Dovetail joints are known for their inherent strength and resistance to being pulled apart (tensile strength). A dovetail joint has a series of pins and tails in a trapezoidal shape and once glued a dovetail joint has no need for mechanical fasteners.
What is the geometry of dovetail?
What does a dovetail look like?
This joint type has two parts, called pins and tails. You can tell the difference between these two pieces because the tails are flared triangular shapes, while the pins are thinner. The tails, which look like those of a dove, are what give the dovetail joint its name.
What type of joint is a dovetail?
Through Dovetail Here, two pieces of wood are joined together at their ends with a finger-like interlocking method which is seen from all outside surfaces. This method is used in everyday practice for joining the corners of frames, boxes, cabinets, and other items.
What is the dovetail also known as?
dovetail. / (ˈdʌvˌteɪl) / noun. a wedge-shaped tenon. Also called: dovetail joint a joint containing such tenons.
What does a dovetail look like?
This joint type has two parts, called pins and tails. You can tell the difference between these two pieces because the tails are flared triangular shapes, while the pins are thinner. The tails, which look like those of a dove, are what give the dovetail joint its name.
What type of joint is a dovetail?
Through Dovetail Here, two pieces of wood are joined together at their ends with a finger-like interlocking method which is seen from all outside surfaces. This method is used in everyday practice for joining the corners of frames, boxes, cabinets, and other items.
How do you identify a dovetail joint?
While dovetail joints can be found on ancient Egyptian coffins from 3000 BC, they were not used in European and American furniture until the mid 1600s. Dovetails have flared tails like a bird on the end of the drawer’s side boards that interlock into mirroring pins on the drawer’s face board.
What are the proportions of a dovetail?
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 does dovetail fit mean?
dovetail | American Dictionary to fit together well, or to cause something to fit together well with something else: [ I ] Our plans dovetailed, and we were able to meet that evening. (Definition of dovetail from the Cambridge Academic Content Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)
Is dovetail a saw?
Although similar to a tenon saw, dovetail saws generally have thinner blades with a greater number of teeth per inch. Dovetail saws are primarily used for work that require small, very precise cuts, typically in joint making including dovetail and small tenon joints.
What is English dovetail?
A dovetail joint is a locking joint. The English dovetail construction tends to allow for the largest possible drawer storage capacity. French dovetail construction is used for more elaborate features such a curved, bowed design.
Why is a dovetail called a dovetail?
The dovetail design is an important method of distinguishing various periods of furniture. The etymology of the name comes from the resemblance between the tenon or mortise of the joint to the shape of a dove’s tail .
What is a dovetail in architecture?
Common types of joints include the dovetail, used for joining two flat members together at right angles, as in the sides of a drawer; the dowelled joint, in which dowelling is employed to impart mechanical strength; and the mortise and tenon, used to join a horizontal member with the vertical member of a frame.
What is the angle of a dovetail joint?
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 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 a synonym for the word dovetail?
Synonyms of dovetail (verb link, fit together) coincide. conform. correspond. harmonize.
What is an alternative to a dovetail joint?
Finger joints are an effective and striking alternative to traditional dovetail joinery.
What is the slope of a dovetail joint?
There are different types of dovetail joints. The angle of slope varies according to the wood used, purpose of joint and type of work. Typically the slope is 1:6 for softwoods, and a shallower 1:8 slope for hardwoods. Often a slope of 1:7 is used as a compromise.
What are the typical angles of dovetail markers?
Dovetail angles are expressed in two ways: as ratios and degrees. 1:8 roughly translates to 70 and 1:6 translates roughly as 90. These days, we often hear that 90 is recommended for softwoods, while 70 should be used for hardwoods.
What angle is a dovetail cutter?
A dovetail joint is most commonly used in wood working but also in metal working as a way of creating a joint which is extremely strong. Dovetails are typically either 45 degree or 60 degree.
How do you dimension a dovetail?
To obtain dimension x for measuring male dovetails, add 1 to the cotangent of one-half the dovetail angle α, multiply by diameter D of the rods used, and add the product to dimension α.
What does a dovetail look like?
This joint type has two parts, called pins and tails. You can tell the difference between these two pieces because the tails are flared triangular shapes, while the pins are thinner. The tails, which look like those of a dove, are what give the dovetail joint its name.
What type of joint is a dovetail?
Through Dovetail Here, two pieces of wood are joined together at their ends with a finger-like interlocking method which is seen from all outside surfaces. This method is used in everyday practice for joining the corners of frames, boxes, cabinets, and other items.
Are dovetail joints still used?
They are still used today by many experienced custom furniture makers. Dovetail joints are not only used to make a strong joint for drawer construction, but cabinet makers often use them to join the tops, bottoms and sides of cabinet cases, as was done on antique furniture.
What are the rules for dovetail joints?
The ‘pins’ are the bits of wood between the tails so there are two half-pins; one each side. The general rule is that they measure half the thickness of timber plus around a mm, so the two dots on the shoulder line are 7mm in from each edge.
