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Hand-Cut Dovetail Basics

Learn how to design, lay out, and mark dovetail joints and cut them accurately and efficiently with hand saws and chisels.

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Hand-Cut Dovetail Basics

Hand-Cut Dovetail Basics

Learn how to design, lay out, and mark dovetail joints and cut them accurately and efficiently with hand saws and chisels.

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About

Dovetail joints, a technique that joins two pieces of wood using pins and tails (shaped like a wedge, resembling a dove’s tail) , are known for their strength and are commonly used in furniture, cabinets, log buildings and traditional timber framing. 

Learn tricks to get them to fit perfectly!

While there won't be enough time to complete a project, you'll go home with one or two completed corners, which you can use to refresh your memory later about which parts to cut and which to leave. It's surprisingly easy to get that mixed up if you haven't cut dovetails for a while, so having a reference piece can save you a lot of grief!

Details

Skill level: Beginners welcome.

Details

A $13 materials fee,  included in the class fee, covers everything you need.

Class Policies

  • Ages 14 and up are welcome.
  • Wear safety glasses and closed-toe shoes. We recommend bringing your own safety glasses.
Instructor
Paul Kury

Paul Kury studied woodworking at Lonnie Bird’s School of Fine Woodworking in Dandridge, Tenn., and has been an active woodworker for more than 40 years. His preference is 18th-century furniture. Paul also volunteers as a woodworking safety monitor at BARN.

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