Your tails should be around 18mm > 35mm for fine work like drawers and 35mm > 55mm on larger work like a chest. Decide on your tail size remembering “One more tail than pin”.
How big should dovetails be?
For drawers, boxes or trays 2″ or less I generally like a single dovetail. For 3″ to 3 1/2″ and less two dovetails, for 4″ three dovetails, for 5″ to 6″ four dovetails and for 6″ four or possibly five.
What size is a dovetail wood joint?
Dovetail Dado Wood Joints have joint widths of 2/3 and joint depths of 1/2. Wood joints are typically used in wood members with widths between 1.5”-3.5” (3.8-8.9 cm) and depths between of . 75”-3.5” (1.9-8.9 cm).
What is the standard dovetail ratio?
Dovetail angles are usually expressed as ratios — the most common being 1:6 and 1:8 (said “one in eight,” and also written as 6:1 or 8:1). As a general rule of thumb: Use 1:6 for softwoods. Use 1:8 for hardwoods.
What size dovetail chisels do you really need?
After years of dovetailing, I noticed that two of my chisels were seeing almost all the action: the 1/4″-wide and a 3/4″-wide tools. I use the narrow one for removing waste between the tails and the larger one for removing waste between pins.
How big should dovetails be?
For drawers, boxes or trays 2″ or less I generally like a single dovetail. For 3″ to 3 1/2″ and less two dovetails, for 4″ three dovetails, for 5″ to 6″ four dovetails and for 6″ four or possibly five.
What size is a dovetail wood joint?
Dovetail Dado Wood Joints have joint widths of 2/3 and joint depths of 1/2. Wood joints are typically used in wood members with widths between 1.5”-3.5” (3.8-8.9 cm) and depths between of . 75”-3.5” (1.9-8.9 cm).
What is the most common dovetail ratio?
With regard to what to use, a common recommendation is 1:8 for hardwoods and 1:6 for softwoods. These recommendations are based on some arguments related to strength. However, people use a lot of different ratios depending on application and aesthetics.
What are the rules for dovetail joints?
The space between half pins is divided between pins and tails. Fine work the pins 4mm > 6mm, larger work 7mm > 12mm. To have a desirable appearance the pins smaller than the tails. Your tails should be around 18mm > 35mm for fine work like drawers and 35mm > 55mm on larger work like a chest.
Is dovetail 11mm?
The standard 22 tip-off dovetail in the US is 3/8″ at the bottom and up to 1/2″ at the top. The European 11mm dovetail is typically 11mm at the top and perhaps 8mm at the bottom. The 11mm dovetail typically has a 60 degree angle from the bottom inside corner to the top where the 3/8″ is typically 45 degrees.
Is 11mm dovetail the same as 3 8?
However, that is not the only difference between the two dovetails. They also have different groove angles as shown below. The 11 mm dovetail has a 60-degree angle, while the 3/8” dovetail has a 45-degree angle.
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.
What is the best angle for a dovetail joint?
Percy Blandford, who has been writing about woodworking for a long time, writes in “The Woodworker’s Bible” that any angle between 7.5° and 10° is acceptable. The ideal, he says, is 8.5° for softwoods and 7.5° when joining hardwoods.
What angle should a dovetail joint be?
The angle of a dovetail joint should be between 7 and 15 degrees: too broad and the joint won’t be strong enough, too skinny, and the pin can snap. So the angle of the dovetail mainly depends on the use and wear the joint will get. 5. They are called ‘dovetails’ because they are shaped like the tail feathers of a dove!
What is the best dovetail angle for hardwood joints?
The ideal, he says, is 8.5° for softwoods and 7.5° when joining hardwoods. One Wednesday morning I laid out and cut a bunch of these dovetails.
What is the most common wood chisel size?
However, you will find them very easy to handle and a joy to use. Now available in sizes 1/8″ – 1/2″ by 1/16″. It is perfectly acceptable to just have one mortise chisel ( 1/4″ or 3/8″ being the most common) and size all your mortises accordingly.
What type of chisel is best for dovetails?
The triangular cross-section of these chisels make them ideal for paring and chopping away the waste on dovetail joinery. Suitable for other joinery tasks, these affordable chisels are a nice complement to standard bench chisels for creating and fine-tuning joinery.
Which chisel is best for dovetails?
Fishtail Chisels are perfect for reaching the back corners of half-blind dovetails and paring other hard-to-reach areas. Their unique shape offers versatility for right and left hand recesses.
What is the best length for a dovetail saw?
Even if you’ll use your saw mostly for run of the mill drawer dovetails, the longer length will give much straighter cuts, and be much faster. It will also help you to see square. Go for around the 10″ (250mm) mark. Maybe a little longer if you work thicker stuff.
How do you calculate dovetail joints?
How deep should dovetails be?
But keep in mind that if you machine the dovetail groove across the work piece you will be weakening it because you are removing some of its thickness. Try to keep the depth of the dovetail groove between 1/3 and 1/2 the thickness of the part.
What is the ideal dovetail angle?
Percy Blandford, who has been writing about woodworking for a long time, writes in “The Woodworker’s Bible” that any angle between 7.5° and 10° is acceptable. The ideal, he says, is 8.5° for softwoods and 7.5° when joining hardwoods.
How big should dovetails be?
For drawers, boxes or trays 2″ or less I generally like a single dovetail. For 3″ to 3 1/2″ and less two dovetails, for 4″ three dovetails, for 5″ to 6″ four dovetails and for 6″ four or possibly five.
What size is a dovetail wood joint?
Dovetail Dado Wood Joints have joint widths of 2/3 and joint depths of 1/2. Wood joints are typically used in wood members with widths between 1.5”-3.5” (3.8-8.9 cm) and depths between of . 75”-3.5” (1.9-8.9 cm).
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 the best wood for hand cut dovetails?
You need super sharp chisels to pare it well. Poplar is usually the right price for such endeavours but usually whatever you have laying around wouldn’t be a bad start. Try some plywood, too.
