Derek's Blue Tape Dove Tails

[Bill Holt]

I really enjoy doing dove tails.  Have been doing them for only 10 or 12 years; probably less than 30 drawers and boxes.

Current project has 6 drawers.  I had finished two of the drawers when thought about Derek's Blue tape method.  Wow!!!  What a difference the tape makes.  Ok, I know there was a discussion a few weeks ago about who came up with the idea first.  Derek was the first guy I saw demonstrate it.

I feel like the tape let me work faster.  I know I was more confident and relaxed.

[Derek Cohen]

Bill, I’d give you a “like”, if we had a suitable button to push


Regards from Perth

Derek

[barryvabeach]

Bill,  thanks for the tip.  I was marking out a compass rose on a cherry board yesterday, and I could hardly see the pencil marks.  I put smooth blue tape down, and while I still had trouble seeing the marking on the tape, once it was all laid out and I scored and removed the waste, it was extremely easy to see what I was doing.

[Mike Brady]

Similar method of tape marking shown in this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTJ6dP1Im6A  for making bow-tie inlays.

[Handplanesandmore]

Similar method of tape marking shown in this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTJ6dP1Im6A  for making bow-tie inlays.

The video illustrates a very good point: no matter how clearly you can define the layout lines, you still need good sawing techniques (for splitting the lines).

I do take issue with Pekovich's advice on using glue and saw dust as a fix...not only is it amateurish, it is ineffective in many cases unless one doesn't mind the outcome. Mike does nice work and should show how skilled people like Tage Frid, Rob Cosman and the like fix their gaps in the proper manner.

Simon

[AHill]

I do take issue with Pekovich's advice on using glue and saw dust as a fix [for gaps in dovetails]...not only is it amateurish, it is ineffective in many cases unless one doesn't mind the outcome. Mike does nice work and should show how skilled people like Tage Frid, Rob Cosman and the like fix their gaps in the proper manner.

Simon

I didn't know there was a "proper" way to fix gaps.  My goal is to make the cuts so gaps don't exist.  I agree that wedges are preferred over the sawdust.  Whatever works.

Frid was also known to use a hammer to mushroom out the pins to close the gaps.

https://www.finewoodworking.com/forum/fi...etail-gaps

[Handplanesandmore]

Rob Cosman covers half a dozen (?) methods, none using sawdust (because it will show under a finish in many cases, just like unremoved glue squeeze-out showing in a finished piece).

I did come across the use of sawdust as a fix in a book (released this year or last?), but the author cut lousy dovetails anyway. Brutal to see the gappy dovetails in his book (the chapter's title should be: Do what I say, not what I do).

Simon

[Derek Cohen]

Peening or Bishoping: http://www.inthewoodshop.com/Furniture/P...nWood.html

Regards from Perth

Derek

[cputnam]

Derek,

For your example, I assume a lateral (across the tail line) is the preferred stroke with additions from the corners and bottoms as needed?

[Derek Cohen]

Curt, when peening, I use a “glancing” strike. That is, working from the centre outward, I strike down and then scrape towards the outside ... as if pulling the edge across the gap.

Regards from Perth

Derek