Hand Cut Dovetails for Dummies

Precision cuts and joinery is the mark of a skilled carpenter. Dovetail joints often have an aura of mystery about them. Dovetails can be tricky, but with a little practice you can have others envious of the decorative hand cut character that only a dovetail joint can bring to your next project.

When using dovetails for a joint that requires strength, end grain must be used. Side grain was used in this instructable because it was for demonstration purposes only. The same steps and techniques will work with end grain dovetail joints.

• Marking gauge
• Hand saw
• Square
• Pencil
• Chisel

• Measure the thickness of the second board using the marking gauge
• Transfer that thickness to the first board with the marking gauge
• Mark the middle of the board
• Decide on a layout for the dovetails (my layout is shown in picture 3)
• Make sure to mark the sections that you are wanting to remove

Using a hand saw, cut close to the line while not removing it till you reach the line left by the marking gauge

Use a chisel and mallet to remove the excess wood. Holding the chisel perpendicular to the wood piece, cut along the line made by the marking gauge. Flip the chisel over to cut toward the line made by the marking gauge. Do this over and over till the wood is removed.

Using the same steps shown before, remove the remaining excess wood from the first board.

• Using the first board as a pattern, transfer the outline of the dovetails
• Using the marking gauge, transfer the thickness of the first board to the second board
• Mark the sections to remove
• Using a square, connect the lines to the line left by the marking gauge

Repeat steps 3 through 5.

If the previous steps have been followed, the two boards should not fit together. In order to get the tight great looking dovetails that every carpenter wants, carefully shave wood off the second board in the interface between the two. I used both the chisel and small sanding block to get them to fit.

Depending on what you are making, you will want to glue the joint. If gluing, sand before and after to make sure that everything is flush.

Since this is a demonstration piece for a dovetail joint, I didn't glue it. I just sanded it and finished it with some danish oil.

I want to see what amazing dovetail projects you can come up with. Please take a picture, make an instructable, share, repeat and enjoy!