# Whats your method



## Nate1778 (Mar 10, 2008)

for cleaning out the waste from hand cut dovetails. I tried to use the coping saw and the turn was hard. Then I tried the chisel and on oak was REALLY tough, even well honed. I am thinking of trying a drill bit in a drill press next, or even multiple cuts with the band saw. Whats your method?


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## Handyman (Jan 2, 2008)

Nate1778 said:


> for cleaning out the waste from hand cut dovetails. I tried to use the coping saw and the turn was hard. Then I tried the chisel and on oak was REALLY tough, even well honed. I am thinking of trying a drill bit in a drill press next, or even multiple cuts with the band saw. Whats your method?



If you have a router, buy a dovetail bit. If not I would cope the waste and if you need cleanup after that, use a very sharp wood chisel.


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## Tweegs (Sep 8, 2007)

Handyman said:


> If you have a router, buy a dovetail bit. If not I would cope the waste and if you need cleanup after that, use a very sharp wood chisel.


That's what I'd do. 
CMT make a great set of dovetail router bits.


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## Nate1778 (Mar 10, 2008)

My problem is I am doing hand cut dovetails with the very thin splines and wide tails. A router bit won't even come close to the gap I am working with. Something like this but through joints, not half blind.............


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## Wood4Fun (Aug 29, 2008)

I've seen people use the band saw and then a chisel. I don't think there is an "easy" way to go about it


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## smitty1967 (Feb 24, 2008)

Nate1778 said:


>


 
show off....:tt2:




no, seriously, nice looking work Nate....
smitty


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## JBark (Oct 8, 2008)

The method I learned was with the bandsaw. If you make enough straight plunge cuts you should be able to "nibble" away at the waste until you have a sort of serrated looking edge on the waste side of the scribe line. If you want you can get closer with the blade and move the board side to side (your left to right) and you are cutting with the side of the teeth. This can get you real close and make what you clean up much less and somewhat easier to pare.

Have you considered working with a nice wood like walnut? Save the oak for the fireplace - LOL.

John


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## Dalemorris (Oct 21, 2008)

*Help! Need help with making firswt dovetail joint*

For the first time in my 60 years on this planet I finnaly have a wood shop, that I am starting to get set up. I wanted to learn how to make good dovetaqils using either my table saw or my bandsaw or both. I got a video showing on made on the bandsaw, but the author went through it so fast and left out details that to him were common knowledge but to me it didn't work out, so I downloaded a set of instructions on how to make them on a table saw. Both methods were by the same author. Each used a shop made jig with spacer blocks. I have been woking on them for three days and have not got one made yet. I'm close but I can't figure out with the instructions quite how to do it yet. Any help would be greatly appreciated.( I think I'm dislectic when it comes to angles)

Thanks,

Dale


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## Nate1778 (Mar 10, 2008)

smitty1967 said:


> show off....:tt2:
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Wish I could take credit, that's a pic off the interweb. My dovetails have gotten better but nowhere near that. One thing that helped me a bit was the purchase of Rob Crosman's hand cut dovetails. he offers good technique that is well explained and produced good reults on the first try.


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