What size dovetail should I use?

There should be roughly one dovetail each 25mm or so across the width. There’s no hard and fast rule so it’s up to the woodworker to use his or her judgement to decide how many are needed. The wood here is 92mm wide and as a consequence I’m going to have three dovetails.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 is the standard size of a dovetail?

What dovetail ratio is best?

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?

Sketch out the joint and get a chisel that fits into the pin slots. Or design the pins around your smallest chisel and get chopping. I use a 1/4″ and 1/2″ more than the rest of the sizes for all types of work (including dovetails) Erich. The next most used would be a 3/4″.

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 is a 11mm dovetail rail?

Description. This 11mm dovetail rail attaches to the receiver of Savage MKII rifles to allow the use of Gehmann, Anschutz, or other rear sight options. This is the same rail included with our complete biathlon sight set for the Savage rifles.

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.

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.

Are dovetail joints worth it?

Dovetail drawers are known for their durability. The joint’s design provides exceptional resistance to the stresses of heavy items, making them ideal for storing dishes, pots, and pans. The construction of dovetail drawers ensures that they will not come apart easily, even with frequent use.

What is the difference between 11mm and 3 8 dovetail?

11mm rings use a 60 degree dovetail and are measured at the top. 3/8″ rings use a 45 degree dovetail and are measured at the bottom.

What is the common dovetail ratio?

Anything from 1:6 to 1:9 looks good and works well. Too little rise leaves corners with short grain that easily breaks off, too much rise looks like a poorly made box joint. As long as it looks good, and assembles without breaking, its a good joint.

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 most popular dovetail joint?

The half-blind dovetail joint is popular for its strength and visual appeal. It is commonly used in drawer construction and cabinetry. The Half-blind Dovetail Joint is a type of dovetail joint commonly used in woodworking to join the front of a drawer to its sides.

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 type of chisel is best for dovetails?

The Narex Dovetail Chisels are a set of three chisels that are designed for getting into the close corners of dovetails and are modeled after the traditional Japanese style chisels. Narex Dovetail Chisels have a triangular cross-section that’s excellent for removing waste between tails of a dovetail joint.

What is the best size chisel for beginners?

Widths To Start Out With: – 12mm / 1/2″ – This will do the majority of your morticing, and come in when cleaning out the pins on those dovetails. – 19mm / 3/4″ (or above) – A nice wide chisel is very useful, and I’d probably aim at an inch, though somewhere between 3/4″ – 1 1/4″ will fit the bill.

What is the common dovetail ratio?

Anything from 1:6 to 1:9 looks good and works well. Too little rise leaves corners with short grain that easily breaks off, too much rise looks like a poorly made box joint. As long as it looks good, and assembles without breaking, its a good joint.

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.

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.

Is Picatinny better than dovetail?

Chiefly Picatinny mounts are made from a single piece of metal, which makes them stronger and more durable than dovetail mounts, which are traditionally made from two pieces of metal welded together. Picatinny mounts also have a wider rail, which makes them more stable and less likely to shift when you’re shooting.

Are dovetail and Picatinny rail the same?

The Picatinny rail system is a more simple affair. It is a standard width and angle that manufacturers around the world all produce. The angle is 45 degrees as opposed to the 30 degrees that dovetails are regardless of their width. Some rifles come with an integral Picatinny rail machined into the receiver.

Are dovetail joints 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.

What are the 2 types of dovetail joints?

Types of Dovetail Joints Half-Blind dovetails: In these, the pins and tails are hidden. Half-blind dovetails are only revealed when moved, opened or seen from a certain angle, like behind a drawer face. In a through dovetail, both the dovetails and pins are visible.

What is a disadvantage of a 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.

Mike Walker

Repair and Construction Expert. WoodiesDIY.tv Owner