The Dovetail Variations

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HELLO AGAIN.

WELCOME BACK TO "THE WOODWRIGHT'S SHOP."

I'M ROY UNDERHILL.

SO GLAD YOU CAN BE WITH ME AGAIN TODAY.

DOVETAILS.

EVERYBODY LOVES DOVETAILS.

AND I HAD SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT DOVETAILS FROM A YOUNG GENT THE OTHER DAY.

HE SAID, "YOU KNOW, WHEN I LOOK IN MY DRAWERS "AND I SEE THESE DOVETAILS, I ALWAYS WONDER 2 THINGS."

WELL, LET'S LOOK AT DOVETAILS RIGHT HERE.

ALL RIGHT.

THESE ARE DOVETAILS HOLDING THE SIDES OF OUR DRAWERS TOGETHER, AND THESE ARE, OF COURSE, HALF-BLIND DOVETAILS.

WE'RE GOING TO SEE A LOT OF VARIATIONS ON THOSE, LOOKING AT ALL KINDS OF DOVETAILS.

BUT HIS QUESTIONS SPECIFICALLY WERE, "WHY WERE THESE PARTS, THESE CALLED THE PINS?"

HERE YOU SEE THEM IN OAK, THE VERY NARROW PART.

AND ALSO, "WHY ARE THEY SO DARN NARROW?"

SO HE'S ASKING ABOUT THE PINS, NARROW PINS.

AND WHY ARE THEY CALLED PINS?

NOW, THE TAILS, THE PART YOU SEE IN THE PINE, THEY'RE OBVIOUS BECAUSE THEY'RE NAMED AFTER THE MIGHTY DOVE THAT AS IT FLIES OFF, ITS TAIL SPLAYS OUT IN THAT KIND OF PATTERN LIKE THAT, THAT WHATEVER... TRIANGULAR SHAPE LIKE THAT.

WELL, THAT'S WHAT YOU SEE HERE ON THE END.

THOSE ARE THE PINE PARTS OF THIS JOINT HERE, THE TAILS.

THAT'S OBVIOUS.

IT'S NAMED AFTER THE DOVE TAIL.

IN FRENCH, THEY CALL IT THE QUEUE DE RONDE, THE SWALLOW TAIL.

BUT THAT DOESN'T ANSWER OUR QUESTION.

WHAT ABOUT THE PINS?

AND WHY ARE THEY SMALL?

WE'RE GOING TO GET AT THAT, BUT WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT A LOT OF STUFF.

THE MYSTERIES OF THE DOVETAIL.

WE SEE THEM EVERYWHERE.

YOU LOOK AT THIS WORKBENCH HERE.

WE'LL SEE SOME DOVETAILS THAT ARE NOT HAVING SMALL PINS.

THE PINS AND THE TAILS ARE EQUAL SIZE.

THESE ARE CARPENTER'S DOVETAILS ON THE END OF OUR WORKBENCH AND VERY, VERY STRONG.

SO WE SEE THEM VERY OBVIOUSLY HERE AND OPEN, BUT THERE'S DOVETAILS WHERE WE DON'T SUSPECT TO SEE THEM.

LOOK DOWN HERE.

AGAIN, ON THE BENCH.

I'VE DRAWN A PENCIL LINE HERE TO SHOW YOU WHAT THE MORTISE LOOKS LIKE INSIDE THERE.

SEE HOW THIS IS SPLAYED OPEN LIKE THIS, AND THIS IS SPLAYED UP LIKE THAT?

KIND OF LIKE THE SOCKET FOR A DOVETAIL.

AND INDEED IT IS.

BUT HOW DO YOU GET THE DOVETAIL IN?

WELL, THIS PIECE IS LOOSE AND CAN SLIP IN AND THEN IS NOTCHED SO IT DROPS DOWN INTO THAT OPENING.

THE WEDGE THEN MAKES THIS A COMPLETED DOVETAIL THROUGH TENON.

NOW, DOWN BENEATH IS ANOTHER TENON.

YOU CAN SEE THE ENDGRAIN OF THE TENON THAT COMES ALL THE WAY THROUGH FROM THIS ADJOINING PIECE.

NOW, IT WOULD BE EASY FOR US TO SPLAY OUT THE END OF THIS MORTISE AND DRIVE SOME WEDGES IN AND MAKE A TENON, BUT WHAT IF IT'S A STUB TENON?

YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?

MAKE A DOVETAIL OUT OF THAT, WEDGE IT SO IT SPLAYS OUT LIKE THAT?

BUT WHAT IF IT'S A STOPPED MORTISE?

WHAT IF WE HAVE A PIECE OF WOOD LIKE THIS, WHERE THE MORTISE GOES FROM ONE SIDE BUT DOESN'T COME THROUGH ON THE OTHER SIDE?

SO HOW CAN WE PUT A DOVETAIL JOINT INTO THERE?

WELL, WE DO IT BY CHISELING THIS SPLAYED OPEN LIKE THAT, SO THAT SPLAYS OPEN, AND THEN MAKE A REGULAR STRAIGHT TENON THAT WILL FIT IN, BUT MAKE SOME WEDGES THAT'LL SLIP IN THERE.

THIS IS CALLED FOX WEDGING-- AGAIN, A FORM OF DOVETAILS.

YOU HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL, BECAUSE IF THOSE TAILS FALL OUT BEFORE WE GET IT DOWN TO THE BOTTOM, IT'S NOT GOING TO WORK.

A LOT OF WAYS FOR THIS JOINT TO MESS UP.

LET ME SEE IF I CAN HOLD IT VERY DELICATELY AND GET IT IN THERE.

HAVE I GOT IT?

LET'S TURN IT AROUND THE RIGHT WAY, TOO, SO IT SITS FLUSH.

AND WE CAN GET THOSE WEDGES IN.

NOW, THESE WEDGES ARE GOING TO HIT THE BOTTOM OF THE MORTISE AND START EXPANDING THOSE WINGS OUT THERE, KIND OF LIKE A DUM-DUM BULLET, AND WE START TO DRIVE THIS IN.

OK, SO I DRIVE IT IN, AND YOU CAN IMAGINE THOSE WEDGES DRIVING INTO THOSE SLOTS, SPREADING IT OUT INSIDE THERE.

NOW, THE NICE THING WITH THIS PARTICULAR ONE IS YOU DON'T HAVE TO IMAGINE IT BECAUSE I'M GOING TO OPEN IT UP HERE AND TURN IT AROUND, AND WE'RE GOING TO OPEN THE JOINT, AND YOU CAN LOOK INSIDE AND SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING.

YOU'LL SEE HOW, AS I DRIVE IT DOWN-- I'LL FINISH UP THE REST OF THE WAY.

TRY AND KEEP THOSE WEDGES HELD IN THERE.

AS I DRIVE IT DOWN THE REST OF THE WAY, THE WEDGES SPREAD IT OUT.

SO HIDDEN DOVETAILS.

YOU'LL OFTEN SEE THIS IN LOG CABIN PEGS DRIVEN IN WITH A WEDGE IN THE END, HOLDING THE DOORFRAMES AROUND LOG HOUSES.

BUT ANYWAY, HERE'S A WAY TENONS CHECK IN BUT THEY DON'T CHECK OUT.

SO THERE YOU GO.

FOX WEDGING.

ANOTHER PLACE THAT YOU DON'T SEE THEM BUT THEY'RE THERE IS THE SLIDING DOVETAIL.

A SHAKER TABLE.

A LITTLE SHAKER TABLE.

LEGS COMING OFF OF THE TRIPOD.

[CLANGING] AND DOWN AT THE BOTTOM, WE HAVE THE DOVETAILED LEGS.

KIND OF BEAT UP HERE IN THIS CASE, BUT THEY SLIDE IN SLOTS CUT INTO THE POST.

AND THERE IS THE SLIDING DOVETAIL JOINT.

ALL RIGHT.

WE ALSO SEE IT IN THE CABINETWORK IN FURNITURE AND JOINING, LIKE WE HAVE RIGHT HERE.

THIS IS THE FRONT OF A CABINET.

YOU SEE THE DRAWER WOULD GO RIGHT HERE.

A LITTLE TABLE, AND THE RAIL IS HELD BY A DOVETAIL SLID THROUGH THE SIDEGRAIN.

THE TOP IS HELD BY A DOVETAIL GOING THROUGH THE TOPGRAIN.

NOW, THESE ARE BOTH DOVETAILS THAT ARE SQUARE THROUGH.

YOU CAN SEE THEY'RE THE SAME DIMENSION.

THEY SLIP IN.

AND THAT'S FINE.

IT'S TOUGH TO DO THAT IN A VERY LONG PIECE.

SO SOMETIMES WHAT WE DO IS CALLED A TAPERED SLIDING DOVETAIL.

AND I HAVE ONE RIGHT HERE IN THIS BENCH.

THIS BENCH IS VERY, VERY STURDY, AND YET THERE'S NOTHING HOLDING IT BY A SLIDING DOVETAIL JOINT.

LET ME SEE IF I CAN TAKE THIS GUY APART HERE, BY TAPPING ON THE SMALL SIDE.

YOU CAN SEE THE SLIDING DOVETAIL.

DRIVE IT OUT, AND THAT HALF DOVETAIL GOES DOWN IN THIS SLOT, AND IT ONLY GRABS WHEN IT GETS TO THE END.

YOU CAN SEE I HAVE A BRIDLE JOINT RIGHT THERE AT THAT END THERE.

THAT BRIDLE JOINT SLIPS OVER THERE AND ALLOWS THE HALF DOVETAIL TO SLIDE IN THERE.

NOW, YOU CAN DO ALL THIS WITH JUST A SAW AND A CHISEL, BUT I'LL SHOW YOU JUST SOME OF THE PLANES THAT YOU CAN USE FOR DOING THIS AS WELL.

AGAIN, JUST THE WORLD OF DOVETAILS.

HERE IS, OF COURSE, TO BOTTOM IT-- THE ROUTER PLANE.

WORK THAT DOWN THERE TO LEVEL THE BOTTOM.

THIS IS CALLED A ROUTER PLANE.

THERE YOU GO.

YOU CAN SEE THE BLADE HANGING DOWN HERE.

TO DO THIS FACE, WE USE A SIDE RABBET.

AND HERE YOU SEE THIS UNUSUAL PLANE THAT HAS THE BLADE ON THE SIDE THAT ALLOWS YOU TO OPEN UP A DADO ACROSS THE GRAIN THERE, BECAUSE THAT HAS THE BLADE CUTTING ON THE SIDE.

AND EVEN HERE, UNDER THE DOVETAIL CUT THERE, THAT UNDERCUT, HERE IS A HANDMADE PLANE THAT WILL GET DOWN UNDERNEATH THERE AND CUT THAT DOVETAIL.

SO HERE AGAIN, A DOVETAILING PLANE.

SO LOTS OF TOOLS YOU CAN USE TO DO THIS KIND OF WORK, BUT LET ME GO BACK.

IT STILL DOESN'T ANSWER THAT QUESTION-- WHY ARE THERE TAILS, AND WHY ARE THERE PINS?

AND AGAIN HERE YOU CAN SEE, HERE'S THE TAIL IN THE PINE AND THE PIN IN THE OAK IN THIS HALF-BLIND DOVETAIL.

WHY THAT LITTLE PIN RIGHT THERE?

AND I HAVE A THEORY ON THAT.

I DO NOT KNOW FOR SURE, BUT I HAVE A THEORY.

LOOKING AT OLD MEDIEVAL PRINTS OF CABINETMAKERS, THEY ARE SOMETIMES USING AN INSERTED PIN.

THEY BUILD A BOX AND THEN CUT A SEPARATE PIECE THAT COMES THROUGH LITERALLY LIKE A PIN.

NOW, THE ONLY PLACE WE DO THAT NOW IS WHEN WE'RE DOING TRIANGULAR BOXES, DOING INSERTED PINS INTO A CORNER.

NOW, HERE IS A TRIANGULAR BOX.

YOU REALLY CAN'T DO A STANDARD DOVETAIL JOINT.

SO INSTEAD WHAT YOU DO IS SAW SLOTS, LIKE HERE.

YOU CAN SEE I HAVE SLOTS SAWN THROUGH THE CORNER THERE.

AND THEN, USING PRECISE JIGS, YOU MAKE A VERY PRECISE LITTLE PIN LIKE THIS OUT OF ANOTHER KIND OF WOOD AND SLIP THAT THROUGH THAT SLOT.

AND THIS IS, AGAIN, WEDGE-SHAPED.

CUT IT OFF LIKE THAT, AND YOU END UP WITH PINNED CORNER JOINTS.

AND AGAIN, IT LOOKS LIKE DOVETAILS.

THERE'S THE TAIL, AND THERE'S THE PIN.

AND I THINK THAT'S WHY.

I THINK THAT'S WHY THE AESTHETIC OF HAVING THE VERY NARROW PIN COMES OUT OF THAT TRADITION AS WELL, BECAUSE, YEAH, IT WOULD BE STRONGER IF THEY'RE ALL EQUAL, BUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT ALL ABOUT STRENGTH.

SOMETIMES IT'S ABOUT BEAUTY AS WELL, AS WELL AS THE MYSTERIES OF THIS, THE ARTS AND MYSTERIES.

ALL RIGHT, WE'RE GOING TO LOOK NOW AT LAYING OUT DOVETAILS.

I HAVE A NICE, WONDERFUL THING HERE.

THIS IS ONE FROM FRANK KLAUSZ.

HE TOOK ABOUT 4 SECONDS AND CUT THIS JOINT ONE DAY WHEN HE STOPPED BY THE SHOP.

YOU CAN SEE AGAIN THE PINS THERE, AND THERE ARE THE TAILS IN TULIP POPLAR.

AND AGAIN, SEE HOW THIS IS MORE EQUAL, AND VERY BROADLY SPLAYED JOINTS.

LOOK AT HOW BOLD THE ANGLES ARE COMING OUT THERE, MUCH BOLDER THAN WE USUALLY FIND IN... OH, LET ME SEE.

I'LL BRING BACK OUR DRAWER AGAIN.

SEE HOW THIS ANGLE IS MUCH SHALLOWER ON THE DRAWER HERE?

THAT IS THE KIND OF WORK WE DO IN CABINETWORK.

WE LOOK AT A CARPENTER'S JOINT, AND SOMETIMES IT WILL BE A BOLDER ANGLE.

ALL RIGHT, LET'S LOOK AT LAYING THAT OUT.

JUST SOME OF THE STUFF ABOUT DOVETAILS.

WE'VE CUT THESE SO MUCH, I'M LOOKING AT THE THINGS WE DON'T USUALLY TOUCH ON.

BUT...ALL RIGHT.

BUT WE WANT TO GET THAT ANGLE DOWN.

GENERALLY THAT ANGLE IS GOING TO BE WHAT'S CALLED ONE IN 6, ABOUT 80 DEGREES, I GUESS IT IS.

AND YOU GET THAT BY TAKING A SQUARE AND A BEVEL AND ADJUSTING THE BEVEL SO IT CROSSES THE ONE AND CROSSES THE 6.

WE ADJUST IT TO THAT, GET IT RIGHT THERE CROSSING THAT 6 POINT RIGHT THERE AND THE ONE, AND THAT GIVES US THE ANGLE FOR OUR TAILS.

YOU CAN SEE RIGHT THERE, THERE ON THIS PIECE THAT I'VE STARTED CUTTING OUT.

IT GIVES US THE ANGLE TO CUT THE TAILS.

AND THIS IS VERY COMMON, THAT ONE IN 6.

I HAVE SOME OLD TEMPLATES THAT WERE MADE BY AN OLD CABINETMAKER, AND YOU CAN SEE HOW THEY FIT RIGHT IN THERE.

LOOK AT THAT.

THERE'S THE EBONY ONE.

AGAIN, A TEMPLATE FOR CUTTING DOVETAILS.

HERE'S HIS OTHER TEMPLATE OUT OF BOXWOOD.

AND AGAIN YOU CAN SEE THEY ARE ONE IN 6.

HERE IN THE CARPENTER'S WORK, THOUGH, THAT FRANK WAS DOING, WE HAVE A BOLDER ANGLE, MAYBE ONE IN 6 1/2.

ALL RIGHT, SO WE USE THOSE BEVELS, THAT ANGLE.

THEN WE'VE GOT TO SPACE THEM EVENLY.

OBVIOUSLY, YOU COULD TAKE A PAIR OF DIVIDERS AND WALK OFF THE PACING HERE, BUT THE OTHER TRICK, WHEN YOU'RE DOVETAILING, IS TO USE A CARPENTER'S RULE.

HERE WE HAVE 3 DIVISIONS-- 1, 2, 3.

WE WANT TO FIND THOSE POINTS BETWEEN THEM.

SO WE FIND THE LARGEST MULTIPLE-- OR THE LOWEST MULTIPLE THAT WILL GIVE US A DIAGONAL ON THE WIDTH OF THE TIMBER.

FOR EXAMPLE, WE HAVE 3 HERE.

WE WILL GO OUT 6 THEN.

PUT THE 6 WHERE THE CENTER OF THIS TAIL--PIN.

PUT THE ZERO POINT AT THE CENTER OF THIS PIN.

AND THEN FIND THE 2 AND THE 4, ALL RIGHT?

BECAUSE THAT DIVIDES IT INTO 3.

THAT DIVIDES THE 6 INTO A THIRD AT THE 2 AND THE 4, AND YOU CAN SEE WE PUT THAT PIN RIGHT AT THE 2 AND THIS ONE HERE, IF WE EXTENDED THAT BACK, WOULD GO TO THE 4 ON THE RULER.

SO, AGAIN, IT'S JUST THAT OLD TRICK.

THIS IS JUST OLD STUFF ABOUT DOING DOVETAILS AND HOW YOU LAY THEM OUT.

NOW, THE NEXT BUSINESS IS-- AND PEOPLE SAY, "WELL, WHAT DO YOU DO?

DO YOU CUT THE PINS OR THE TAILS FIRST?"

WELL, IT'S JUST WHATEVER YOU WANT TO DO.

IT DOESN'T MATTER.

THERE'S TIMES, THOUGH, WHEN YOU HAVE TO CHOOSE ONE OR THE OTHER.

WHEN I'M WORKING DOING DRAWER WORK-- AND THAT'S WHAT YOU DO REALLY MOST OF ALL, THE CARCASS AND DRAWER WORK-- YOU END UP WITH... LOTS OF THIS WORK WHERE YOU CAN CUT THE SIDES.

YOU CAN IMAGINE, YOU CAN CUT THESE TAILS BY GANGING THEM UP.

SO YOU CAN CLAMP A BUNCH OF SIDES TOGETHER, SAW THEM ALL AT ONCE.

YOU CAN'T DO THAT WITH THE PINS.

SO THAT'S ANOTHER REASON TO DO THE TAILS FIRST.

ALL RIGHT.

AND THEN YOU HAVE TO TRANSFER THEM.

LET'S LOOK AT THE TRANSFER, HOW YOU CUT ONE TO THE OTHER, BECAUSE THEY'RE ALWAYS CUSTOM-CUT.

THE PINS ARE CUT TO FIT THE TAILS THAT YOU CUT FIRST.

BOY, I'M RUNNING OUT OF ROOM.

LET ME PUT MY... CHICKEN DOWN HERE AND CLEAR BACK A LITTLE BIT, BECAUSE I'M GOING TO WORK ON THAT HALF-BLIND DOVETAIL.

NOW, SOME DOVETAILS ARE THROUGH.

THIS IS ONE THAT'S HALF-BLIND, ALL RIGHT?

CAN'T BE SEEN FROM THE FRONT, AND WE WORK BY SAWING THE DOVETAILS-- LET'S JUST USE THIS AS AN EXAMPLE HERE.

SAW THE TAILS FIRST, BUT DON'T CHISEL THEM OUT.

SAW THEM FIRST.

SET THEM VERY PRECISELY WHERE YOU WANT THEM TO GO ON THE FRONT OF THE DRAWER.

THEN SET THE SAW IN TO THE KERF AND PULL IT BACK-- THE SAME SAW THAT YOU USED TO CUT THEM, AND THIS IS A SMALLER SAW, BUT PULL IT BACK.

PULL IT BACK, AND YOU SEE, YOU HAVEN'T CUT OUT THAT WEBBING.

THIS PART'S GOING TO BE CUT OUT, BUT YOU HAVEN'T DONE IT YET.

THAT WILL LEAVE THE MARKS VERY PRECISELY DOWN ON THE FRONT OF THE DRAWER, WHERE YOU CAN CUT THE WOOD OUT.

ALL RIGHT, SO NOW YOU'VE GOT TO CUT IT OUT.

AND YOU CAN SEE, HERE I'VE MADE... MADE SAW CUTS DOWN.

THAT'S SOME PRELIMINARY WORK-- DO SAW CUTS.

THEN WE'VE GOT TO CHISEL OUT THAT WOOD INSIDE THERE.

WE'RE ALWAYS LEARNING, ALWAYS LEARNING THIS GREAT STUFF.

LET ME SEE IF I HAVE A CHISEL I'M GOING TO USE.

SO I WAS LEARNING FROM MY FRIEND--THERE WE GO-- DAVID SALISBURY, WHO WORKS IN THE CABINET SHOP AT WILLIAMSBURG, AND HE WORKS WITH-- I SAW HIM.

HE WAS WORKING WITH HIS ELBOW ON THE BOARD AS HE CUT OUT THE WOOD, AND I SAID, "WHAT'S GOING ON THERE?"

WELL, HE DOESN'T USE A HOLDFAST.

HE DOESN'T USE A BENCH CLAMP OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT TO HOLD IT.

HE'S HOLDING IT WITH HIS ELBOW, STRIKING DOWN, AND THEN REACHING OVER ENOUGH-- YOU'VE GOT TO PRACTICE THIS A LITTLE BIT-- AND COMING DOWN THE END.

SO HE'S GOT HIS ELBOW ON THERE HOLDING THE WOOD DOWN AND JUST CHANGING HIS HANDS LIKE THAT.

I HAVE NEVER WORKED LIKE THAT BEFORE, SO I'VE GOT TO PRACTICE, BUT I THOUGHT THAT WAS A PRETTY COOL WAY TO WORK.

SO HERE WE GO.

HERE AGAIN.

CUTTING DOWN... AND KNOCKING OUT.

THERE YOU GO.

SO WE WORK OUR WAY ALONG, CUTTING THAT STUFF OUT WITH THE CHISEL.

OK. NOW, WHAT ELSE IS LEFT?

I'VE GOT MORE DOVETAIL VARIATIONS HERE THAN YOU CAN SHAKE A STICK AT.

SO I'VE GOT TO KEEP MOVING.

THAT'S HOW YOU CUT THAT WOOD OUT.

I WANT TO LOOK AT BLINDNESS AND ISSUES OF BLINDNESS IN DOVETAILS.

BECAUSE HERE WE SEE THE TAILS ON THE SIDES.

THAT'S FINE.

THAT'S PART OF THE AESTHETIC.

ON THE FRONT OF THE DRAWER, WE DON'T WANT TO SEE IT, AND THAT'S WHY IT'S CALLED HALF-BLIND--WE DON'T SEE IT.

NOW, SOMETIMES WE DON'T WANT TO SEE THE DOVETAIL UP HERE ON THE CORNER, SUCH AS WHEN WE'RE DOING A MOLDED PIECE.

I'LL SHOW YOU THAT RIGHT NOW.

I HAVE ON MY LITTLE TOOLBOX BACK HERE A MITERED DOVETAIL...

IN THE SENSE THE TOP END IS CUT AWAY.

LOOK HERE.

SEE HOW THIS SKIRT IS DOVETAILED?

YOU CAN SEE THE DOVETAIL THROUGH THE PAINT.

IT'S ALSO MOLDED RIGHT THERE.

THERE'S MOLDING THROUGH THERE.

AND YOU CAN SEE THE MITER.

WELL, THAT'S DONE BY DOVETAILING JUST THIS PART AND THEN TREAT THE UPPER PART AS A MITER JOINT.

SO YOU CAN SEE THE APPLICATION.

YOU CAN HAVE A CONTINUOUS LONG GRAIN ALL THE WAY AROUND THAT MOLDING THAT YOU PLANE INTO THE SHOULDER OF THIS PIECE.

NOW, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THAT MUCH CLEARLY IN A FULL-BLIND DOVETAIL.

ALL RIGHT?

THAT'S JUST ONE OF THEM, THE ONE VARIATION.

THE NEXT STEP FROM THAT IS WHEN YOU DO... A FULL-BLIND DOVETAIL, AND I HAVE THAT RIGHT HERE.

HERE YOU CAN SEE.

LOOK AT THIS.

THIS LOOKS JUST LIKE A FULL MITERED JOINT.

SEE?

THERE YOU GO.

MITERED, MITERED, NICE CHERRY.

THERE'S NO JOINT IN IT.

BUT YOU CAN SEE THAT IT IS JOINED IF I PULL IT APART.

IT IS DOVETAILED TOGETHER, DOVETAILED WITH A MITER ABOVE IT.

YOU SEE THAT?

SO THERE'S THE MITER ABOVE, OR ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE DOVETAIL BUSINESS.

SO HERE'S SOMETHING TO CUT.

LET ME JUST SHOW YOU THE STEPS ON HOW YOU DO THE FULL-BLIND MITERED DOVETAIL.

WE START OUT WITH JUST A SQUARE-END PIECE LIKE THAT.

ALL RIGHT.

SO WE'VE GOT OUR CHERRY, SQUARE END.

SAW DOWN AND THEN CHISEL AWAY TO MAKE A SHOULDER THAT IS...OH, A THIRD, I GUESS.

SAY THIS IS 3/4 INCHES THICK.

I'LL LEAVE A QUARTER-INCH SHOULDER RIGHT THERE.

AND YOU CAN SEE IT ALSO, A DIAGONAL.

SO I'VE SCRIBED A LINE 3/4 INCHES DOWN, GONE DOWN A QUARTER THERE, CUT THAT PIECE OUT, AND KNOCKED INTO THE CORNER WITH A BROAD CHISEL THERE, THAT LITTLE SCRIBE LINE.

THEN ON THE ENDS, YOU CAN SEE, I'VE STARTED USING THAT LITTLE TEMPLATE, THAT LITTLE BOXWOOD TEMPLATE.

HERE IT IS.

AND LAID OUT THE SPACES FOR THE PINS.

YOU CAN SEE THE X's ON THERE.

THAT'S THE WOOD THAT'S GOING TO COME OUT.

SO HERE WE'RE CUTTING THE PINS FIRST.

IN THIS WORK, YOU HAVE TO CUT THE PINS FIRST.

IN THE OTHER ONE, WE WERE CUTTING THE TAILS FIRST.

HERE WE HAVE TO CUT THE PINS.

WE'LL TAKE THESE AND CUT THEM AWAY NOW.

LET ME PUT THIS IN THE VISE.

SAW DIAGONALLY FIRST.

AND THEN START CHISELING AWAY.

SO WE CAN SAW AWAY A LOT OF THE SHOULDER THERE AND EVEN CUT IN LIKE THIS A LITTLE BIT.

ALL RIGHT.

NOW I'LL SAW IN HERE.

THERE WE GO.

ALL RIGHT.

SO WE START CUTTING THAT AWAY AND THEN CHISELING UNTIL WE END UP WITH A PIECE THAT IS CUT AWAY JUST LIKE THAT.

ALL RIGHT?

SO... NOW WE'RE DOWN TO IT TO WHERE WE HAD THAT SQUARE, AND WE'RE READY TO START TAKING THAT BEVEL OFF.

SO OVER THERE, WE HAD THE SQUARE PIECE.

LET ME SEE IF I HAVE THAT.

YEAH.

ALL RIGHT.

WE'VE GONE FROM A SHOULDERED PIECE WITH A STEP LIKE THAT.

NOW THIS STEP HAS TO BE CUT OFF, THAT SHOULDERED STEP RIGHT THERE.

AND IT'S JUST PARING IT AWAY CAREFULLY.

YOU CAN USE A LOW-ANGLE PLANE, BUT, GOSH, YOU CAN PROBABLY DO IT JUST AS WELL WITH A SHARP, SHARP CHISEL, PARING ALONG, TAKING THAT DOWN TILL IT'S RIGHT TO THAT BEVELED MITER.

ALL RIGHT, THAT'S GOING TO GET YOU TO THIS STAGE RIGHT HERE.

I'VE GOT TO TAKE APART THE COMPLETED ONE.

SO NOW YOU'RE AT THIS STAGE.

YOU CAN THEN TRANSFER THOSE MEASUREMENTS TO MAKE THE PINS.

SO YOU SET IT ON THERE AND THEN SCRIBE THROUGH.

SO YOU SEE, HERE'S WHY YOU HAVE TO DO THE PINS FIRST IN THIS WORK, BECAUSE THERE'S JUST NO WAY TO TRANSFER.

SO NOW YOU CAN GET IN THERE AND SCRIBE.

ALL RIGHT... AND CUT OUT THE SOCKETS NOW, AS I'VE DONE HERE.

AGAIN, CUT OUT THE SOCKETS TO LEAVE THE SPACES FOR THE PINS TO GO IN.

THAT FORMS THE DOVETAILS, AND YOU NOW HAVE YOUR MITERED JOINT THAT IS INVISIBLE ON THE OUTSIDE.

ALL RIGHT.

WHOO!

OK. NOW, THAT'S A NICE JOINT, BUT IT'S STILL SQUARE.

YOU'RE STILL DEALING WITH SQUARE TIMBERS COMING IN ONE TO ANOTHER.

WHAT IF ONE OF THE TIMBERS IS SLOPED?

THAT'S A WHOLE OTHER PROBLEM, ISN'T IT?

ALL RIGHT, WELL, WHERE DO YOU FACE THAT?

WELL, YOU SEE THAT SOMETIMES IN A SAILOR'S SEA CHEST.

AYE, THEY'RE OFF TO SEA, AND THEY'VE GOT THEIR SEA CHEST, AND DO YOU SEE HOW IT'S A PYRAMIDAL SHAPE THERE?

THIS THING IS LIKE A SECTION OF A PYRAMID.

BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THE PINS COMING OUT OF THE LONG BOARDS ON THE SIDE, THEY REALLY COME OUT STRAIGHT.

THEY'RE COMING STRAIGHT OUT.

AND THIS PIECE SLIPS ON.

IT'S KIND OF A HARD CONCEPT TO GET, BUT YOU CAN SEE, IT'S JUST THE SPACES BETWEEN THE DOVETAILS THAT ARE SLOPED.

THE PINS ARE STRAIGHT.

NOW, IF YOU LOOK AT ONE OF THESE OLD DOLLAR BILLS HERE-- YOU GET ONE OF THESE OLD ONES WHERE THE PYRAMID HAS THE SIDE KIND OF SLIPPING LOOSE ON IT THERE.

YOU KNOW, IT'S REALLY UPSETTING THE EYE A LITTLE BIT.

THAT GIVES YOU AN INDICATION OF HOW THE SIDE OF A PYRAMIDAL BOX CAN SLIP STRAIGHT OFF TO THE SIDE AND THEN COME BACK ON.

SO JUST LOOK AROUND IN YOUR WALLET AND SEE IF YOU CAN FIND ONE OF THESE OLD BILLS.

THAT'S A GREAT CLUE TO GUIDE YOU.

ALL RIGHT.

NOW, THAT'S... HA HA HA.

THAT'S THE SAILOR'S SEA CHEST--ANGLED TIMBERS.

STILL HAS THAT PROBLEM, THOUGH, THAT EVERY DOVETAIL JOINT HAS, WHETHER IT'S A NICE MITERED DOVETAIL OR WHATEVER-- IT CAN STILL JUST COME APART IN ONE DIRECTION.

IT STILL CAN JUST PULL APART.

IT JUST ALWAYS HAS THAT PLANE OF WEAKNESS THERE THAT MAKES IT COME APART.

SO YOU DON'T WANT THAT IN... YOU DON'T WANT THAT IN YOUR WORK SO WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO?

WELL, YOU CAN USE A DOVETAIL LIKE THIS THAT CAN'T COME APART IN EITHER DIRECTION.

YOU CAN SEE HOW THIS ONE HAS A DOVETAIL CONNECTION THAT WILL NOT LIFT UP BECAUSE IT'S SPLAYED OUT UNDERNEATH HERE.

SEE, THE OAK IS SPLAYED OUT INTO THE WALNUT.

IT'S ALSO SPLAYED IN THIS DIRECTION.

SO IT CAN'T PULL BACK, IT CAN'T LIFT UP.

THIS HAS THE ADVANTAGE THAT IT CAN NEVER COME APART.

IT HAS THE DISADVANTAGE THAT IT CAN NEVER GO TOGETHER.

THIS IS AN IMPOSSIBLE JOINT, IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT.

HOW COULD YOU PUT THAT TOGETHER?

YOU CAN'T DO IT.

SO IT'S A... OOP!

ALL RIGHT.

IT'S CALLED A RISING DOVETAIL AND SLIDES UP THIS WAY AND LOOKS IMPOSSIBLE.

SEE?

IT'S VERY HARD TO GET YOUR MIND AROUND IT BECAUSE WE DON'T THINK DIAGONALLY THERE.

AND THAT JUST SLIDES UP IN THERE.

THERE YOU GO.

NOW, THIS REACHES ITS FULL EXTENSION IN THE PUZZLE MALLET DESIGNED BY ABRAHAM LINCOLN.

YOU CAN SEE HOW THIS AGAIN HAS SPLAYED-OUT DOVETAIL THAT WAY AND SPLAYED OUT UNDER HERE.

IT'S UNDERCUT, SO IT CAN'T PULL OUT THIS WAY,.

CAN'T PULL OUT THAT WAY.

HE LIKED THIS BECAUSE IT COULD NEVER FLY OFF THE HANDLE.

YOU MAY REMEMBER HIS FAMOUS QUOTATION-- "WITH MALLETS TOWARDS NONE."

THIS IS THE PUZZLE MALLET, AND IT IS AGAIN JUST 2 OF THESE RISING DOVETAILS, AS YOU SEE RIGHT HERE.

IMAGINE THIS RISING DOVETAIL.

BUT THIS, INSTEAD, IT'S DONE IN VERY SPRINGY WOOD INSTEAD OF BEING SURE.

AND HERE YOU CAN SEE IT'S IN OAK THERE.

I'M GOING TO NOW DRIVE IT IN WITH THIS OTHER MALLET, AND WE'LL SEE IT FILL UP THE SPACE.

[MALLET POUNDING] AND SEE HOW IT'S SLIDING IN THERE AND FILLING UP THAT SPACE, SPREADING OUT, AND BECOMING AN IMPOSSIBLE-LOOKING JOINT?

THERE YOU GO.

THAT'S THE PUZZLE MALLET.

ANOTHER THING HERE.

WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING AT PIECES JOINING LIKE T's.

WHAT ABOUT JOINING THEM END TO END?

WELL, AGAIN, YOU HAVE THAT PROBLEM OF HAVING ONE PLANE OF WEAKNESS.

SO HERE...THIS AGAIN ANOTHER PUZZLE.

THIS IS ONE THAT GOES AROUND ALL 4 SIDES.

YOU CAN SEE THESE TIMBERS, THE WALNUT AND THE MAPLE, ARE JOINED AND DOVETAILED ON ALL 4 SIDES.

AGAIN, IT CAN'T COME APART, BUT AGAIN, HOW CAN IT GO TOGETHER?

SO THIS IS AGAIN ANOTHER IMPOSSIBLE JOINT UNLESS YOU DO IT DIAGONALLY.

IT'S A VERY SIMPLE THING TO CUT.

YOU LAY OUT YOUR TRIANGLES ON THE FACES, AND THEN SAW DIAGONALLY INSTEAD OF STRAIGHT ACROSS.

SO THERE YOU GO-- A DIAGONAL CUT THAT, WHEN YOU PUT IT TOGETHER, LOOKS LIKE A LONG CUT.

WELL, THAT'S A JOKE, BUT THERE'S ACTUALLY ONE-- I'LL SHOW YOU ONE MORE.

THIS IS FROM THE MUSEE OF ARTS AND METIERS IN PARIS, FRANCE.

LOOK AT THIS.

THIS IS FOR A LONG BAT.

AND YOU CAN SEE THE DOVETAIL THERE, AND THE DOVETAIL OVER HERE, BUT WHEN YOU OPEN IT UP, YOU'LL SEE EVEN MORE ACTION GOING ON ON THE INSIDE.

LOOK AT THAT.

THIS HAS ALL THAT WORK INSIDE THERE TO KEEP IT FROM FLEXING IN THIS DIRECTION.

YOU CAN SEE HOW THAT LOCKS UP.

VERY STRONG IN THAT DIRECTION.

WHEN YOU PUT IT TOGETHER, THIS IS A GREAT WAY TO FASTEN A BATTEN TOGETHER.

THERE YOU GO-- A DOVETAILS, A UNITY, A SORT OF COMPLETENESS WITH THE UNIVERSE, DOVETAILING TOGETHER.

WELL, THANK YOU.

YOU CAN LIVE WITH THEM, YOU COULD EVEN LIVE IN THEM.

YOU COULD BUILD A DOVETAIL LOG CABIN, BUT WE'LL DO THAT ANOTHER TIME.

THANKS FOR JOINING ME.

IT'S ROY UNDERHILL HERE IN "THE WOODWRIGHT'S SHOP."

WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME.

SO LONG.

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT "THE WOODWRIGHT'S SHOP" AND TRADITIONAL WOODWORKING, VISIT PBS ONLINE.

YOU CAN FIND US AT pbs.org.

MAJOR FUNDING FOR "THE WOODWRIGHT'S SHOP" IS PROVIDED BY... ROY UNDERHILL IS THE AUTHOR OF "THE WOODWRIGHT'S SHOP" AND OTHER BOOKS ABOUT TRADITIONAL WOODWORKING, PUBLISHED BY THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA PRESS AND AVAILABLE AT BOOKSTORES AND LIBRARIES.