Dovetails

Learn how to make dovetails by hand ‘straight from the saw’.

We will cover:

• Single and multiple through dovetails
• Half lapped dovetails
• Mitred dovetails
• The ‘impossible dovetail’ 
• Special tools for dovetails

Hand-cut dovetails have been considered a mark of quality in the construction of drawers, cabinet carcasses, trays, and boxes.

Elegant, simple, strong but nowhere near as difficult as they first appear.

Learn how to make this joint quickly and with a minimum of fuss. Of course, it takes practice to make them like a professional, but a solid understanding of the techniques involved means you’ll have a much greater chance of success. We can’t guarantee you’ll cut them as fast as Rob Cosman but it’s fun to try.

Alan Peters OBE

One of the UK’s finest cabinet makers but now sadly departed was the great Alan Peters. His use of the dovetail as a structural and decorative device is masterful.

David Barron (who is definitely no slouch in the dovetailing stakes) examines one of Alan’s exquisite walnut boxes here.

Checkout Core Skills Joinery-1 if you are a complete beginner or just want to brush up on the basics.