SawDustB Posted January 12, 2018 Author Report Share Posted January 12, 2018 Thanks Steve. This is going to be a natural finish. I'm not painting the hardwood parts, just possibly the plywood back. The drawers will have false fronts on them out of birch to hide the plywood. The idea is that the sides and shelves will be natural finish to match other birch furniture in the room. My method for edge jointing is with a table saw jig, since I've found that's the quickest method for me. I'll give the edges a pass with a hand plane before the glue up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SawDustB Posted January 13, 2018 Author Report Share Posted January 13, 2018 I'm finally getting out of the milling stage of this project and into the panel glue ups. I'm starting with the sides, since I can really only do one at a time, and then I'll move on to the shelves. I was able to take a couple of passes with a plane to clean up the edge from the table saw and joint them perfectly. The humidity has gone from extremely low to really high in the last few days, so my nicely jointed side had moved a little (1/8" over 5'). I used dowels to align my glue up. I expect this will take a few days, since I'm going to do all my gluing before I get into joinery. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SawDustB Posted January 20, 2018 Author Report Share Posted January 20, 2018 I'm finally done gluing panels, at least for now. I've got the sides and shelves, but I haven't figured out my drawer fronts yet. I've ripped everything to near final width, and I'm debating if I should put them through the planer again to clean up the ridge. I'm looking forward to getting into the joinery section of this project. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coop Posted January 21, 2018 Report Share Posted January 21, 2018 Good looking panels. This things coming right along. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SawDustB Posted January 21, 2018 Author Report Share Posted January 21, 2018 1 hour ago, K Cooper said: Good looking panels. This things coming right along. Thanks Coop. It's been a slow week on it, since I could only do one panel each night, but I'm almost at the fun part. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coop Posted January 21, 2018 Report Share Posted January 21, 2018 I know, glue ups and sanding ain’t a darn bit of fun. Kind of like cutting wall studs, it’s the nailing and putting sticks in the air that begins to give it some shape. Let the fun begin! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SawDustB Posted January 22, 2018 Author Report Share Posted January 22, 2018 I've finally got my pieces at final dimension. I'm now thinking about cutting the dovetails for the top. It seems like the tails are normally on the top, and the pins on the sides. It seems to me that it makes more sense to have half tails in this joint. I've got a half tail on the front of 1", and a half tail on the back of 1 1/2". This makes the pin board symmetric, since there's a half inch overhang at the back. The overall size is 13". I've got 5 pins in the joint. I've made the pins a bit larger than you often see in hand cut joints, partly to make it stronger and partly to make it easier. Does this layout make sense? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Chet Posted January 22, 2018 Popular Post Report Share Posted January 22, 2018 It's coming along, Brian. One question, this is for your daughter, why aren't you using her work bench? 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SawDustB Posted January 22, 2018 Author Report Share Posted January 22, 2018 12 minutes ago, Chet said: It's coming along, Brian. One question, this is for your daughter, why aren't you using her work bench? Well, there is the small matter of it only coming up to my knee... I don't think that sawing posture will help the dovetails any . She did get annoyed with me for stacking boards on her work bench as I was putting them through the planer. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chestnut Posted January 22, 2018 Report Share Posted January 22, 2018 I don't' know any thing about hand cut dovetails to tell you if the layout is good or not. Are there any goo free articles on them out there. I'd like to learn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaneymack Posted January 22, 2018 Report Share Posted January 22, 2018 Hey Brian, the project is coming along nicely! Is that your top or the side of the case? Normally you would put the tails on the top. The dovetail isnt really doing its job mechanically if the tail is on the side of a case because it can pull away. When the tails are on top and bottom they are locked in. I dont see anything wrong with your layout. Personally, i like the base of the pins narrower but that is just preference. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SawDustB Posted January 22, 2018 Author Report Share Posted January 22, 2018 8 hours ago, shaneymack said: Hey Brian, the project is coming along nicely! Is that your top or the side of the case? Normally you would put the tails on the top. The dovetail isnt really doing its job mechanically if the tail is on the side of a case because it can pull away. When the tails are on top and bottom they are locked in. I dont see anything wrong with your layout. Personally, i like the base of the pins narrower but that is just preference. Cool, thanks Shane. That's the top that I have in the picture with the tails. I figured that was the right logic. I haven't done any casework with dovetails, so I thought I should ask. Is The right approach here to do half tails? That seemed right to me, so the top is supported all the way across. I probably could make the pins about 1/8" narrower... I'll look at it again. I want to make this as easy as I can, since I don't have much practice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaneymack Posted January 23, 2018 Report Share Posted January 23, 2018 3 hours ago, SawDustB said: Cool, thanks Shane. That's the top that I have in the picture with the tails. I figured that was the right logic. I haven't done any casework with dovetails, so I thought I should ask. Is The right approach here to do half tails? That seemed right to me, so the top is supported all the way across. I probably could make the pins about 1/8" narrower... I'll look at it again. I want to make this as easy as I can, since I don't have much practice. I would still stick with half pins. I would do a half tail at the back if you have a rabbeted back. You need the meat there when you rabbet, if not, half pin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SawDustB Posted January 23, 2018 Author Report Share Posted January 23, 2018 20 hours ago, shaneymack said: I would still stick with half pins. I would do a half tail at the back if you have a rabbeted back. You need the meat there when you rabbet, if not, half pin. Ok, good to know. The top overhangs the back by 1/2", so I think it has to be a half tail there, but I could do a half pin on the front. It sounds like I may be redoing the layout. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardA Posted January 24, 2018 Report Share Posted January 24, 2018 On 1/22/2018 at 7:51 AM, Chestnut said: I don't' know any thing about hand cut dovetails to tell you if the layout is good or not. Are there any goo free articles on them out there. I'd like to learn. They're all over you tube, and they all help. But practice is the only answer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SawDustB Posted January 24, 2018 Author Report Share Posted January 24, 2018 Hey @shaneymack, how does this look? The front of the book case is to the left here. I can't decide if that's too many tails. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaneymack Posted January 24, 2018 Report Share Posted January 24, 2018 Looks great ! Now start cutting... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post SawDustB Posted January 26, 2018 Author Popular Post Report Share Posted January 26, 2018 On 23/01/2018 at 9:05 PM, shaneymack said: Looks great ! Now start cutting... I'm working on it... 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post SawDustB Posted February 1, 2018 Author Popular Post Report Share Posted February 1, 2018 I had a hard time figuring out how to transfer the tails to the pin boards with how long my pieces are. Eventually I put together this arrangement: It worked fine, although I had to do it again since I was about to mark the book case inside out. I cut my pins, although I haven't cleaned up the baseline yet. They're starting to go together, but there will be finessing required. I deliberately stayed on the fat side with the pins, so I could take them down to perfect. Any tips on cleaning them up? So far, I've just been using a wide chisel to gently shave across the grain. And then I get to do it again for the other side. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post SawDustB Posted February 3, 2018 Author Popular Post Report Share Posted February 3, 2018 It's not perfect, but it fits, it's square, and the front edge lines up. I will admit I ended up adjusting the fit with one of those Japanese files. It's slow, but it works. I was having some issues with the chisel and keeping the edges square. I'm planning to try to cut the other one tonight. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SawDustB Posted February 4, 2018 Author Report Share Posted February 4, 2018 Dovetail #2. This test fit was a bit too tight, so I need to take a little more off in a few spots. Getting there, though. I think I'm going to go for the sliding dovetail for the bottom shelf. Do you guys usually do a straight or tapered dovetail? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdwerker Posted February 4, 2018 Report Share Posted February 4, 2018 Practice sliding dovetails a few times before you attempt it on the bookcase. Sliding are tricky enough, consider tapered to be an advanced class. If you have a dovetail plane and some serious plane use and sharpening skills then practice the sliding tapered dovetails before you plan to use them in a project. Last time I tried tapered sliding dovetails it wedged too soon, tried to trim it and it was way too loose. All were cut w just a router & a router table. Both were using identical bits so I didn't have to keep swapping bits. (Tip ! Plane scrap to the identical thickness as the project , use that to get set up ) 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SawDustB Posted February 5, 2018 Author Report Share Posted February 5, 2018 3 hours ago, wdwerker said: Practice sliding dovetails a few times before you attempt it on the bookcase. Sliding are tricky enough, consider tapered to be an advanced class. If you have a dovetail plane and some serious plane use and sharpening skills then practice the sliding tapered dovetails before you plan to use them in a project. Last time I tried tapered sliding dovetails it wedged too soon, tried to trim it and it was way too loose. All were cut w just a router & a router table. Both were using identical bits so I didn't have to keep swapping bits. (Tip ! Plane scrap to the identical thickness as the project , use that to get set up ) Thanks Steve. I asked about the tapered sliding dovetail because it was recommended in a fine woodworking article. I'll be cutting it with the router and router table, not by hand. Sounds like straight is the way to go. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post SawDustB Posted February 10, 2018 Author Popular Post Report Share Posted February 10, 2018 I finally finished cleaning up the dovetails and did a complete dry fit. It's square, the joints are tight, and I'm really happy with it. I may have to put this on hold for a bit since I have a vanity on a pallet taking up half my shop... We'll see. I am planning to build a jig for the sliding dovetails. I haven't completely decided if all shelves will go in that way, or just the ones above and below the drawers. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkinneb Posted February 10, 2018 Report Share Posted February 10, 2018 Looking good! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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