Dovetail joint
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A dovetail joint or simply dovetail is a woodworking technique used to join two pieces of wood at right angles to each other. Noted for their strength, they are commonly used to join the sides of a drawer to the front. A series of pins cut to extend from the end of one board interlock with a series of tails cut into the end of another board. The pins and tails have a trapezoidal shape. Once glued, the joint is permanent, and requires no mechanical fasteners.
Dovetails can be cut by hand or by machines, often with an electric router. The cutting of dovetails by hand is regarded by some as a mark of skill on the part of the craftsperson.
The photograph shows a plain dovetail joint, where the end grain of both boards is visible when the joint is assembled. As shown in the diagram, half-blind (also known as lapped) and blind dovetail joints are also possible, where the end grain of one or both boards cannot be seen in the assembled joint.
The angle of slope varies according to the wood used. Typically the slope is 1:8 for softwoods and a shallower 1:6 slope for hardwoods. Often a slope of 1:7 is used as a compromise - perhaps using a dovetail template for marking out.
The earliest known examples of the dovetail joint are in furniture entombed with mummies dating from First Dynasty of ancient Egypt.
See also
Further reading
- Kirby, Ian. The Complete Dovetail: Handmade Furniture's Signature Joint (1999). Hertford, England: Stobart Davies Ltd.
External links
- Detailed guide from extremehowto.com (http://www.extremehowto.com/xh/article.asp?article_id=60151)
- Dovetail Joints from Manufacturer and Builder, 1869 (http://pages.friendlycity.net/~krucker/Dovetail/dovetailjoints.htm)
Dovetail Joint is also the name of an alternative rock band from Chicago, formed in 1994.