@@Art-is-craftagreed. Try a cheapo block plane f a cheapo hardware store, and then a nice well balanced, plane from a reputable manufacturer and i assure you that the wood will definitely "prefer" the latter! Lol
I choose to cut dovetails by hand for a number of reasons: because I can, because I am confined to a very small shop with poor dust control, because it's quieter, because I don't have to meet any production deadlines (I'm not doing this for a living), and mostly because I find it very satisfying.
I agree 100%. I am in the same situation. My workshop is a two-car garage in-which I park two cars. I even went so far as to make the garage look like a woodworking shop from the early 1900's. I turned this channel off as soon as I saw the dovetail jig. Nothing to see here. Sounds mean but I do all joinery by hand. Sometimes they come out lousy, so I have lots of experience fixing errors.
@@jerrycomo2736 take a look at Rob Cosman's channel. He has a shop to drool over, but he does a lot of hand tool woodworking. He's a master craftsman, but he's human and therefore makes mistakes...then shows how to fix them. The mark of a true journeyman isn't that they never make mistakes but rather the creative ways they make it look as though there were no mistakes. At the same time, I don't disparage anyone working with machines, especially if they're trying to make a living making furniture. It would be fiscally irresponsible for a professional furniture maker not to take advantage of the speed, repeatability and accuracy of machine woodworking with all the attendant jigs and fixtures...you'd take far too long to get a product to market, and the price point would be out of reach for most of the furniture buying population.
This video is both right and wrong. If a person hasn't reached the proficiency as a woodworker, that person will never learned the craft by starting out with machines. It's like telling our kids that using calculators is totally okay. No need to learn, do or practice mental math. Now the supermarkets and pharmacies are having a ball by throwing different quantities per package at different concentrations at shoppers. They will never be able to figure out the best deal. No, it's not about romanticizing. It's about getting the basics down and build on your knowledge of woodworking. THEN thereafter, you can choose to use a machine if you want to, but do bare in mind that you will get rusty with your craft if you lay down your own hands for too long
I seriously love your channel. I've been woodworking now for about a year, and your content is an order of magnitude better than many other woodworking channels with 100k+ subscribers. I am grateful to have this glimpse into your world and acquired knowledge. Thank you for your time and effort in producing this content and sharing an honest opinion.
Recently found your channel. I absolutely love your mix of philosophy and woodworking. Lots of good information, no BS or fluff, and great insight into your mindset. I've learned so much from your stuff already. Thank you!
Love the brushed Hitachi router (need more detail please). Love the way you don't crack out Festool for everything. Love the thought process on the symmetry v asymmetry of the dovetails
Thin pins? Been there done that. What broke me of that laborious task is watching Frank Klaus say “if my grandfather had a router he would have used a router!”
I like doing a mitred top dovetail joints I quite like looking down at a box and seeing mitred corners and if you put them on the bottom aswell you can hide grooves in the mitres for the base of the box
I do enjoy your teaching methods. Even with all your skills you manage to bring to us in a matter where we (I) don't feel that I'm some dummy. I've learned a lot from you without the "You'll find this on shop for an extra $$" B.S. Thanks
That dovetail jig is nice. If I had it I'd be using it. I just have a round finger jig and it's a royal pain to use. It can only cut half blind joints not a through joint.
I'm still catching up on your videos. I like this one, because you don't beat up either side of this issue. I learned to cut dovetails by hand from...Roy Underhill on TV many years ago, followed by an hour master course from an Irish woodworker I met in Europe. I've cut them by hand ever since Roy's TV show in the mid-80s. At the time it was a matter of money and space, but even though I can afford a nice router jig now, and have the space, I get a lot of pleasure from doing the dovetails by hand. IF I were doing this as an occupation though....yeah, I'd buy the jig in a New York minute! Time is money. Love how you go between hand and power tools, and know both exceptionally well! Keep up the good work, and put out more videos!
hand made dove tails are not a waste of time for those of us who enjoy using hand tools and taking as much time as is needed. It is the most enjoyable thing to just not to have any time limits when building something. It took me a month to build a small project and It was the most enjoyable. It can be hard for someone that is rushed and on a time schedule. For me the most enjoyable part of woodworking is that I can time a life time if needed, no hurry. Its more of a journey than a destination. I am in no hurry to get to any destination.
I love to watch your videos. You bring a calmness that I would love to bring in my approach in life. I can say woodworking yet as I'm still to early in my journey. I have been watching RC alot. He makes it look so darn easy. I do try to remember that he has been doing it for a very long time. But I'm getting there. Thank you for your wisdom. I do have a request. Could you please leave the text that you put on screen to correct the dialog. It's hard to pause the video to be able to read it.
Priddle…praddle…diddle and daddle. Wait what were we talking about? Oh yes dovetails ! Dude you crack me up and once in awhile I learn something. At least you figured out the most important thing don’t listen to anyone and do your own thing. I really need to get a tattoo that says that. Have a good one…love the channel and the free humor.
What an amazing jig…. I thought it’s too expensive for hobby but I have to reconsider it maybe. Especially after seeking your video ‘stop buying festool’. :-) It’s probably an investment lasting for years and dovetails are great for furniture. Thanks for sharing.
I'm using my d4r pro to make a chest. After I did the tails, I dinged one of the fingers on the pins. Instead of starting over or trying to reset with new pins, I'm cutting the pins by hand. Turns out it's a good compromise.
Cutting dovetails just comes down to practice. The first few you do likely won't come out great but eventually you'll get better at it. Plan on just practicing for a while. If you can cut good ones in less than 3 tries you're a lot better at it than I was. Start out with two boards and joint them together and if the joints suck cut them off and try again. As you go you'll figure things out on your own that no one can tell you. Cutting them by hand try to focus on the bits you'll end up seeing when the joint is closed. All the inside bits you're never going to see any of that. The only parts that have to be tight are the exposed parts. That's the getting better part of it is knowing your insides from your outsides. Quite frankly you can butcher the living crap out of the insides. But you'll figure that out as you go. Trying to cut them geometrically perfectly is a bit of a trap. With a jig and a machine you can. By hand it's asking for trouble. You''ll see as you go.
@@henrysboy2 yeah do it for the challenge. Do it because it's not easy. Although after a bit it isn't hard. It is gratifying when you get it. If it was easy there'd be no fun in that. It does help to have the right tools. A good saw and a sharp chisel makes it easier. Process and mindset are important. Getting to know what you should be doing.
Excellent tutorial on your joining techniques. I have a question regarding the opening of the drawer. Could you tell me how you will handle the large end grain to the left of the drawer opening?
It has never occurred to me to do anything but the traditional straight run of perfectly even and evenly spaced dovetails. And yet, you make me think-really think about what I can do to make a piece obviously mine, obviously thought out. Thanks for making me think!
Hello Eric! I love your work and especially when you do woodcarving on boxes. Witch tool do you use with your Saburrtooth bits? Thanks! Patrik from Sweden
Love your conversational teaching style and the coffee mug!! Do you have a rule of thumb when progressively spacing dovetails? And do you find they esthetically look better in different sized projects? Thanks for sharing!!
Thanks! Yes, I try to keep my principle proportion measurement in mind when sizing my tails. So, for example, in this piece that measurement is 3" (the box is 30"x18"x15"), and so my tails are 3", 3 1/2" (a 6:7 ratio), and 2 (2:3 ratio). All about low whole number ratios.
Darn it. Now I have to look up "principle proportion measurement." 😂 Thank you for that. Would it be too much trouble to spend some time on design principles? I feel like that's sorely missing in the "learn woodworking," space.
Hi , just wanted to say I love your presentation and style of your videos. There's one thing I was wondering what the hole is the side is for? Many thanks for making woodworking cool.
What an excellent, instructive and engaging video this was again! I would really like to learn more about the types of machine router jigs (or how do you call this tool?). The one you used looks very intimidating, but also very interesting, since there are so many ways you seem to be able to play with the size and distribution of the dove tails. In my country I only find simple fixed dovetail jigs for sale, for which you have to build your own holders. So this is the start of a new quest for me... Many thanks for another top video!
Eric from start to finish how long did it take you to do that thinking about it setting up drawing it cutting it setting up the fixture test fitting setting up the saw Etc how long did you spend doing that? I'd be interested to know
Another great video! I appreciate your teaching style and I always look forward to new videos from you. Thank you for sharing your skills and insights with us!
Great point about matching the size of the pins to the scale of the piece. One question: why didn't you miter the leaf that fills in the side of the drawer opening using a cut off from the piece you removed for the drawer? That way you could avoid the end grain in that corner and continue the grain along the front. Just saying. Otherwise, really nice box, Eric. I like watching your process!
I’ve never heard of the upward dovetails. Really like the look of those. I hand cut my dovetails with pins around 3/8 just because that’s what I like. Woodworking is just a hobby for me though. I would bust out a router if it was for profit.
Excellent question. Mostly because the shaper would struggle or potentially be unable to cut a 7/8” deep DT. And it only has a 1 1/4 motor I believe so it would struggle mightily even if it could.
I do feel that those that would argue about the method, just have too much time in their hands. The road to get there sometimes matters but sometimes doesn’t.if you had just done the work off camera and showed the dry fit, someone would have had something to say.. it is in the doing and the feeling that it gives you, the process is individual. I do like that you talk a lot about the feeling and flow of thing which I think is really important bc a piece of something made from wood should not feel static, it should draw you in and welcome you… just a thought… I want that mug!!!!!
Cool. How much can someon expect to pay to have a pro make dovetails. The Walnut box is 24" x 12" Open box 4 speaker cabinet. Shoudl I use craig joint or 1"x1" block bracing inside screwed and glued or both?
I have porter cable jig and i have found that when i use it i get serious tear out issues. So here is my question. Is this problem due the quality of the provided router bits or is it my technic? I noticed that you made your passes very slow and i noticed virtually no tearout on your cuts!
How much was the jig and router bits that will need to be sharpened and replaced? A good dovetail saw will need to be sharpened one in a while (20 mins) and last a life time
1. I appreciate your design thoughts. Thank you. It's quite instructive and I'm trying to include that logic process in my works. 2. The choice of power tools as opposed to hand tools is dictated by the motivations involved in the job. If it is a commercial motivation then power tools rule. If it is a non-commercial pursuit, a hobby, then it comes down to the balance between the enjoying the process and wanting an outcome. I seem to be much more motivated by the process. As such, I like using hand tools where possible. Sometimes I'll cut a mortise and tenon just for the giggles.
I only hobby woodwork and I like my power tools. Screw those all by hand people. If they had power tools in the past you'd better believe they'd have been using them then. I've heard stories about when the first belt sanders came out craftsmen would sleep with them under their beds. They called them their power planers and they loved them.
@@1pcfred I am a member of a wood work club that has a very extensive list of equipment. That includes dovetale jigs, a huge range of power tools and a similar range of industrial level wood work machining tools. I don't use them. For me, they remove the connection I want to the process. Many of the club members only use the power tools. Good on them. It's their hobby.
I'm glad you enjoyed the video and I completely agree that as a hobbyist you get to choose your path. If you enjoy the hand tool path, go for it! There's no right or wrong. And if it brings a smile to your face, that's the whole damn point 🤙
@@1deerndingo horses for courses. If I have a lot of stock I need to surface I ain't doing it by hand. Why be in the club if you'e not going to use the gear? You just looking for the camaraderie? The whole shared interest thing. If they're using power tools that you eschew I can't see what the connection is then. You trying to convert them all? Put down that evil power tool brother. Come into the light!
@@1pcfred I'll do the initial dimensioning of large amount of stock using jointers and thicknesser. Small quanitities I'll do with hand planes. And yes, I'm currently leading a few guys down the dark path of hand tools. I'm showing them a jig that allows cutting perfectly matched mortise and tenons straight from the first cut of the saw. They are coming over.
Excellent lesson on design. I definitely learned from this, thank you. I think a lot of disdain for machine cut dovetails comes from the cheaper jigs that only do one size tail/pin. That forces a very "inorganic" look.
Loving these videos you’re making! Your presentation style and video pacing is excellent! Good timing on the topic as well. I have only done hand cut dovetails but have a large dresser I’m designing and not looking forward to cutting all the drawers. I was looking at dovetail jigs the other day and really liked the Leigh D4R Pro. Would you recommend it? Have any issues with it or other suggestions?
Thanks man! Glad you like them. Yes, if you’re going to batch out dovetails I would absolutely recommend the Dr4 pro. The variable tail spacing is absolutely clutch in my opinion.
They are an easy joint to use. Your first attempt will not be that good but with time they will improve. Your first projects could be for shop tools or furniture or rough garden items.
I have the Leigh D4RPro and the FMT, both amazing! I sat on the fence for years, saving and wondering...no looking back. With the D4 I rarely even measure the dovetails any more, simply laying out the spacing on the jig is totally fine for most projects.
I have that same jig I got with a saw I bought. Dont have a clue how to use it. Dont have instructions for it. Doesn’t look easy to use. A saw and chisels are easy to use. Some day i will try the jig.
Love your artistic approach and visual stimulation of your work. The satisfaction is seeing what you have created,doesn’t matter how you got there. I’m only a hobbyist and trying to justify purchasing that jig , especially with a $200 discount at the moment. Looking forward to seeing the finished product.
Hand cut dovetails are important to learn as you start working with wood i am still doing it myself. Also making your own stuff you feel like making by hand for your own fun but if you are trying to make a dollar then get it done as well and fast as possible
Ironic that it takes longer to understand, setup and master the Leigh jig than it does to …hand cut dovetails🤔. Seriously, love the channel…keep up the great work!
It's really been great watching your videos. I've just started getting into hand tools, and I almost wonder if it would be easier to just cut everything by hand. Obviously machines are faster to batch, but with so much setup, I'd be tempted to just grab a pull saw and chisel and get it done
Sometimes it can be, for sure. But it takes years of practice to reach that level of proficiency and speed. And, in this case, the material was as much as consideration as the process itself.
We are sly devils...we got Eric monologuing! In all seriousness, I rather enjoy the design discussions. It's a nice change of pace from the typical "how-to" style of video. Design isn't always easy to learn from a book. Exit question - given the background music, I'd like to suggest an ENCurtis/Justin Johnson collab.
The principles of what to do it more important than how you do it so well said. There's always going to be narrow minded peanuts on both sides of the "how to do it" fence so who cares what they think. Other than that, there was nothing new in your video BUT it was a good presentation nonetheless. Good work
Thanks for your video. As a frame of reference (I know it's not "the end all and be all" ), including the mock ups and testing, about how long did the dovetail process take?
About 6 hours of setup and 4 hours for cutting the actual joint. But bear in mind the majority of the setup time was me figuring out what layout I was going to roll with and the filming severely slows down the process when cutting the joints. I'd say all in, pure work time... maybe 6 hours? That's a guess though.
Norm Abrams always used a dovetail jig and router, and got great looking results. It's just the usual "I'm better than you because I did it the hard way" stuff.
I have the Leigh jig and it’s an excellent way to make a dovetail but I also have a Lie Neilson dovetail saw and a set of high end chisels when I want to feel like an old craftsman doing it by hand. The best of both worlds. My woodworking enjoyment comes from both power and hand tools but lately my “rabbit hole” is hand planes. It’s stressful on the wallet. 🙀🇨🇦👍👨🦳
In the words of Lebowski. “That’s like your opinion, man.” To me I like hand cut dovetails, because the wood working journey is just as important as the destination. My opinion is hand cut work is more heart felt.
Eric, those half-pins are so skinny, that it's almost physically painful to look at, and they are first to take the impact in case the chest would be dropped. Otherwise, great job! Keep it up!
I remember a quote from James May: "A router is a tool for ruining a project more quickly than you could by hand." So I think use of a router demonstrates a skill I don't have.
Haha that is a very accurate quote! The router, like all technologies, simply increases potential toward both polar extremes. It's how you master the tool that determines the direction of that potential.
Oh NO! Where are my clutching pearls? Nah. Totally unnecessary. I'm here for the thoughts about design and process more than the process itself. It's interesting that when you're working with some sort of symmetry it's going to drive the other elements. I hadn't thought about it that way just because I rarely use book matching, somehow not my thing. Now I might try it somewhere just to play with the possibilities of harmony and/or discord I could throw in. Thanks for the ideas.
Professional woodworking is different then hobby woodworking. As a pro time is money so you need to be looking for ways to speed up the process. If you’re a hobbyist you usually are doing it because you like the process and time is not an issue. That’s kind of like the saying a framer should be a man and use a hammer instead of a nail gun sure you can do it but the nail gun is way faster.
I bought one of the expensive and best dovetail jigs, had it a short while then flogged it. It's as simple as this, if you can't cut hand cut dovetails within a reasonable time frame, your stuck with machine cut. Anybody who has any knowledge regarding fine furniture knows full well the difference. Simply put fine English hand cut dovetails cannot be reproduced mechanically, because the pins are minute. The whole point of the skill of a craftsman is to use and display what he/her has studied and practiced in their projects. There's nothing wrong with machine cut tails if that's what you want, there neat and tidy, strong and functional. There not a demonstration of your skill level though, and there not keeping centuries old skills alive and kicking. End of the day if you are trying to earn a living from woodwork sometimes compromises have to be made, not all clients want or are able to commission fine cabinetry or Joinery.
Interesting topic. This is one of those topics where people are going to have different opinions, but I personally don’t believe that there is significant demand for machine cut today. The person who is going to be buying custom furniture expects an artisan to make it, and if you’re buying mass produced furniture why bother with dovetails?
Let's just remind that the initial idea with thin pins is to limit the area of end-grain exposed, so as to minimize seasonal wood movement. Nothing more, nothing less 😉
@@scofus6166 You're perfectly right 👍The only configuration where there is an added benefit of end-grain limitation is for half-blind dovetails that you will typically use on drawer faces, limiting the wood movement in the thickest part of the drawer. For standard dovetail between 2 equal thickness board, there is no difference (but you can still brag with your extra small pins 😅)
Thin pins developed in the world of fine furniture making where very delicate thin sections of wood were used in drawers. Think of an ornate regency period jewellery drawers or powered box’s. Small profile pins would have been chosen for proportion and aesthetics.
Hey man, new subscriber here. I really like your presentation, humor and projects! If I could offer one humble suggestion that is based solely on my own opinion - for some reason, the music is jarring/distracting and takes me out of focusing on what you're doing. I'm one of the those weirdos who like watching silent woodworking videos, though, so take that with a grain of salt haha Keep up the great work!
Time to blow up the comments section. Below are some controversial topics ive discovered in the wood working community. I dont want rebuttals, but additions to the list of controversial topics. - A CNC is essentially a router & jig with option. - A torx screw is essentially a deformed phillips, and a robertson is a stripped out torx. Leaving the slot a screw to be the original perfect fastener device. - Flag etiquette doesn't really matter - Metric and imperial measurements are equally easy to use provided the user has been educated to use it.
Funny thing. I sometimes will make a piece from a paying customer. I ask, "Do you want hand cut dovetails or machine cut dovetails. Inveriabely I get the question "What's the difference". I tell them the price for one versus the other. I've never hand cut dovetails for a customer piece.
I always say: the wood does not give a sh*t what you use to cut it. Most customers don't either.
Truer words were never spoken brother.
I am afraid wood does care about methods employed.
@@Art-is-craftagreed. Try a cheapo block plane f a cheapo hardware store, and then a nice well balanced, plane from a reputable manufacturer and i assure you that the wood will definitely "prefer" the latter! Lol
@@carlson.douglas.w you missed the point. with both, the wood is being cut by steel.
Some wood is higher maintenance than other wood.
I choose to cut dovetails by hand for a number of reasons: because I can, because I am confined to a very small shop with poor dust control, because it's quieter, because I don't have to meet any production deadlines (I'm not doing this for a living), and mostly because I find it very satisfying.
" To each his Owen " 😊 every 1 is different that's cool 😎
I hand cut for all the same reasons. I will add that I hear those jigs can make a preacher cuss while trying to dial them in.
I agree 100%. I am in the same situation. My workshop is a two-car garage in-which I park two cars. I even went so far as to make the garage look like a woodworking shop from the early 1900's. I turned this channel off as soon as I saw the dovetail jig. Nothing to see here. Sounds mean but I do all joinery by hand. Sometimes they come out lousy, so I have lots of experience fixing errors.
@@jerrycomo2736 take a look at Rob Cosman's channel. He has a shop to drool over, but he does a lot of hand tool woodworking. He's a master craftsman, but he's human and therefore makes mistakes...then shows how to fix them. The mark of a true journeyman isn't that they never make mistakes but rather the creative ways they make it look as though there were no mistakes. At the same time, I don't disparage anyone working with machines, especially if they're trying to make a living making furniture. It would be fiscally irresponsible for a professional furniture maker not to take advantage of the speed, repeatability and accuracy of machine woodworking with all the attendant jigs and fixtures...you'd take far too long to get a product to market, and the price point would be out of reach for most of the furniture buying population.
This video is both right and wrong. If a person hasn't reached the proficiency as a woodworker, that person will never learned the craft by starting out with machines.
It's like telling our kids that using calculators is totally okay. No need to learn, do or practice mental math. Now the supermarkets and pharmacies are having a ball by throwing different quantities per package at different concentrations at shoppers. They will never be able to figure out the best deal.
No, it's not about romanticizing. It's about getting the basics down and build on your knowledge of woodworking. THEN thereafter, you can choose to use a machine if you want to, but do bare in mind that you will get rusty with your craft if you lay down your own hands for too long
I seriously love your channel. I've been woodworking now for about a year, and your content is an order of magnitude better than many other woodworking channels with 100k+ subscribers. I am grateful to have this glimpse into your world and acquired knowledge. Thank you for your time and effort in producing this content and sharing an honest opinion.
Thank you so much man. I really appreciate that and I'm glad you're taking value from my content. What a great comment to start the day with!
Recently found your channel. I absolutely love your mix of philosophy and woodworking. Lots of good information, no BS or fluff, and great insight into your mindset. I've learned so much from your stuff already. Thank you!
Thank you so much!
Man, your design process is so inspiring! Thanks for letting us get a glimpse inside your thought process on this piece.
I use the D4R Pro, mainly as of my arthritis. It's great for inlaid dovetails
Love the brushed Hitachi router (need more detail please).
Love the way you don't crack out Festool for everything.
Love the thought process on the symmetry v asymmetry of the dovetails
I just can't get enough of you talking about and explaining concepts, great video as always. And keep that mug going!
Thank you brother! I really appreciate that and glad you’re enjoying the content!
Thanks for giving me things to consider, especially larger pins. I've thought about that but had some doubts. You've clear those up.
So, throughout your video I was smiling. That sums up my reaction to your thoughts and presentation pretty well. I really enjoy your work. Thanks.
Thank you brother. I appreciate that and am glad it brought a smile to your face.
Thin pins? Been there done that. What broke me of that laborious task is watching Frank Klaus say “if my grandfather had a router he would have used a router!”
I like doing a mitred top dovetail joints I quite like looking down at a box and seeing mitred corners and if you put them on the bottom aswell you can hide grooves in the mitres for the base of the box
I do enjoy your teaching methods. Even with all your skills you manage to bring to us in a matter where we (I) don't feel that I'm some dummy. I've learned a lot from you without the "You'll find this on shop for an extra $$" B.S.
Thanks
Thank you man!
Cool build thanks. There are million videos on hand cutting a dovetail. It was fun to see an interesting fancy jig. Thanks.
Glad you liked it!
That dovetail jig is nice. If I had it I'd be using it. I just have a round finger jig and it's a royal pain to use. It can only cut half blind joints not a through joint.
I'm still catching up on your videos. I like this one, because you don't beat up either side of this issue. I learned to cut dovetails by hand from...Roy Underhill on TV many years ago, followed by an hour master course from an Irish woodworker I met in Europe. I've cut them by hand ever since Roy's TV show in the mid-80s. At the time it was a matter of money and space, but even though I can afford a nice router jig now, and have the space, I get a lot of pleasure from doing the dovetails by hand.
IF I were doing this as an occupation though....yeah, I'd buy the jig in a New York minute! Time is money. Love how you go between hand and power tools, and know both exceptionally well!
Keep up the good work, and put out more videos!
hand made dove tails are not a waste of time for those of us who enjoy using hand tools and taking as much time as is needed. It is the most enjoyable thing to just not to have any time limits when building something. It took me a month to build a small project and It was the most enjoyable. It can be hard for someone that is rushed and on a time schedule. For me the most enjoyable part of woodworking is that I can time a life time if needed, no hurry. Its more of a journey than a destination. I am in no hurry to get to any destination.
I love to watch your videos. You bring a calmness that I would love to bring in my approach in life. I can say woodworking yet as I'm still to early in my journey.
I have been watching RC alot. He makes it look so darn easy. I do try to remember that he has been doing it for a very long time. But I'm getting there.
Thank you for your wisdom.
I do have a request. Could you please leave the text that you put on screen to correct the dialog. It's hard to pause the video to be able to read it.
Glad you're enjoying the videos, man 🙏
Priddle…praddle…diddle and daddle. Wait what were we talking about? Oh yes dovetails ! Dude you crack me up and once in awhile I learn something. At least you figured out the most important thing don’t listen to anyone and do your own thing. I really need to get a tattoo that says that. Have a good one…love the channel and the free humor.
Glad you're enjoying my tomfoolery brother!
Great stuff. Leigh jigs provide the best results--really awesome. Nice book matching!
Excellent video, I own the Porter Cable dovetail router jig, might have to up grade to the one your using.
What an amazing jig…. I thought it’s too expensive for hobby but I have to reconsider it maybe. Especially after seeking your video ‘stop buying festool’. :-)
It’s probably an investment lasting for years and dovetails are great for furniture.
Thanks for sharing.
I'm using my d4r pro to make a chest. After I did the tails, I dinged one of the fingers on the pins.
Instead of starting over or trying to reset with new pins, I'm cutting the pins by hand. Turns out it's a good compromise.
Really love dovetailing but am admittedly a bit intimidated trying to do them. Thanks for the incite and ideas. Will give this method a try.
Cutting dovetails just comes down to practice. The first few you do likely won't come out great but eventually you'll get better at it. Plan on just practicing for a while. If you can cut good ones in less than 3 tries you're a lot better at it than I was. Start out with two boards and joint them together and if the joints suck cut them off and try again. As you go you'll figure things out on your own that no one can tell you. Cutting them by hand try to focus on the bits you'll end up seeing when the joint is closed. All the inside bits you're never going to see any of that. The only parts that have to be tight are the exposed parts. That's the getting better part of it is knowing your insides from your outsides. Quite frankly you can butcher the living crap out of the insides. But you'll figure that out as you go. Trying to cut them geometrically perfectly is a bit of a trap. With a jig and a machine you can. By hand it's asking for trouble. You''ll see as you go.
@@1pcfred Understood. A continuous learning experience. 😀
Give yourself some grace and build in room for failure. You’ll get there with practice 👊
@@ENCurtis if you're not failing then you don't know what you're capable of either. Success is falling down seven times and getting up eight.
@@henrysboy2 yeah do it for the challenge. Do it because it's not easy. Although after a bit it isn't hard. It is gratifying when you get it. If it was easy there'd be no fun in that. It does help to have the right tools. A good saw and a sharp chisel makes it easier. Process and mindset are important. Getting to know what you should be doing.
Excellent tutorial on your joining techniques. I have a question regarding the opening of the drawer. Could you tell me how you will handle the large end grain to the left of the drawer opening?
Just the same as any of the pins on that side. It should create a nice balance next to the drawer front.
It has never occurred to me to do anything but the traditional straight run of perfectly even and evenly spaced dovetails. And yet, you make me think-really think about what I can do to make a piece obviously mine, obviously thought out. Thanks for making me think!
Glad to help!
His design discussion was great. The idea of “ascending” scale box joints has popped into my head. I’m struggling with how to get it done…
By the time you setup the router and jig it is likely that you could cut them by hand and make the tails and pins shaped exactly as you want.
Your videos just keep getting better. Nice.
I appreciate that!
I've learned more from 2 of your videos than a years worth of any others. You're like the good-looking shop teacher, everyone listens to.
Hello Eric! I love your work and especially when you do woodcarving on boxes. Witch tool do you use with your Saburrtooth bits?
Thanks!
Patrik from Sweden
Thank you! For the small burrs its just a simple rotary flex shaft. I picked mine up at harbor freight a few years ago and it's still going strong!
Love your channel. Somewhat funny, yet downright informative. Great teacher, Eric.
"Somewhat funny" should be my next t-shirt 😂 Thank you, man. I'm really glad you're enjoying the channel.
Always a good day when you share another video. Thanks for the information, inspiration and entertainment.
Thanks, Mike.
I have seen a Fibonacci lay out tool on other channels. How cool would it be to use that for pin layout?
That could be really interesting!
Love your conversational teaching style and the coffee mug!! Do you have a rule of thumb when progressively spacing dovetails? And do you find they esthetically look better in different sized projects? Thanks for sharing!!
Thanks! Yes, I try to keep my principle proportion measurement in mind when sizing my tails. So, for example, in this piece that measurement is 3" (the box is 30"x18"x15"), and so my tails are 3", 3 1/2" (a 6:7 ratio), and 2 (2:3 ratio). All about low whole number ratios.
Darn it. Now I have to look up "principle proportion measurement." 😂 Thank you for that.
Would it be too much trouble to spend some time on design principles? I feel like that's sorely missing in the "learn woodworking," space.
I’m here for that Mug ! Gimme the deets on that please !
What brand/set up is that jig for the dovetails? Thanks for great content!
Eric, so well done so well said great advice at the end also. Excellent video as usual enjoy the topic very much! Columbus Michigan
Hi , just wanted to say I love your presentation and style of your videos. There's one thing I was wondering what the hole is the side is for? Many thanks for making woodworking cool.
Thank you! The hole is going to be a drawer.
What an excellent, instructive and engaging video this was again! I would really like to learn more about the types of machine router jigs (or how do you call this tool?). The one you used looks very intimidating, but also very interesting, since there are so many ways you seem to be able to play with the size and distribution of the dove tails. In my country I only find simple fixed dovetail jigs for sale, for which you have to build your own holders. So this is the start of a new quest for me... Many thanks for another top video!
That’s some damn good looking wood. Can’t wait for that finish. It’s going to be epic.
She's a sexy tree for sure. Can't wait to see it finished myself!
Love the sentiment woodwork is woodwork no matter how you do it, it's the result we are looking for.
Eric from start to finish how long did it take you to do that thinking about it setting up drawing it cutting it setting up the fixture test fitting setting up the saw Etc how long did you spend doing that? I'd be interested to know
Another great video! I appreciate your teaching style and I always look forward to new videos from you. Thank you for sharing your skills and insights with us!
Thank you so much!
Great point about matching the size of the pins to the scale of the piece. One question: why didn't you miter the leaf that fills in the side of the drawer opening using a cut off from the piece you removed for the drawer? That way you could avoid the end grain in that corner and continue the grain along the front. Just saying. Otherwise, really nice box, Eric. I like watching your process!
I love your channel Eric, you talk a lot of common sense. Thanks for the video.👍👍
I appreciate that!
I’ve never heard of the upward dovetails. Really like the look of those. I hand cut my dovetails with pins around 3/8 just because that’s what I like. Woodworking is just a hobby for me though. I would bust out a router if it was for profit.
Got the exact same Leigh setup as you. Bought it at a yard sale for $300😂 what a win
Hi Erik, thanks for the video. I’m curious why you chose the Leigh jig over using the Shaper origin. Cheers Mark
Excellent question. Mostly because the shaper would struggle or potentially be unable to cut a 7/8” deep DT. And it only has a 1 1/4 motor I believe so it would struggle mightily even if it could.
@@ENCurtis thank you.
I do feel that those that would argue about the method, just have too much time in their hands. The road to get there sometimes matters but sometimes doesn’t.if you had just done the work off camera and showed the dry fit, someone would have had something to say.. it is in the doing and the feeling that it gives you, the process is individual. I do like that you talk a lot about the feeling and flow of thing which I think is really important bc a piece of something made from wood should not feel static, it should draw you in and welcome you… just a thought… I want that mug!!!!!
Cool. How much can someon expect to pay to have a pro make dovetails. The Walnut box is 24" x 12" Open box 4 speaker cabinet. Shoudl I use craig joint or 1"x1" block bracing inside screwed and glued or both?
I have porter cable jig and i have found that when i use it i get serious tear out issues. So here is my question. Is this problem due the quality of the provided router bits or is it my technic? I noticed that you made your passes very slow and i noticed virtually no tearout on your cuts!
Totally off topic... What is you background soundtrack?
It’s from epidemic sound 👊
RHYTHMIC wow Mr. Prius that is deep. Nice job Erik. Still really enjoy your approach to the projects you design and build. Semper Fi bud great job.
Thank you brother!
How much was the jig and router bits that will need to be sharpened and replaced? A good dovetail saw will need to be sharpened one in a while (20 mins) and last a life time
1. I appreciate your design thoughts. Thank you. It's quite instructive and I'm trying to include that logic process in my works. 2. The choice of power tools as opposed to hand tools is dictated by the motivations involved in the job. If it is a commercial motivation then power tools rule. If it is a non-commercial pursuit, a hobby, then it comes down to the balance between the enjoying the process and wanting an outcome. I seem to be much more motivated by the process. As such, I like using hand tools where possible. Sometimes I'll cut a mortise and tenon just for the giggles.
I only hobby woodwork and I like my power tools. Screw those all by hand people. If they had power tools in the past you'd better believe they'd have been using them then. I've heard stories about when the first belt sanders came out craftsmen would sleep with them under their beds. They called them their power planers and they loved them.
@@1pcfred I am a member of a wood work club that has a very extensive list of equipment. That includes dovetale jigs, a huge range of power tools and a similar range of industrial level wood work machining tools. I don't use them. For me, they remove the connection I want to the process. Many of the club members only use the power tools. Good on them. It's their hobby.
I'm glad you enjoyed the video and I completely agree that as a hobbyist you get to choose your path. If you enjoy the hand tool path, go for it! There's no right or wrong. And if it brings a smile to your face, that's the whole damn point 🤙
@@1deerndingo horses for courses. If I have a lot of stock I need to surface I ain't doing it by hand. Why be in the club if you'e not going to use the gear? You just looking for the camaraderie? The whole shared interest thing. If they're using power tools that you eschew I can't see what the connection is then. You trying to convert them all? Put down that evil power tool brother. Come into the light!
@@1pcfred I'll do the initial dimensioning of large amount of stock using jointers and thicknesser. Small quanitities I'll do with hand planes. And yes, I'm currently leading a few guys down the dark path of hand tools. I'm showing them a jig that allows cutting perfectly matched mortise and tenons straight from the first cut of the saw. They are coming over.
Excellent lesson on design. I definitely learned from this, thank you. I think a lot of disdain for machine cut dovetails comes from the cheaper jigs that only do one size tail/pin. That forces a very "inorganic" look.
Loving these videos you’re making! Your presentation style and video pacing is excellent! Good timing on the topic as well. I have only done hand cut dovetails but have a large dresser I’m designing and not looking forward to cutting all the drawers. I was looking at dovetail jigs the other day and really liked the Leigh D4R Pro. Would you recommend it? Have any issues with it or other suggestions?
Thanks man! Glad you like them. Yes, if you’re going to batch out dovetails I would absolutely recommend the Dr4 pro. The variable tail spacing is absolutely clutch in my opinion.
Ive been putting off trying dovetails, but maybe now ill give it a go. Thanks for the boost man
They are an easy joint to use. Your first attempt will not be that good but with time they will improve. Your first projects could be for shop tools or furniture or rough garden items.
I have the Leigh D4RPro and the FMT, both amazing! I sat on the fence for years, saving and wondering...no looking back.
With the D4 I rarely even measure the dovetails any more, simply laying out the spacing on the jig is totally fine for most projects.
It really is a brilliant little piece of kit!
Thank you. Helps me decide that I want a Leigh jig.
I have that same jig I got with a saw I bought. Dont have a clue how to use it. Dont have instructions for it. Doesn’t look easy to use. A saw and chisels are easy to use. Some day i will try the jig.
Great video as usual, thanks for your time.
Love your artistic approach and visual stimulation of your work. The satisfaction is seeing what you have created,doesn’t matter how you got there.
I’m only a hobbyist and trying to justify purchasing that jig , especially with a $200 discount at the moment. Looking forward to seeing the finished product.
Thank you so much 👊
Rocking it man. Great video. Love your work
Thank you!
Hand cut dovetails are important to learn as you start working with wood i am still doing it myself. Also making your own stuff you feel like making by hand for your own fun but if you are trying to make a dollar then get it done as well and fast as possible
Ironic that it takes longer to understand, setup and master the Leigh jig than it does to …hand cut dovetails🤔. Seriously, love the channel…keep up the great work!
The beauty with hand cut dovetails is that they are not noisy, hence much more zen!
Sir, any advantage/disadvantage/caution to using a spiral bit in lieu of the traditional straight cut router bit?
Not at all. They tend to have a little more resistance in my experience but not by much. You'd be totally fine with a spiral bit.
@@ENCurtis Thank you sir!
Enjoyed the treatise on design theory, but when that machine appeared, my mind totally focused on figuring out how IT worked. Looked cool
haha it's a slick looking piece of kit for sure, but she's pretty straightforward to use.
I like doin it by hand just to do it. I really suck at it either way so gotta lot of practice ahead of me
very beautiful looks amazing as usual
Thank you!
It's really been great watching your videos. I've just started getting into hand tools, and I almost wonder if it would be easier to just cut everything by hand. Obviously machines are faster to batch, but with so much setup, I'd be tempted to just grab a pull saw and chisel and get it done
Sometimes it can be, for sure. But it takes years of practice to reach that level of proficiency and speed. And, in this case, the material was as much as consideration as the process itself.
@ENCurtis makes sense, thanks for the reply. I'm definitely quickly learning how beginner level my hand tool skills are
We are sly devils...we got Eric monologuing!
In all seriousness, I rather enjoy the design discussions. It's a nice change of pace from the typical "how-to" style of video. Design isn't always easy to learn from a book.
Exit question - given the background music, I'd like to suggest an ENCurtis/Justin Johnson collab.
That dude is incredible! Would be an amazing collab!
I remember Norm Abrahms state that if there is a power tool that will do the job, I am going to use it. Or some such phrase similar to this idea.
If it works, it works. That's all there is to it!
I need a link to where you got that mug.
It's from my boy David Bowen @dbowensculpture on IG!
The principles of what to do it more important than how you do it so well said. There's always going to be narrow minded peanuts on both sides of the "how to do it" fence so who cares what they think. Other than that, there was nothing new in your video BUT it was a good presentation nonetheless. Good work
Thanks for your video. As a frame of reference (I know it's not "the end all and be all" ), including the mock ups and testing, about how long did the dovetail process take?
About 6 hours of setup and 4 hours for cutting the actual joint. But bear in mind the majority of the setup time was me figuring out what layout I was going to roll with and the filming severely slows down the process when cutting the joints. I'd say all in, pure work time... maybe 6 hours? That's a guess though.
@@ENCurtis Thanks for your reply, it gives me some more knowledge and a bit of a framework to work from.
Norm Abrams always used a dovetail jig and router, and got great looking results. It's just the usual "I'm better than you because I did it the hard way" stuff.
Where do you keep those guns when you aren't using them?
Had to get an open carry permit so I could keep them on me at all times.
I have the Leigh jig and it’s an excellent way to make a dovetail but I also have a Lie Neilson dovetail saw and a set of high end chisels when I want to feel like an old craftsman doing it by hand. The best of both worlds. My woodworking enjoyment comes from both power and hand tools but lately my “rabbit hole” is hand planes. It’s stressful on the wallet. 🙀🇨🇦👍👨🦳
In the words of Lebowski. “That’s like your opinion, man.” To me I like hand cut dovetails, because the wood working journey is just as important as the destination. My opinion is hand cut work is more heart felt.
Eric! You can do what you want, simple as that.
Eric, those half-pins are so skinny, that it's almost physically painful to look at, and they are first to take the impact in case the chest would be dropped. Otherwise, great job! Keep it up!
I noticed you're not using dust collection , what no festoll router, ... I use all fauxstool stuff also .😋😋😋
I remember a quote from James May: "A router is a tool for ruining a project more quickly than you could by hand." So I think use of a router demonstrates a skill I don't have.
Haha that is a very accurate quote! The router, like all technologies, simply increases potential toward both polar extremes. It's how you master the tool that determines the direction of that potential.
I enjoy having a glass of bourbon and watching videos of you having a glass of bourbon and talk about wood
I appreciate that man 👊
Oh NO! Where are my clutching pearls?
Nah. Totally unnecessary. I'm here for the thoughts about design and process more than the process itself. It's interesting that when you're working with some sort of symmetry it's going to drive the other elements. I hadn't thought about it that way just because I rarely use book matching, somehow not my thing. Now I might try it somewhere just to play with the possibilities of harmony and/or discord I could throw in. Thanks for the ideas.
Your clutching pearls bahaha. Glad you found the thought process helpful though!
Another great video are you a film maker or a woodworker?
I’ll take that question as a profound compliment, my guy 🙏👊
@@ENCurtis I totally meant it as a compliment!
Might be a bit tight. Love my D4!
Professional woodworking is different then hobby woodworking. As a pro time is money so you need to be looking for ways to speed up the process. If you’re a hobbyist you usually are doing it because you like the process and time is not an issue. That’s kind of like the saying a framer should be a man and use a hammer instead of a nail gun sure you can do it but the nail gun is way faster.
I bought one of the expensive and best dovetail jigs, had it a short while then flogged it.
It's as simple as this, if you can't cut hand cut dovetails within a reasonable time frame, your stuck with machine cut. Anybody who has any knowledge regarding fine furniture knows full well the difference. Simply put fine English hand cut dovetails cannot be reproduced mechanically, because the pins are minute. The whole point of the skill of a craftsman is to use and display what he/her has studied and practiced in their projects.
There's nothing wrong with machine cut tails if that's what you want, there neat and tidy, strong and functional.
There not a demonstration of your skill level though, and there not keeping centuries old skills alive and kicking.
End of the day if you are trying to earn a living from woodwork sometimes compromises have to be made, not all clients want or are able to commission fine cabinetry or Joinery.
Interesting topic. This is one of those topics where people are going to have different opinions, but I personally don’t believe that there is significant demand for machine cut today.
The person who is going to be buying custom furniture expects an artisan to make it, and if you’re buying mass produced furniture why bother with dovetails?
I've purchased two dovetail jigs and both have walked off the property before I had a chance to use them. Figure that one.
Excellent. See you next week. Cheers
Thank you! Cheers!
PS, if I may offer a comment, your pop up commentary font is quite small and fine for some eyes and it goes away quite fast. Just a thought.
Let's just remind that the initial idea with thin pins is to limit the area of end-grain exposed, so as to minimize seasonal wood movement. Nothing more, nothing less 😉
Thin pins or thin tails, doesn't the amount of endgrain remain the same?
@@scofus6166 You're perfectly right 👍The only configuration where there is an added benefit of end-grain limitation is for half-blind dovetails that you will typically use on drawer faces, limiting the wood movement in the thickest part of the drawer. For standard dovetail between 2 equal thickness board, there is no difference (but you can still brag with your extra small pins 😅)
Thin pins developed in the world of fine furniture making where very delicate thin sections of wood were used in drawers. Think of an ornate regency period jewellery drawers or powered box’s.
Small profile pins would have been chosen for proportion and aesthetics.
I’m so impressed with your skills compared to your height!
a chest? so what’s the purpose of the little drawer? great video $800 for that dovetail jig 😱
Hey man, new subscriber here. I really like your presentation, humor and projects! If I could offer one humble suggestion that is based solely on my own opinion - for some reason, the music is jarring/distracting and takes me out of focusing on what you're doing. I'm one of the those weirdos who like watching silent woodworking videos, though, so take that with a grain of salt haha Keep up the great work!
You can always mute the sound.
@@1pcfred thanks for that helpful tip
Glad you're enjoying the videos my man, and I appreciate you sharing your thoughts in a kind manner 👊
Time to blow up the comments section. Below are some controversial topics ive discovered in the wood working community. I dont want rebuttals, but additions to the list of controversial topics.
- A CNC is essentially a router & jig with option.
- A torx screw is essentially a deformed phillips, and a robertson is a stripped out torx. Leaving the slot a screw to be the original perfect fastener device.
- Flag etiquette doesn't really matter
- Metric and imperial measurements are equally easy to use provided the user has been educated to use it.
Funny thing. I sometimes will make a piece from a paying customer. I ask, "Do you want hand cut dovetails or machine cut dovetails. Inveriabely I get the question "What's the difference". I tell them the price for one versus the other.
I've never hand cut dovetails for a customer piece.
Ha! That's a solid way to avoid hand cutting dovetails if that's your goal 😂