wood and a tenon on the end of the other piece, which fits into the mortise.
Why are dovetail drawers better?
The dovetail joint that hold the sides of the drawer together consists of interlocking “tails” on one side and “pins” on the other, cut at precise angles that fit tightly together. This creates high tensile strength, which means the joint is extremely resistant to being pulled apart.
What is French dovetail drawers?
Joints on French dovetail drawers are constructed slightly different, with the drawer side sliding upward into a long groove at the drawer’s front. The advantages of dovetail drawers are in the construction of their joints. They offer a stronger drawer, with a larger holding capacity.
