Editor’s Note: This is the second of three parts on how to cut through dovetails using a combination hand-power tools. You can find the first part of this series, which focuses on the pin board, at this link. The second part is below. Glen will be discussing the development of his process for creating his custom shop in the third part.
Once you have completed the pin board (click here to read Part 1), it is time to transfer the shape and dimensions of the pins onto your tail board. Lay your tail board face-side down on your bench. Line up your pin board at the end of the tail board, with the face side facing you (the narrow end of the pins should be at the front edge). You should ensure that the sides and front of the pieces meet.
With a pencil, trace the shapes of the pins onto a tailboard. Next, slide the pinboard back and mark an “X” on the tailboard directly in front of each pin. This is the waste area. Set the pin board aside.
You will need a bandsaw to carefully trim along the lines from the waste side to the baseline. Leave the pencil lines. As when you hand cut the pins, do all one direction first, then go back and change your angle for the other sides to avoid dancing back and forth at the saw. Now trim off the half-pin waste at the edges of the board. You can also make a cut in the middle of each waste area. This will prevent the waste from sticking to your chisel as you remove it. These cuts can be made with a handsaw if you don’t have a bandsaw. However, unless you have the right skills, it will likely require more precision.
Clamp the tail board to your workbench (it doesnt matter which side is facing up. Place your chisel about a hair in front your baseline. The bevel side should face the board’s end. Angle the chisel slightly to undercut the joint. Once you have defined the baseline, you can then remove the waste. Unlike on the pin board, you wont be able to remove the waste directly from the end; youll have to approach it at an angle at a point about 1/20 cm from the baseline. To help lift up the waste, make sure the bevel of the chisel is facing up. Keep going with these cuts until you reach the end of the board. Then flip the board over and do the same thing on the opposite side. The cut you made down the center of the waste will help eject. Use your chisel, or an X Acto knife to remove any waste from both workpieces.
Now youre ready to test fit the two pieces. Place the tailboard face down on the bench. Then, hold the pinboard with the face facing you. Move the pieces until they are about halfway together. If you have any fitting problems, take them apart and trim away the bits that are sticking. Even after some practice, you will likely still have problems fitting your vehicle. It is better to cut undercut, then refine as necessary. Once you have the pieces halfway joined by hand, a few strikes with a rubber mallet should seat the two workpieces together.
Examine your work and point out any issues. You can work on those next time. Heck , after three weeks of almost daily practice, Im still struggling with hitting the baseline perfectly on both sides when hand sawing, and I still overcut my tails from time to time. But as Editor Chris Schwarz keeps telling me, Its good enough for 18th-century casework (because 18th-century woodworkers covered the visible dovetail faces with trim). The dovetails will still hold, despite the small gap. Nonetheless, Im going to keep working on those baselines.
