# first dutchman joint



## brown down (Mar 2, 2010)

here are my first dutchman joints. it took 9 of them to strengthen this board up. 5 on the top and 4 on the bottom. i am not going to put any finish on this piece until the spring to see if i need to add anymore, would hate to have to do that after the fact! I haven't decided how i am going to do the base to this piece, i have some ideas. I am open to suggestions on the base:thumbsup::thumbsup:
i do know this, it will be in 2 pieces. that cherry board weighs a ton and would be awkward to move. its over 5 feet long and over 2 feet wide


----------



## mdntrdr (Dec 22, 2009)

Nice "Bow ties" :thumbsup:


----------



## JMC'sLT30 (Oct 26, 2010)

It sure is gonna be a nice table, kinda looks like a 3 legger. Possibly some decorative wrought iron.:smile:


----------



## SteveEl (Sep 7, 2010)

Nice, and cool grain


----------



## CaptRandy (Jan 27, 2011)

Nice job, check out Nakashima Woodworking.


----------



## phinds (Mar 25, 2009)

Gorgeous ... nice work, outstanding joinery


----------



## Daren (Oct 14, 2006)

Very nice. :smile:





.


----------



## firehawkmph (Apr 26, 2008)

I think I would have to cut some toes on that top and make it look like a big foot. 
Mike Hawkins


----------



## firemedic (Dec 26, 2010)

Very nice work!:thumbsup:


----------



## robert421960 (Dec 9, 2010)

nice work


----------



## brown down (Mar 2, 2010)

thanks gents they took some patience thats for sure. i was a bit nervous doing the first few, but felt a little better once i got into a rhythm. each one took me over an hour. I watched a few videos on youtube and found one that i like a lot. The guy gave a nice in depth tutorial on how to go about cutting these in. He also teaches to mix some fine saw dust whatever your dutchman is and mix that in with a 2 part epoxy to get that seamless fit. I cut each one as tight as i could get it, and then filled the seems in as best as i could! I can see where there are a few more where i will be adding. 
I will say this, this joint is by far the most challenging joint i have done yet


----------



## Mizer (Mar 11, 2010)

brown down said:


> I watched a few videos on youtube and found one that i like a lot. The guy gave a nice in depth tutorial on how to go about cutting these in.


Can you post a link to the video?


----------



## brown down (Mar 2, 2010)

here is the video . I did it by mixing saw dust of the dutchman into the epoxy, looks like he mixed in the wood he was fixing either way it worked for me!


----------



## Texas Sawduster (Apr 27, 2009)

*finish*

I would consider tung oil and leave the gaps, cracks open.


----------



## Mizer (Mar 11, 2010)

What is the advantage of using epoxy over a good wood glue?


----------



## mrbentontoyou (Aug 3, 2010)

if that's what it looks like _before_ the finish I can't wait to see it after. I've never seen unfinished cherry so dark. looks great.


----------



## brown down (Mar 2, 2010)

I don't know why he used epoxy, i have a ton of 2 part in the shop from making game calls so i opted to use that but i suppose you could use regular wood glue and mix saw dust or coloring in to fill the crack around the joint. 
I too, don't think I would have filled the crack with the epoxy, and also would have done a more natural finish. to each his own i guess
the finish on this piece is 1 coat of cherry stain so far. when i said i was going to wait on putting a finish on it i meant the poly so i wouldn't have to resand the entire piece


----------



## juliepooch (Mar 27, 2011)

Hello,
Your cherry slab and joints are beautiful. If I can do as well with my first joints, like you have shown here, I'll be one happy puppy. I'm going to soon be making my first Dutchman (Butterfly) joints in 2" thick x 18" x 43" slab of black walnut. I have also ordered another piece 18" H x 2" thick by 10+". My initial plan is to put a slab base on one end. I'm flexible on the other end and may put a trapezoid or perhaps two turned walnut or wood to match whatever material I use in my Dutchman joints. Will your table be a coffee table, dining table or ???? What did you decide to do for the base. 

PLEASE post pictures of your finished work. Thanks.


----------



## Zircon (Aug 1, 2009)

This is an old thread revived yesterday. When I read it last Jan. I tried to make bowties in some scrap wood but my results chopping them in by hand were disappointing. I then made a practice board and used a hinge morticing router bit to cut the mortices. I first cut out the shape of the insert. The radius on the bearing is 1/16" larger than the radius of the cutter. I traced the outline of the insert onto 1/2" plywood with a dull pencil(1/16" wide line) and cut out the shape going to the outside of the line to gain the 1/16". I put the plywood over the workpiece and routed the mortice. On the three large fake dovetails, I used a thick block and sliced it into three pieces. If one had to make a large number of inserts all the same, one could glue up a thick block, saw it into shape and then slice it into however many parts were required. This should go pretty fast as the template only has to be made once.


----------

