# Laying Out Angled Dovetails



## Alex121 (May 25, 2009)

I have to dovetail 12 of these-

if you never have cut an angled dovetail-beveled dovetail,some call it a canted dovetail-well it's hard to get your mind around- this is how I do it.
what I'm making is a desk with a upper and lower frame that goes all the way around like so--








you can see I don't do detail drawings








to find the real angle I clamp the end rails (the one that will have the angle cut) where they go on the legs-








the upper and lower angles are not the same-
upper-








lower-








I transfer the angles to a work surface where I can get them when needed








cut the angles on the #3 saw








the first cut I make right on a square end giving me these little angled blocks,I only need two one for the top and one for the bottom-








I set the bevel gauge at about 12 degrees the small square I set at 5/16 " the cut for the half pin,the bigger square I set the thickness of the stock plus a smidgen so the dovetails will be just a smidgen proud-








I mark the half pin which will be the starting place to lay out the tails-








now to lay out the tails-this is the only time I can think of that I cut the tails first-the little angled block I cut will go between the bevel and the work piece--I use both aright and a left marking knife--








more to come--next laying out the tails

alex


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## Alex121 (May 25, 2009)

marking the dovetails-
I mark the outside line starting at the half pin mark-then mark the other half pin on the other edge-








I make the bottom of the tail the width of my smallest chisel -








then I mark the other side of the tail-








I mark the top -








I make a mark on the corner of the piece to have a mark to continue the lay out on the other side-
















I keep a disk of 80 grit sand paper stuck to the front of my bench to sharpen a pencil sharpemed like so - to darken the lines from the marking knife-
























next cutting out the dovetails

rounding off the sharp corners

alex


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*Hey Alex, awesome and beautifully done!*

You really need to get your own Woodworking Show on TV or U Tube guy. :thumbsup: Excellent photos as well. I see you only have 5 posts and you just used 2 of them here, so a BIG WELCOME to you.:yes: bill


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

I just call that hair pulling. One of those procedures that gets learned by trial and error, and many mock-ups. Well done, and nice set of procedure pictures. What I was trying to figure out is how you took pictures with both hands in the shot. Then this picture answered the question...*you have three hands*.:smile:
.


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## Alex121 (May 25, 2009)

Cutting out the tails- my dovetail jig-








first I make a little cut in the cheek line not much just a tap tap-








then I put the piece in the vise-I always set it about a palms length-








next make the little cut on the top lines just a tap-the saw will follow this cut-








start the cut -a few pulls-when the saw is straight across the work start cutting down the line-I don't cut on the waste side of the line--I cut right down the line--
























cut down to the shoulder line-








if you cut straight the cut will line up with the other side-








cut the other side -go easy and let the saw follow the kerf -then cut the cheeks-
















next chiseling out the waste-
alex


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## Gravel7 (Mar 16, 2009)

*Great Post!*

Good job Alex. I can't wait for the next segment.


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## TexasTimbers (Oct 17, 2006)

Nice work on the tails and great tutorial. 

I sharpen my pencils similarly - on the benchtop belt sander. Your method would take an entire 2 seconds longer maybe.


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## Alex121 (May 25, 2009)

Cutting the waste-the guide bar is steel and weights a little over seven lb. it has 80 grit sandpaper laminated on the bottom side-








set the bar on the shoulder line-
















cut half way on one side-
























turn work piece over and finish cut-trim with sharp chisel-
























eleven more to go--
alex


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## wolfmanyoda (Apr 10, 2009)

Very nice. Thank you for taking the time to show us how you work. :thumbsup:


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## The Everyman Show (Jul 10, 2009)

I love the instructional element to your pics, truly helpful and informative. Here are some finished results of angled dovetails I did last year, unfortunatley I am not as astute as yourself and did not take any during photo's. I used a standard 15 degree for the dove tails and ran the sides at 9 degrees on both faces. I didn't know if I was coming or going. Talk about measure twice and cut once I must have checked it 25 times before I put the first saw cut on anything.


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