Why is dovetails closing?

According to oldcopper.org, coppersmiths kept on dovetailing the seams until about 1900, after which better joinery technology made the time-consuming dovetail process obsolete. This means that a dovetailed pot or pan could have been hand-cut or machine-cut.

When did they stop using dovetail?

According to oldcopper.org, coppersmiths kept on dovetailing the seams until about 1900, after which better joinery technology made the time-consuming dovetail process obsolete. This means that a dovetailed pot or pan could have been hand-cut or machine-cut.

Why are dovetail joints bad?

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.

Is dovetail joint 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.

Are dovetails the strongest of all joints?

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 came before dovetail drawers?

During the 17th century, iron nailed joints were gradually changed to dove tail joints, whereby two sides are joined together by interlocking, triangular shaped wedges. Earlier drawer linings were large, crude and dovetail joints became increasingly small and tight during the second half of the 17th century.

What is a Knapp joint?

Knapp joints are known by many names – Pin & Crescent, Pin & Scallop, Pin & Cove, Half Moon and Scallop & Dowel. Image courtesy of vintagemachinery.org. It is a series of semi-circles with a hole in the middle cut into the drawer side that match negative semi-circles with integral pegs in the ends of the drawer front.

What is the strongest joint in woodworking?

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 stronger dovetail or finger joint?

Frid wrote that finger (or box) joints are stronger than through dovetails because the fingers offer much more glue surface.

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.

Are dovetail joints 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.

Are dovetails necessary?

What makes the dovetail joint so important for cabinet drawer construction is its resistance to being pulled apart. The interlocking pieces create a strong joint with just the quality wood. This joint is made even stronger with glue. The front-to-side joints take the bulk of a strain on a cabinet drawer.

What is the weakest joint in woodworking?

The butt joint is the simplest but weakest of the typical wood joints. The butt joint, in contrast to joints that are held together by interlocking or overlapping mechanisms, is held together largely by adhesives or fasteners.

What is the strongest end joint?

MORTISE AND TENON 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.

How tight should dovetails 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.

How can you tell how old a chest of drawers is?

Look at the bottom board’s grain as well; if it runs from front to back, the chest was likely built in the early 18th century; if it runs from side to side, it was presumably made after 1750. The chest’s handles should also be examined to see if they are authentic.

How can you tell how old furniture is?

Search for any labels, stamps or manufacturing tags underneath or on the back of furniture, or in the drawers. These marks will be able to tell you who made the furniture, where it was manufactured and often the year that it was made.

How long have dovetail joints been around?

Dovetail joints, also called swallowtail joints in England, date back to ancient Egypt, when Egyptians used this technique for coffins. Throughout most of history, dovetail joints have proven to be a durable technique used to hold together various woodworking projects before modern innovations.

Are dovetail joints glued?

If I have a joint that is a little tight I use a clamp to make sure it will not split. I don’t test fit my dovetails as most are pretty tight and taking them apart would most likely do some damage. Glue is always used.

Are Knapp joints rare?

The Knapp Joint is a very strong form of drawer joinery but was only utilised from 1870 until about 1900, when it basically fell completely out of use. It was replaced by machine cut dovetails, which are still mass produced in factories today.

What is the difference between English and French dovetail?

English dovetails are the most common. They have interlocking joints and allow the most amount of space – usually several more inches of room than you would get with French dovetails. This is because the dovetail groove cannot be put all the way at the edge of a drawer with French dovetails.

What is a carcase joint?

Mainly used in the construction of drawers or cabinets, Box/Carcase Joints mainly appear in the corner and have several “teeth” to maximize thier strength by giving more surface area for the glue to bond.

What is the oldest woodworking joint?

Mortise and tenon joints have been around since the Neolithic Era, over 7,000 years ago. They have also been used all over the world. Archaeologists have discovered these impressive joints in the in oldest wooden constructions known to humankind, a set of wooden water wells from 5,600 and 4,900 B.C.E.

What is the simplest joint in carpentry?

The simplest of joints is a butt joint – so called because one piece of stock is butted up against another, then fixed in place, most commonly with nails or screws. The addition of glue will add some strength, but the joint relies primarily upon its mechanical fixings.

What is a domino joint?

Description. The DOMINO wood jointing system can be used to quickly and easily make mitred panel joints, as are frequently required by joiners and carpenters. The DOMINO combines the properties of a biscuit dowel (flexible and non-twisting) with those of a regular round dowel (can be secured in place, high strength).

What is the easiest wood for dovetails?

Try a few in pine, but if you want to have useful practice you need to be using hardwoods. That is because pine compresses easily so is both forgiving and frustrating. To keep the cost down you could try poplar? Not a true hardwood but much harder than pine.

Mike Walker

Repair and Construction Expert. WoodiesDIY.tv Owner