Asked by: Johnette Ezcacho
hobbies and interests woodworking

How do you make a wooden box with a dovetail joint?

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How to make a dovetail box with hand-cut joinery
  1. Mark the thickness of the boards with a marking gauge.
  2. Transfer the dovetail template onto the ends of the short sides.
  3. Cut out and chisel the pins.
  4. Trace pin shape onto the ends of the long boards.
  5. Cut out and chisel dovetails.
  6. Step 6: Glue box together.


Likewise, what tools are needed to make a dovetail joint?

Here's what you'll need for cutting a dovetail joint by hand:

  • Wood blocks or lengths of wood about 3/4 inch thick by 3 inches wide by 5 inches long.
  • A pencil for marking each piece of wood as needed.
  • A backsaw.
  • A coping saw.
  • Two Chisels in 3/4 inch and 1/2 inch sizes.
  • A mallet.

Also, what angle are dovetails cut? Lower (7° to 9°) angles are often advised for joining hardwoods, while higher angles (10° to 14°) are recommended for softwoods and even higher angles (14° to 18°) for half-blind dovetails.

Similarly, you may ask, how do you join two pieces of wood together?

Method 1 Making an Edge Joint

  1. Arrange your boards and mark them with chalk.
  2. Lay the boards across strips of scrap wood.
  3. Apply an even bead of glue along the edge of a board.
  4. Clamp the boards and ensure they're flush.
  5. Wipe away excess glue after 20 minutes.
  6. Allow the glue to cure overnight.

What is a dovetail joint used for?

Noted for its resistance to being pulled apart (tensile strength), the dovetail joint is commonly used to join the sides of a drawer to the front. A series of 'pins' cut to extend from the end of one board interlock with a series of 'tails' cut into the end of another board. The pins and tails have a trapezoidal shape.

Related Question Answers

Sarabi Quincampoix

Pundit

What is the difference between English and French dovetail?

English Dovetail: Notice the jigsaw cutouts on the sides of each drawer piece, which when joined together form a tightly fit drawer. French Dovetail: This technique is based on cutting out a slat in the middle of a board and also a corresponding piece of wood that can slide into the middle cutout.

Afrodisia Juanhuix

Pundit

What is the best dovetail jig?

Here are the 5 Best Dovetail Jigs:
  1. PORTER-CABLE 4216 Dovetail Jig – Best Overall. Check Latest Price on Amazon.
  2. Rockler Complete Dovetail Jig. Check Latest Price on Amazon.
  3. PORTER-CABLE 4210 Dovetail Jig – Best Value. Check Latest Price on Amazon.
  4. Leigh Super 12″ Dovetail-Jig.
  5. General Tools 861 Pro Dovetail Jigs.

Alexis Cuchi

Reviewer

What kind of wood do you use to make a jewelry box?

Maple: a hard and durable wood perfect for creating fine jewelry boxes for jewelry and watch collections. Many maple trees have valuable timber and some have a highly decorative wood grain.

Kaddy Noatzke

Reviewer

What can I make with small pieces of wood?

Here are ten of our favorites:
  • Mountain Wall Art. I built this mountain wall art project with left over pine from the dining room table I made last summer.
  • Scrap Wood Coasters.
  • Scrap Wood Cutting Board.
  • Handmade Cribbage Board.
  • Handheld Bottle Opener.
  • Simple Chisel or Hand Tool Organizer.
  • Floating Shelves.
  • Smartphone Speaker.

Hae Rootham

Supporter

How do you build a storage chest?

  1. Step 1: Build the frame of the storage chest. First, cut your frame pieces.
  2. Step 2: Add middle divider pieces to the chest frame.
  3. Step 3: Add the side panels to the chest frame.
  4. Step 4: Attach the bottom of the chest.
  5. Step 5: Add the top.
  6. 8 Comment.

Edson Rabasso

Supporter

How do you make a small wood box with hinged lids?

Method 1 Making a Wooden Box with a Hinged Lid
  1. Choose your wood.
  2. Gather your supplies.
  3. Measure and mark your boards.
  4. Cut your boards, if not already to size.
  5. Assemble the side pieces using a butt joint.
  6. Attach the sides to the base.
  7. Attach a hinged lid to the box.
  8. Fill any nail holes.

Claretha Junoy

Beginner

How do you make a box?

Steps
  1. Begin with a piece of square paper.
  2. Fold the paper in half.
  3. Fold the paper in half along the other side.
  4. Fold the corners to the center.
  5. Fold the top and bottom edges to the center of the square.
  6. Unfold the square along one side.
  7. Fold the long edges to the center.

Montañas Pohnisch

Beginner

What are the disadvantages of a dovetail joint?

The disadvantages of dovetail joints are that they can be fairly difficult to mark out and cut, and if they are made badly these joints lose the advantages listed above.

Dovetail Joints: Different Types and Their Uses
  • Through dovetail.
  • Half-blind dovetail.
  • Secret mitered dovetail.
  • Sliding dovetail.
  • Full-blind dovetail.

Samyra Baptista

Beginner

How do you make a dovetail joint step by step?

  1. Determine which piece of wood will be the tail board and which will be the pin board.
  2. Use your marking gauge to measure the depth of the pin board.
  3. Mark all the way around the tail board with the marking gauge.
  4. Mark and measure the tails.
  5. Cut the tails starting at the top.
  6. Cut towards the base of the tails on both sides.

Co-Authored By:

EveryThingWhat Staff Editor

6

24th January, 2020

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