Daring Diagonal Dovetails

MAJOR FUNDING FOR "THE WOODWRIGHT'S SHOP" IS PROVIDED BY... [CAT MEOWS] [THUNDER] [HORN HONKING] WHEN THE UNEXPECTED HAPPENS, STATE FARM HAS THE TOOLS TO GET YOU TO A BETTER STATE, PROUD SPONSOR OF "THE WOODWRIGHT'S SHOP."

HEY, HELLO AGAIN.

WELCOME BACK TO "THE WOODWRIGHT'S SHOP."

I'M ROY UNDERHILL.

OH, IT WAS THE BEST OF TALES, AND IT WAS THE WORST OF TALES.

OF COURSE, I'M TALKING ABOUT DOVETAILS.

THAT IS...THAT IS THE MEAT OF OUR TRADE AS WOODWORKERS.

MAKING DOVETAILED BOXES SEEMS TO BE MOST OF IT, MAKING THESE WONDERFUL JOINTS THAT CONNECT THE ENDS OF THE CHEST ALL THE WAY DOWN.

AND THEN, OF COURSE, WHEN WE GET TO THE BOTTOM TO PUT THE SKIRT ON, WE DO SOMETHING SIMILAR.

WE MAKE A SKIRT THAT IS DOVETAILED WITH A SINGLE DOVETAIL.

OFTEN THE TOP IS MITERED, AS WE SEE RIGHT HERE, TO ALLOW THE MOLDING TO RUN ALL THE WAY THROUGH.

YOU SEE THE MOLDING RUNNING THROUGH THERE NICE AND SMOOTH AROUND THE CORNER.

SO WE'LL DO THAT.

AND OF COURSE, WE HAVE A SINGLE DOVETAIL.

AND WE ALWAYS HAVE THAT DECISION, BECAUSE A DOVETAIL REALLY LOOKS GOOD ON ONE SIDE.

FROM THE OTHER SIDE, WELL, IT'S JUST SQUARE ON.

I MEAN, IT'S NOT PRETTY AT ALL ON THE SQUARE END.

I MEAN, WHAT DO YOU GOT?

THAT'S NOTHING.

THAT'S NOT PRETTY.

THAT'S PRETTY.

SO WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO HERE?

WELL, WHAT WE HAVE TO DO IS TURN TO A TYPE OF DOVETAILING THAT HAS A MUTATION IN ITS LITTLE SPIRAL STAIRCASE OF ITS DNA.

AND IT WAS THIS MUTATION IN DOVETAILS NOT LONG AGO THAT LED TO A BIZARRE KIND OF CORNER THAT WE'RE GOING TO SEE HOW TO DO.

OH, YES.

WE ARE READY FOR HARD-CORE WOODWORKING RIGHT NOW, BECAUSE LOOK AT THIS.

THIS IS THE KIND OF CORNER WE'RE GONNA SEE HOW TO DO.

IT'S MITERED ON THE TOP, AS YOU CAN SEE.

WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT FOR MITERING.

AND YOU CAN SEE A NICE DOVETAIL ON THAT END.

AND YOU SEE A NICE WHAT?

A NICE DOVETAIL ON THAT END.

HOW CAN THAT BE?

SO IT'S DOVETAILED IN BOTH DIRECTIONS.

NOW, THIS IS GREAT BECAUSE IT'S STRONG THIS WAY.

I MEAN, IT CAN'T PULL OUT BECAUSE IT'S WEDGED AGAINST IT.

SEE, THIS CAN'T PULL OUT IN THAT DIRECTION BECAUSE THIS IS ALL SPLAYED OUT RIGHT THERE.

THAT CAN'T COME APART THAT WAY.

CAN IT COME APART THIS WAY?

NO, IT CAN'T THIS...

IT CAN'T COME APART.

NOW, THAT'S GREAT.

SO IT'S STRONG.

IT'S PRETTY ON BOTH SIDES.

THE DOWNSIDE IS IT CAN'T COME APART, CAN IT?

SEE, YOU CAN'T PUT IT TOGETHER EITHER.

YEAH.

THERE YOU GO.

ALL RIGHT.

SO IT CAN'T GO TOGETHER.

IT CAN'T COME APART.

SO HOW DOES IT WORK?

WELL, OF COURSE, IT'S A RISING DOVETAIL, AND IT RELIES ON THESE RAMPS CUT ON THE INSIDE.

IF I LIFT THIS ONE--IS A LITTLE BIT LOOSER RIGHT HERE-- YOU CAN SEE I'M SLIDING UP A RAMP ON THE INSIDE.

AND FROM THE TOP YOU CAN SEE HOW THE MITER SLIDES RIGHT BACK AT 45 DEGREES.

SO THIS IS SOME HARD-CORE DOVETAILING.

WE'RE DOING WHAT ARE CALLED RISING DOVETAILS IN THE CORNER WITH A MITER, SO HANG ON.

ALL RIGHT.

AAH!

ALL RIGHT.

WE'RE GONNA LAY THIS OUT IN AN INTERESTING WAY, TOO.

WHEN WE WORK WITH A SKIRT LIKE THIS, WE WANT TO HAVE THE MOLDING CONTINUOUS ALL THE WAY AROUND THE CHEST, AND SO WE MAKE OUR MOLDING ALL THE WAY DOWN THE LONG PIECE OF WOOD, AND THIS IS ALREADY MOLDED.

I PLANED A NICE LITTLE OGEE MOLD RIGHT THERE.

AND WE'RE GONNA CUT IT RIGHT THROUGH AT ONE DISCRETE POINT HERE, SAY HERE, AND THAT WAY, WHEN IT TURNS THE CORNER, IT'LL BE THAT SAME MOLDING CARRYING ALONG.

NOW, YOU GET TO THE END OF IT, YOU'VE GOT TO WRAP IT AROUND, UNLESS YOU'VE GOT A BIG CIRCULAR LOG.

BUT NEVERTHELESS, WE JUST KEEP CUTTING THE JOINTS RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE.

SO HERE IS HOW WE DO IT.

I WOULD SET THIS PIECE UP HERE, ALREADY MOLDED, UP AGAINST MY CHEST, MAKING SURE THAT THE OVERHANG IS CORRECT ON THE FAR SIDE.

HERE'S THE CHEST NOW THAT I'M UP AGAINST, THIS RIGHT HERE.

HERE'S MY MOLDING.

SLIDE UP ANOTHER PIECE OF THE SKIRT MATERIAL.

SAME THICKNESS HERE.

AND THAT'S WHERE I WILL MARK.

ALL RIGHT.

BUT I DO THIS VERY PRECISELY.

SO NOW I'VE GOT A SPOT I CAN RUN THAT...

I KNOW WHERE TO RUN THAT THROUGH.

NOW I'M JUST EYEBALLING HERE, BUT GOOD HEAVENS, THIS HAS TO BE SO PRECISE.

WE'RE GONNA MAKE OUR JOINT RIGHT THROUGH HERE.

SO THIS IS THE OUTSIDE CORNER OF OUR JOINT, RIGHT ON THAT PENCIL LINE RIGHT THERE.

AND IT'S COOL WHEN WE DO IT.

LET ME SEE IF I CAN PUT ONE TOGETHER.

SEE WHAT I'M GONNA DO?

I NOTICED IN JUST LAYING THIS OUT AND JUST LAYING THEM ON THE BENCH TOP THAT THEY KIND OF ARE CONTINUOUS ALL THE WAY THROUGH LIKE THAT.

NORMALLY WE'D CUT DOVETAILS BY SUPERIMPOSING ONE ON THE OTHER, BUT IT'S TOUGH TO DO WITH THIS.

SO I SAID LET'S SEE IF I CAN FIGURE A NEW WAY TO DO IT, AND IT'S, OF COURSE, LAYING OUT THESE AS CONTINUOUS LINES THROUGH THE JOINT.

NOW, I'VE GOT THIS PROPORTIONED IN THIS WAY.

AND THIS IS JUST KIND OF ARBITRARY.

I COME UP FROM HERE A FOURTH OF THE DISTANCE.

WHAT I WANT TO DO IS HAVE 4 STEPS UP.

2, 3, AND THEN 4.

AND THAT FOURTH STEP SHOULD BE RIGHT THERE WHERE I WANT TO STOP AND HAVE THIS JUST A BUTT MITER.

SO IT'S A BUTT MITER ABOVE THIS POINT.

THE DOVETAIL IS DOWN HERE.

SO I'VE GOT 1, 2, 3, 4.

ALL RIGHT?

SO THAT GOES ALL THE WAY ACROSS IN CONTINUOUS LINES ALL THE WAY THROUGH.

ALL RIGHT.

JUST WANT TO SEE HOW THIS WORKS.

I'M GONNA START WITH THAT... THOSE 4 STEPS.

SO 1, 2, 3, 4.

THE MIDDLE ONE THERE WE DON'T USE MUCH.

NOW, THIS ONE I WANT TO MARK ACROSS BOTH PIECES HERE.

SO I'VE GOT THAT ALL THE WAY THROUGH THERE.

THAT'S GONNA BE WHERE THAT SHOULDER HAS TO GO.

NOW I'M GONNA SET UP THE BEVEL HERE.

I'VE GOT THIS BIG BEVEL.

YOU NEED A BIG ONE TO DO THIS.

NO QUESTION.

IF YOU NEED AN EXCUSE TO BUY A BIG BEVEL, HERE IT IS.

SO...THEY MAKE SWELL GIFTS.

LET ME TELL YOU.

YEAH, HERE WE ARE.

THIS HAS TO CROSS THE 1 AND THE 4.

SO I'M GONNA COME OUT THIS WAY AND SET IT SO THAT I'M CROSSING THE 4 DOWN HERE AT THE BASE AND THE 1 AT THE TOP, AND THAT'S JUST AN ANGLE I'VE FOUND THAT WORKS GOOD.

IT'S NOTHING MAGICAL ABOUT THAT.

BUT 1 AND 4.

SO SEE, I'M CROSSING THE 1 RIGHT THERE AND THE 4 RIGHT THERE.

1 AND 4.

ALL RIGHT.

AND TIGHTEN IT DOWN.

NOW, I SHOULD THEN BE ABLE, IF I HAVEN'T ADJUSTED THIS WEIRD...

I SHOULD BE ABLE TO... LET'S SEE HOW I WANT TO DO THIS.

I WANT TO GO THIS WAY.

YEAH.

ALL RIGHT.

I'M GONNA SLIDE THIS ALONG UNTIL I TOUCH THAT FIRST LITTLE DOT.

RUN THE LINE ALL THE WAY THROUGH THERE.

NOW WE'VE GOT THAT.

NOW, TO GET TO THIS UPPER ONE, THAT'S WHY WE NEED A LONG BEVEL.

I'VE GOT TO HAVE A BEVEL SET NOT ONLY AT 1 AND 4, AS I SAID, BUT AS I DID NOT SAY, SET ALL THE WAY OUT AS LONG AS POSSIBLE.

SO I'M GONNA RESET THIS BEVEL HERE TO THAT.

THAT'S HERETICAL, BUT NEVERTHELESS, THAT'S WHAT I'M GONNA HAVE TO DO NOW.

BECAUSE I SHOULD HAVE LEFT IT OUT LONG LIKE THIS.

BECAUSE NOW, YOU SEE, I CAN REACH ALL THE WAY UP FROM THE BOTTOM AND HIT THIS UPPER ONE.

AND THERE'S THE OTHER CONVERGING LINE RIGHT THROUGH THERE.

ALL RIGHT.

SO I THINK THAT'S IT.

SO NOW WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO IS SLICE THIS RIGHT THROUGH THE MIDDLE.

WE'RE GONNA CUT RIGHT THROUGH THAT LINE.

I'M GONNA TAKE THIS OVER TO THE MITER BOX.

IT'S GOING TO REMOVE JUST ENOUGH WOOD TO GIVE US OUR INSIDES AND OUR OUTSIDES OF THE JOINT JUST LIKE WE WANT.

SO HERE WE ARE, RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE.

LET ME GET RIGHT ON THAT.

THE KERF IS GONNA REMOVE JUST ENOUGH, AND THAT'S GONNA TIGHTEN THAT JOINT JUST RIGHT.

SO HERE, OF COURSE, WE ALWAYS SAW INTO THE MOLDINGS.

SEE, I'VE GOT THE MOLDING RIGHT DOWN THERE WHERE MY FINGER IS.

ALL RIGHT.

THAT'S GOOD.

ALL RIGHT.

SO NOW WE'VE GOT THAT.

AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE LINES, THEY ARE SLIGHTLY INSET ONE IN THE OTHER.

SO THEY'RE ACTUALLY TELESCOPING JUST A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE OF THE AMOUNT OF WOOD THAT I TOOK OUT IN THE MIDDLE, AND THAT MAKES A REALLY NICE FIT.

ALL RIGHT.

SO LET'S TAKE IT BACK OVER NOW AND START CUTTING.

THIS IS, UM...

I'LL START WITH THIS ELEMENT.

THIS IS THE DOVETAIL, THE PIECE THAT GOES INTO A SOCKET.

SAY IT THAT WAY.

SO I'M GONNA RUN A GAUGE LINE.

I'VE SET THIS GAUGE TO EXACTLY THE THICKNESS OF THE WOOD, BECAUSE THERE'S NO OVERHANG IN THIS ONE.

WE'VE GOT TO CUT IT JUST RIGHT.

AND SO I'VE RUN THAT GAUGE LINE ALL THE WAY AROUND THIS PIECE.

I'LL DO IT ON THE OTHER ONE WHEN WE GET TO IT.

NOW BRING THE LINE ACROSS THE TOP, BUT IN ORDER TO DO THAT, I'VE GOT TO SET MY OTHER BEVEL TO EXACTLY THAT SAME ANGLE.

SO HERE'S THE SECOND BEVEL.

THIS ONE WE'RE GONNA SET TO MATCH THAT FIRST ANGLE PLUS 90 DEGREES, I GUESS IT IS.

BECAUSE WE'RE COMING NOW FROM THE END GRAIN.

SO AM I MATCHING THAT ANGLE?

IT LOOKS PRETTY GOOD.

ALL RIGHT.

AND I'LL JUST SHOW YOU AGAIN.

HERE'S THE JOINT I'M CUTTING.

ALL RIGHT?

SO I'M CUTTING THIS ELEMENT NOW OF THOSE TWO.

THIS IS GOING TO NOW GO OUT.

YEAH.

AND THIS IS CRAZY.

YOU TRY AND WRAP YOUR BRAIN AROUND THIS JOINT.

GOOD LUCK.

SO HERE WE ARE.

SECOND SIDE.

ALL RIGHT.

NOW I'M GONNA FLIP IT OVER AND DO THE BACKSIDE HERE.

AND I'LL PUT A LITTLE TIC MARK THERE SO I CAN SEE WHERE I AM.

AND THIS IS GOING TO CONVERGE ON THIS FACE HERE.

THERE WE ARE.

AH.

AND THAT'S IT.

GOOD.

AND THAT'S IT.

GOOD.

ALL RIGHT.

SO WE HAVE GOT-- THIS IS A DOVETAIL THAT'S SPLAYED IN BOTH DIRECTIONS NOW.

SO THAT'S THE WEIRDNESS.

WE'VE GOT TO ADD ON THAT LITTLE FILLET AT THE TOP.

I'LL SHOW YOU WHAT I MEAN IN JUST A SECOND HERE.

THIS LITTLE PART RIGHT HERE.

WE'VE GOT TO CUT RIGHT THROUGH THERE.

YOU SEE HOW THERE'S A LITTLE BIT EXTRA HANGING OUT?

THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GONNA LAY OUT RIGHT NOW.

SO THAT IS JUST THE TRY SQUARE.

HERE IT IS.

ALL RIGHT.

SO MOVE THE TRY SQUARE UP.

UH, THERE WE ARE.

AND GET A GOOD PENCIL LINE.

AND YOU SEE WHY I HAD TO HAVE THAT LINE GOING ACROSS BOTH PIECES, BECAUSE WE SAW ABOVE THE LINE ON ONE ELEMENT, BELOW THE LINE-- AND AGAIN I'M JUST COMING RIGHT DOWN THE BACK HERE-- BELOW THE LINE ON THE OTHER ELEMENT.

SO THERE WE ARE.

NOW, WHAT'S OUR WASTE PIECES?

IT IS HERE AND HERE.

LET'S CUT THEM OUT.

ALL RIGHT.

SO WE'VE GOT TO CUT ON THE WASTE SIDE.

SO THAT MEANS TOUCHING THE LINE BUT LEAVING IT.

AND I'M GONNA TRY AND GET THIS.

I CAN PARE IT IN, BUT I'M GONNA TRY AND CUT THIS SO THAT IT'S GOING TO GO JUST RIGHT.

ALL RIGHT.

SO THAT IS TOUCHING THE LINE BUT LEAVING IT.

SAME OVER HERE.

TOUCHING THE LINE BUT LEAVING IT.

NOW THAT I THINK ABOUT IT, I DID NOT NEED THE LINES ON THE BACKSIDE, DID I?

BECAUSE I JUST FOLLOW THE LINES ON THE FRONT AND I'M RIGHT.

WE ALWAYS TRY AND CUT THESE FROM THE FACE SIDE.

NOW HERE'S WHERE IT CAN GET TOO TIGHT.

I'M GONNA SAW THIS... THAT SHOULDER JUST A LITTLE BIT TIGHTER THAN I NORMALLY WOULD THERE.

ALL RIGHT.

SO NOW IT'S TIME FOR THE COPING SAW.

YOU CAN SEE WHAT I'VE GOT.

EVERYTHING READY TO GO.

YOU SEE THAT THERE?

I'M GONNA TAKE OUT THIS POCKET WITH THE COPING SAW AND THE CHISEL, AND THEN WE'LL JUST SAW THIS ONE CLEAN THE HECK OFF.

IN FACT, WHY DON'T I DO THAT ONE RIGHT NOW SINCE I'VE GOT IT OUT OF THE VISE?

NOW, ANY TIME WE SAW OR DO THESE STEPS, YOU'VE REALLY GOT A PREPARATION STAGE.

FIRST I DID THAT GAUGE LINE THROUGH THERE.

NEXT I'M GOING TO CUT A LITTLE STEP RIGHT HERE AND KNOCK IN ON THE SIDE.

THAT GAVE ME A LITTLE PLACE FOR THE SAW ON THE WASTE SIDE THAT I CAN SAW DOWN TO.

IF I WERE TO--WELL, YOU'LL SEE THAT A COUPLE OF TIMES.

I'LL WORK THAT CHISEL A LOT JUST TO BE CAREFUL.

SO LET'S SEE IF I CAN GET DOWN AND SAW ON THE WASTE SIDE OF THAT LINE.

SO IN THIS CASE, THE LEFT SIDE OF MY SAW KERF IS JUST TOUCHING THAT... THAT SCRIBED LINE DOWN THE EDGE.

ALL RIGHT.

SO NOW IT'S TIME FOR COPING SAW FUN.

LET ME GET DOWN IN THERE.

AND I'LL COME DOWN ABOUT...

THREE-QUARTERS OF THE WAY.

WE'LL SEE.

AND THEN TURN...

TURN THE SAW.

TRYING TO GET ABOUT AN EIGHTH OF AN INCH AWAY FROM THE EDGE.

ALL RIGHT.

SO THAT'S READY TO GO TO PARING NOW.

SO I'M GONNA PARE DOWN VERTICALLY.

SO THAT'S GONNA GO ON THE BENCH TOP, AND WE'LL PUSH RIGHT DOWN.

I MAY DO SOME...I'M GONNA TRY IT WITH A MALLET HERE.

I'M GONNA GET MY SMALL CHISEL, MY BIG MALLET, AND I'M GONNA STRIKE... BECAUSE SEE HERE.

I COULD DO IT BY PUSHING LIKE THIS.

WELL, GOSH, MAYBE I CAN JUST BRING IT BACK THAT WAY.

I THINK I WILL.

ALL RIGHT.

SO I'M GONNA BRING IT BACK RIGHT TO THE LINE NOW.

ALL RIGHT.

THE MALLET DOES HELP YOU MEASURE OUT FORCE, BUT THIS IS PRETTY SHARP HERE.

OK. JUST GONNA CHECK THE OTHER SIDE, AND WE'RE STILL NOT QUITE THERE.

SO I'M GONNA CUT RIGHT TO THE LINE BUT ANGLE OUT AND MISS, AND THEN I'LL HOLLOW A LITTLE BIT IN HERE.

SO THE OTHER WAY IS TO BE MOST EXPEDITIOUSLY IS TO CHOP THIS OUT, CHOPPING HALFWAY IN WITH A SLIGHT UNDERCUT DOWN IN THERE.

THE IDEA IS THAT WHEN YOU TILT IT UP JUST LIKE THAT, IT OCCLUDES, THERE'S NO BUMP, THERE'S NO JUNK IN THE TRUNK, THERE'S NOTHING DOWN IN THERE TO BUMP THE JOINT OPEN.

SO NOW WE HAVE ONE MORE CUT TO MAKE ON THIS ELEMENT BEFORE WE'RE READY TO GIVE UP ON IT AND START THE OTHER ONE, AND THAT IS TO MITER THE TOP END.

NOW, I, UH...HAVE BEEN DOING THIS FOR A LONG TIME AND USING A MITER BOX, A VERY FINE MITER BOX, A VERY FINE MITER SAW, AND I'VE JUST FOUND IT'S EASIER TO DO IT THIS WAY.

I'M GONNA USE THIS LITTLE MITER TEMPLATE AND GET IT RIGHT ON THERE AND JUST USE THE SAW-- I'M SORRY.

THE CHISEL, HELD RIGHT UP AGAINST IT, TO MAKE A LITTLE 45-DEGREE NICK RIGHT THERE.

I MAY HAVE TO TURN THIS AROUND TO SAW, BECAUSE, AGAIN, I HAVE TO SAW INTO IT.

YOU SEE HOW I HAVE A LITTLE 45-DEGREE NICK, AND IF I CONNECT THAT NICK WITH THIS CORNER, I'VE GOT A DEAD MITER.

ALL RIGHT.

SO I'M GONNA DO THAT.

TURN AROUND.

AND YOU JUST...

I DON'T KNOW.

I'VE FOUND IT JUST GIVES ME BETTER...BETTER RESULTS...

IF I JUST CUT IT RIGHT.

HA HA!

SO...THIS GOES ALL THE WAY DOWN, AND I'M AIMING RIGHT FOR THAT CORNER.

A LITTLE BIT OUT.

THERE WE GO.

ALL RIGHT.

SO I THINK I'VE GOT A LITTLE BIT-- I KIND OF HEDGED MY BETS THERE.

I'M GONNA NEED TO...TRIM THESE, BUT I'LL TELL YOU WHAT, LET'S JUST KEEP ON.

I'VE SAWN THAT OFF NOW, AND I MAY HAVE A LITTLE TOO MUCH FAT RIGHT THERE.

I'M NOT GONNA FOOL WITH IT.

WE'LL SEE HOW IT GOES WHEN WE PUT THE OTHER ELEMENT TO IT.

ALL RIGHT.

SO HERE WE GO.

WHERE'S OUR OTHER BOARD?

HERE WE ARE.

SO WE'RE WRAPPING AROUND, WORK OUR WAY WRAPPING THE JOINT AROUND.

TAKE OFF THE FUZZ ON THE BACK.

GOT SOME NICE TULIP POPLAR HERE.

WE'LL RUN THE GAUGE LINE AGAIN HERE ON THE FACE.

SEE?

AND ON THE BACK.

AND I WANT TO COME ALL THE WAY UP HERE SO I CAN FIND THAT MITER FOR THE CORNER.

ALL RIGHT.

THAT'S GOOD.

NOW I'M GONNA DO THE TOP, AND THEN I'LL DO THE...

SO AGAIN, I'VE GOT...

I'LL DO THE BACK SIDE.

AND THIS LINE, I DO NEED TO DO THE BACK SIDE.

DO YOU SEE?

I'VE SET MY GAUGE SO THAT IT'S JUST RIGHT UP AGAINST THAT SHOULDER.

ALL RIGHT.

AND IS THIS RIGHT?

IS IT GONNA GO THAT WAY?

I THINK IT'S GONNA GO THIS WAY.

THIS GOES THIS WAY.

RIGHT.

ALL RIGHT.

SO THIS COMES IN HERE, IN HERE.

BECAUSE THIS IS AN EXPOSED CORNER, IT'S GOT TO BE A DOVETAIL ON BOTH SIDES TO THE OUTSIDE.

NOW, ON THE INSIDE, I DO NEED TO BRING THAT MARK ALL THE WAY AROUND.

SO THAT GOES RIGHT THERE, RIGHT THERE.

AND NOW WE'RE GONNA DIVERGE AGAIN, BECAUSE WE'RE DIVERGENT ON THE OUTSIDE.

AND HERE I'VE GOT THAT BEVEL RIGHT UP AGAINST IT IN THE FUZZ.

AND SEE HOW I MAKE THESE MARKS LONG?

BECAUSE THAT WE NEED TO HAVE IN ORDER TO DO THE RAMP.

AND THE RAMP COMES BACK TWICE THE THICKNESS OF THE WOOD.

THAT'S WHAT MAKES IT A 45.

SO I'LL LAY THE SAME THICKNESS WOOD RIGHT ON THAT LINE AND MARK THERE.

THAT'S HOW DEEP THE RAMP HAS TO GO.

ALL RIGHT.

NOW WE HAVE ONE MORE MARK I NEED TO MAKE.

REMEMBER, I MADE THAT LITTLE SHOULDER UP HERE ON THIS PIECE.

WELL, THAT'S GOT TO HAVE A PLACE TO GO.

SO I'LL RUN THE SQUARE ACROSS.

AND THEN DOWN ON THE BACK.

AND BY LAYING THEM OUT BOTH AT THE SAME TIME, I'M HOPING I'VE ENSURED THAT THEY'RE IN THE SAME PLACE.

AND THIS IS REALLY-- TALKING ABOUT DIVERGENT.

THIS IS WAY DIFFERENT THAN THE WAY WE USUALLY DO DOVETAILS, WHICH IS YOU LAY OUT ONE, CUT IT FULLY, AND THEN SUPERIMPOSE THAT CUT DOVETAIL ON THE OTHER ELEMENT AND TRACE THE MEASUREMENTS AND CUT THE SOCKET ACCORDINGLY.

WELL, IN THIS CASE, WE CAN'T DO THAT.

SO WE WON'T.

I DON'T THINK IT'S POSSIBLE.

I HAVE NOT FIGURED OUT HOW TO DO IT.

NOW, THIS IS THE PRIMARY LINE, MEANING THE LINE THAT WAS MADE FIRST, OBVIOUSLY.

THAT'S WHAT PRIMARY MEANS.

THIS LINE ON THE FRONT.

I HAVE ONE ON TOP, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S OFFSET A LITTLE BIT.

SO I MUST OBEY THE LOWER LINE... BECAUSE IT WAS THE ONE BASED ON PRIMARY EVIDENCE.

THE OTHER UPPER ONE WAS AN INTERPRETATION OF THAT EVIDENCE.

ALL RIGHT.

SO THAT'S GOOD TO GO.

I'M GONNA TURN AROUND TO THE BACK SIDE NOW.

AND YOU CAN SEE I'VE GOT TO SAW WAY LOW NOW TO OPEN UP THAT RAMP.

AND I'M GONNA GLANCE AT THE FRONT.

YEAH.

ALL RIGHT.

I DON'T WANT TO GO THROUGH.

SO I'M GONNA CUT AT 45 DEGREES.

OOH, IT LOOKS LIKE I DID GO THROUGH.

ALL RIGHT.

NOW, ON THIS FINAL ONE HERE, WHERE IS MY WASTE?

MY WASTE IS ON THIS SIDE, BECAUSE I'M KEEPING THIS PIECE HERE, TAKING THAT OUT, KEEPING THIS, AND SO I'M GONNA TAKE THAT OUT.

SO THAT MEANS I'VE GOT TO CUT ON THIS SIDE OF THAT LINE.

IT'S A VERY COMMON MISTAKE.

AND WE ONLY SAW AT A 45.

THERE'S NOTHING TO DO EXCEPT REMEMBER...

REMEMBER A LOT OF THESE THINGS.

ALL RIGHT.

SO HERE WE ARE.

NOW I'VE GOT TO TAKE THAT STUFF OUT.

I'M GONNA AGAIN-- REMEMBER I SAID HOW WE'RE ALWAYS PREPARING EACH CUT?

A LOT OF OUR WORK IS PREPARING FOR THE NEXT CUT.

HERE I'M GOING TO PREPARE THIS FOR THE COPING SAW BY STEPPING AHEAD ABOUT A SCANT EIGHTH OF AN INCH, A LITTLE BIT UNDER AN EIGHTH, STAKING A SHOULDER, STAKING A SHOULDER.

ALL RIGHT.

AND I'M GONNA--NOW THAT HAS RELIEVED THE WOOD A LITTLE BIT.

SO I CAN NOW TAKE OUT HERE ON THE LINE TO GO RIGHT ON THE LINE.

AND NOW I'VE GOT A LITTLE INDICATOR OF WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN.

THAT CAN GO INTO THE VISE.

[BREATHING HEAVILY] AND WE'RE GONNA NOW CUT AGAIN WITH THE COPING SAW, BUT THAT LITTLE VALLEY THERE REALLY KEEPS US FROM GOING OVER THE... OVER THE MARK.

THERE WE ARE.

ALL RIGHT.

AND NOW I CAN CHISEL DOWN THE REST OF THE WAY.

SO HERE I'VE GOT A CHOPPING BOARD UNDERNEATH.

AND I'M GONNA PUT THE BEVEL DOWN.

THAT GIVES ME A MORE VERTICAL ANGLE WITH THE CHISEL THAT KEEPS THE WOOD FROM RUNNING AWAY FROM ME SO MUCH.

NOW, I CAN'T SEE WHERE TO STOP, THOUGH.

THAT'S THE PROBLEM.

I CAN'T SEE WHERE TO STOP UNTIL I GET TO THAT LITTLE CHISEL MARK THAT I MADE ON THE FAR SIDE.

THAT'S DOING ALL RIGHT.

AND I CAN ACTUALLY GO PAST THIS LINE JUST A LITTLE BIT.

JUST A LITTLE BIT.

SO THIS IS THE RAMP WHERE THE SLIDING DOVETAIL HAS TO RIDE UP.

I SAY, THERE IS ACTUALLY HISTORICAL PRECEDENCE FOR THIS.

I WAS TALKING ABOUT THIS WITH CHRISTOPHER SCHWARZ, AND HE, IN ALL OF HIS RESEARCH, GOOD HEAVENS, HE FOUND A MAGAZINE REFERENCE, A BOOK REFERENCE TO SOMEONE SAYING THIS WAS HOW THEY DID THEIR SKIRTS ON THEIR...CHESTS THAT THEY BUILT.

NOW, I'D HOPE I HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF A FLAT RIGHT THERE.

IT LOOKS LIKE I'VE BROKEN THROUGH A LITTLE CLUMSILY.

NO, NOT TOO BAD.

THAT WAS JUST A CHIP.

I'M GONNA SET THIS UP HERE.

SORRY.

LET ME GET THAT UP HERE AND HAND-PARE IT NOW, BECAUSE I CAN SEE THE END.

I WANT TO COME RIGHT DOWN NOT TO A KNIFE EDGE, BUT A BUTTER-KNIFE EDGE.

HOW ABOUT THAT?

WANT TO HAVE JUST ENOUGH ROOM... HAVE IT JUST SNUG ENOUGH THAT I CAN COME UP THERE AND THEN KIND OF POP OVER THE LITTLE BLUNT... LITTLE TINY BLUNTOCITY THAT I'M LEAVING DOWN AT THE END.

ALL RIGHT.

SO LET'S HOPE THAT'S GOOD.

I'M GONNA NOW DO THE MITER AT THE TOP.

YOU CAN SEE I'VE GOT THE VALLEY THROUGH THERE.

I NEED TO MITER THE TOP THE SAME WAY.

AND THAT'S AGAIN THE MITER JIG HERE, FROM THE INSIDE OUT.

AND, UH, THERE WE ARE.

AND I'M GOING TO CONNECT THE CORNER.

AND WE'LL SEE.

SO I'VE GOT TO EYEBALL DOWN.

NOW, THE THING IS, I THINK YOU CAN USUALLY CUT-- A LOT OF THESE THINGS YOU CAN CUT VERY ACCURATELY FOR A SHORT DISTANCE.

IF THAT WAS A LONG CUT, YEAH, I'D NEED SOME KIND OF GUIDE.

ALL RIGHT.

LET'S SEE WHAT WE'VE GOT.

NOW THIS IS IT.

IF I HAVE JUDGED IT RIGHT, THIS SHOULD SIT ON HERE AND THIS PART SHOULD NOW START TO SLIDE DOWN THAT RAMP.

SO I'VE GOT IT ON THE RAMP.

THAT'S GOING TO SLIDE DOWN.

YOU CAN SEE THE HOLLOW ON THE INSIDE, SEE THE TOP.

ALL RIGHT.

AND IF I PUSH IT, IT WILL SLIDE OUT IN THERE, FILL THE SPACE.

OH, YEAH.

OH, YEAH.

ALL RIGHT.

AND THEN COME RIGHT AROUND TO A PERFECT MITER ON THE TOP.

SO THIS CAN ONLY BE ASSEMBLED FROM THE INSIDE.

SO WE TAKE SOMETHING, WE'VE GOT TO PUT IT TOGETHER.

WE'VE GOT TO DO 4 OF THOSE JOINTS, PUT IT TOGETHER IN THIS MANNER, TAP IT DOWN FROM ONE END, AND...

THE JOINTS WILL FILL THE CORNERS, AND WE WILL HAVE MADE A BOX THAT CANNOT COME APART THAT HAS DOVETAILS ON ALL OF ITS FACES THERE TO THE OUTSIDE.

YES, IT'S PRETTY ON ALL SIDES, AND IT'S LIVING PROOF THAT YOU ARE A HARD-CORE WOODWORKER.

TILL NEXT TIME, MAY THE GRAIN BE WITH YOU.

THIS IS ROY UNDERHILL.

WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME.

SO LONG.

LEARN MORE ABOUT "THE WOODWRIGHT'S SHOP" AND TRADITIONAL WOODWORKING ON OUR WEBSITE.

YOU CAN FIND US ONLINE AT pbs.org.

MAJOR FUNDING FOR "THE WOODWRIGHT'S SHOP" IS PROVIDED BY... [CAT MEOWS] [THUNDER] [HORN HONKING] WHEN THE UNEXPECTED HAPPENS, STATE FARM HAS THE TOOLS TO GET YOU TO A BETTER STATE, PROUD SPONSOR OF "THE WOODWRIGHT'S SHOP."

ROY UNDERHILL IS THE AUTHOR OF "THE WOODWRIGHT'S GUIDE: WORKING WOOD WITH WEDGE AND EDGE," AS WELL AS OTHER BOOKS ON TRADITIONAL WOODWORKING, ALL PUBLISHED BY THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA PRESS AND AVAILABLE AT BOOKSTORES AND LIBRARIES.

MAJOR FUNDING FOR "THE WOODWRIGHT'S SHOP" IS PROVIDED BY... [CAT MEOWS] [THUNDER] [HORN HONKING] WHEN THE UNEXPECTED HAPPENS, STATE FARM HAS THE TOOLS TO GET YOU TO A BETTER STATE, PROUD SPONSOR OF "THE WOODWRIGHT'S SHOP."