If you’d like to see the full demonstration while also helping support the Purple Heart Project, pick up the course in the Guild:
Hand-Cut Dovetails Through the Eyes of a Beginner
In this instructional session, woodworking expert Rob Cosman guides complete beginner Nicole through cutting her very first set of hand-cut dovetails.
Step-by-Step Process:
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Choose a Layout
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The lesson begins with planning a two-tailed dovetail joint, which features two tails and three pins.
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The number of tails and pins is based on joint size and desired strength—more tails increase glue surface area but can weaken the surrounding wood if overdone.
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Understand Joint Strength
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The strength of the dovetail comes from long grain-to-long grain contact.
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Each pin and tail meeting contributes to the joint’s integrity, but too many can compromise the structure.
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Prepare Your Stock
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Rob emphasizes the importance of starting with perfectly square and flat boards.
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A misaligned board will lead to a poorly fitting joint—especially critical when making drawers or boxes where all corners must align.
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Use a Shooting Board
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Instead of squaring by hand in a vise, Rob introduces the shooting board for accurate 90° ends.
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This jig holds the board and plane in alignment, making it easier to square edges cleanly and consistently.
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Check that the plane blade is parallel to the sole before shooting—this ensures consistent material removal across the face.
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Tool Fundamentals
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Nicole is taught to sight down the tool and make adjustments based on visual cues—an essential skill in hand-tool woodworking.
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Practice and Patience
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Rob stresses the importance of technique over speed, encouraging Nicole to focus on accuracy and clean results rather than rushing through cuts.
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Once the technique is sound, woodworkers can shift focus to the aesthetic balance of the joint.
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Bonus Tips for Beginners:
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Don’t start cutting until your boards are square and true.
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Layout decisions should balance strength and appearance.
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Use jigs like a shooting board to simplify precision tasks.
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Evaluate your plane before use—setup matters as much as skill.
The post She Never Cut a Dovetail Before – This Is What Happened appeared first on The Wood Whisperer.
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