Dovetails fast

[Acorn]

This is, to me, a fast way to handle dovetails. Possibly not for everyone.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4SKZNHS3Jrg

[Scoony]

I have done it that way and it works. You can also make an angled sled to cut the pins but its harder to get tight DTs that way.

You can also make a fairly simple sled and cut DTs on the table saw with nice results.

I mostly hand cut, but a real time save I found was after making the cuts on the pin boards, I hastly cut off about half of the waste with a coping saw and remove the remaining waste with a trim router. I will clamp on a piece of thick scrap wood to support the trim router. I use a mortise cutting bit with a flush bearing. Works great when your joining wides boards with DTs as in a blanket chest.

[RLMillard]

Acorn,

I have not seen the need to use power tools for the sawing part, since it goes so fast by hand. I'm also not sure I can saw as accurately with my bandsaw as I can with a dovetail saw.

I made this video a few years ago in response to something about dovetails on the Popular Woodworking website. I can't actually remember what the reason was. I was and still am slightly embarrassed by this video. I rushed too much; had I been more thoughtful it would have added only seconds to the process. Also, I had just gotten over a serious bout with the flu and my voice sounds worse than usual. Finally, speed isn't as important as efficiency . although the two are linked.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XiISuUbTHzU
Rob Millard
www.americanfederalperiod.com

[stav]

I'd be proud of dovetails that good coming out of my shop.

[Scoony]

Rob, I agree. I tried the tables and bandsaw. In the end, the handsaw is the faster and more accurate for me. The trim router I mentioned takes care of the part I don't like, chopping out the waste on the pin board.

[RLMillard]

Scoony,

I have used a router like you do. I most often use a coping saw to remove most of the waste from the pin board. On the drawer fronts of half-blind dovetails I will some times use a forstner bit to bore out most of the waste. If I have more than a few drawers I will use a scroll saw to remove the waste on the tail board. With a narrow blade, a steady hand and good eyesight (natural or aided) one can quickly and accurately remove the waste, right to the scribed base line.
Rob Millard
www.americanfederalperiod.com