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Is a sliding dovetail strong?
For the woodworker building furniture and cabinets, the sliding dovetail is a joint well worth mastering. Strong and versatile, the sliding dovetail joint has many applications, from case construction to leg-and-rail joinery.
What dovetail ratio is best?
You don’t want your angle so steep as to create so much short grain that the tails break during assembly; too straight of an angle and you lose the mechanical advantage dovetails offer. Over time you will probably notice an affinity to a certain ratio; personally, I like 1:7 best.
How deep should a sliding dovetail be?
Next, clamp your straight- edge exactly where you want the sliding dovetail to go. Set the proper depth for the bit, (9⁄16″ in 3⁄4″ material, for ex- ample) then rout the dovetail trench or socket in a little fur- ther than the width of the divider. The trench doesn’t need to extend all the way across the side.
What is the recommended slope of a dovetail on soft wood?
There are different types of dovetail joints. The angle of slope varies according to the wood used, purpose of joint and type of work. Typically the slope is 1:6 for softwoods, and a shallower 1:8 slope for hardwoods. Often a slope of 1:7 is used as a compromise.
Are dowels stronger than mortise and tenon?
Test results show that dowels are the strongest method for creating this type of joint. The dowel joint in solid oak failed at an average of 650 pounds pressure, mortise and tenon joints failed at 500 pounds and biscuits failed at 325 pounds. Variations in the pressure at failure was less than 5 percent.
What is the best dovetail angle?
Lower (7° to 9°) angles are often advised for joining hardwoods, while higher angles (10° to 14°) are recommended for softwoods and even higher angles (14° to 18°) for half-blind dovetails.
What angle should a dovetail be?
Any angle between 7° and 15° will work, regardless of the wood. But stay within that range. If you go below 7°, you’ll start to lose the mechanical strength of the dovetail. Go above 15°, and you’ll leave too much short grain at the tips of the tails, which weakens the joinery.
What is a dovetail plane?
The various components of a dovetail plane consist of: A bevel down plane with a blade that is skewed at 15° across the body. The sole of the plane is at the same angle as the dovetail. There is a fence to determine the depth of the dovetail, and there is a depth stop to determine the width of the dovetail.
When do you use the correct dovetail angle?
This video predominately refers to through dovetails, but the concept applies to half-blinds and it applies when you are learning how to make sliding dovetails. When cutting any style of dovetail, it is important to use the correct dovetail angle so that the fruits of your labor will last for generations.
Is it important to have a steep slope on a dovetail?
Probably not. What’s important is that you don’t get the slope so steep that your tails break off and your joint caves. Or that you don’t get the slope too straight that your tails slip from the pins, or that your joint has to rely only on glue for its strength.
How does a dovetail joint provide mechanical strength?
The dovetail joint provides considerable mechanical strength because when the joint is assembled, it can’t be twisted or racked. And the shape of the dovetail makes it impossible to take apart in one direction and difficult in the other. This joint stays together — even without glue!
What are ratios and degrees for Dovetail markers?
Other producers of dovetail markers use ratios for a subset of their markers and degrees for others. A popular woodworking tool and catalog company for instance uses slopes of 1:6, 1:8 and then uses 14 degrees for their third dovetail marker offering.