Sliding Dovetails: A Tough Row to Hoe: SUCCESS!!!!

[Philip1231]

See my last post to see final results, a beautiful TAPERED sliding dovetail.


To say that the journey to acceptable sliding dovetails is frustrating is an understatement.  I think I just had a small breakthrough of sorts: while I was focusing on the fit of the tail in the socket, I was not paying enough attention to the depth of the socket relative to the depth of the tail.  I think my next try should get me into the big leagues (albeit still spending time on the bench, Ha!).  

I used the side rabbet plane trick that Derek came up with, and it does work very well. Have to keep from getting carried away: it works so well that one minute you are too tight, the next you've ruined the joint.

   

   

To quote Frank Klausz: "You can do better than that"

And to quote Norm Abram: "I think we are closing in on it"

[barryvabeach]

Phillip, agreed, the tolerances are quite tight for sliding dovetails.

[Troywoodyard]

I had success with the paul sellers method on the shaker bench style stool he did.

[Derek Cohen]

.. while I was focusing on the fit of the tail in the socket, I was not paying enough attention to the depth of the socket relative to the depth of the tail. 

And you told me you could multitask! 


Regards from Perth

Derek

[Philip1231]

Ha! I would never make such a bold claim! Seriously, it does get a little tricky dealing with the triangle shape of the tail and allowing for the fact that trimming one face of the tail is impacting the adjoining fit of the tail end. Practice, practice, and more practice.

And you told me you could multitask! 


Regards from Perth

Derek

[Philip1231]

Good suggestion: although I could not get in to the "pay to play" part of his website which apparently has the detailed tutorial you were referring to, he did show a picture of a joint in a Shaker piece at the Hancock Shaker Museum that employs sort of a half dovetail shape: that has to be easier to construct, but I would sure like to get the "full monty" approach correct.

I had success with the paul sellers method on the shaker bench style stool he did.

[Philip1231]

Indeed!

Phillip, agreed, the tolerances are quite tight for sliding dovetails.

[Derek Cohen]

Philip

Are you tapering the dovetails? If not, try it this way. It is MUCH easier to put together.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Philip1231]

I had considered that and may end up going the tapered route. However, I tend to be a bit stubborn, and now that I've set the goal to produce a respectable non-tapered DT joint, I am all in on that approach. Stay tuned.......

Philip

Are you tapering the dovetails? If not, try it this way. It is MUCH easier to put together.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[bandit571]

hmmmmm..