Thread: Which Dovetail Marker?

Originally Posted by thumbsucker

I am looking forward to trying to talcum powder trick.

Which trick is that, sounds interesting?

Why are you going to be cutting dovetails? Is it solely for the strength or also for looks (and boasting, you know when you casually mention to your guests.." oh yes they are hand cut dovetails...")

If you are going solely for the mechanical advantages of the joint, then using a 1:7 marker or two markers in 1:6 and 1:8 for hard and softwoods would be useful in speeding up production.

But.... if you are making the dovetails for looks, then a single pitch is not going to suit all of your projects - some peices would look more ascetically pleasing with thin narrow tails and others mine look better with chunky tails. In that situation it would seem to me that your would be better off with a bevel and quality square. If you are going to spend big bucks on some of Colen's top knotch gear, may I suggest you purchase an adjustable square instead? Much more versatile than a dovetail marker. CC and CV make some nice sliding bevels too.



For the price of a decent through dovetail jig and cutters, you could buy top quality heirloom tools (Square, sliding bevel, chisels) and learn a satisfying skill (or at least try too - I'm still trying!) No noise, you can cut them early in the morning or late at night, listen to music or the radio whilst you work....

Feel the power of the Darkside Luke......

Your plans look good TS. I'm sure you'll show us some pics when done.
All the best
Kevin

A dovetail marker is not essential when cutting dovetails. In fact, other than scribing the baseline, you do not need to mark out even a single line! Ask Frank Klaus.

The next cheapest method is a sliding bevel. Ask Tage Frid - you can see him set out dovetails this way in his video. If you look at the thread I started on making the dovetail markers you will see me do the same.

Still, a dovetail marker is nicer to use and encourages you to plan out what you want to achieve. It might be argued, nevertheless, that some will prefer to be able to reproduce angles on the front and rear of the board. This does not matter to me - I am more conscious of making sure that I saw square across the board - THAT is the most important saw cut!

Where I most appreciate a dovetail marker is marking both the angle and the square from it in one go. (That is why I prefer a "L" shaped marker).

The angle of the dovetail is not critical - with modern glues, it is not the joint that will break first. While some woods are more difficult to cut at tight angles, the angles chosen are more a reflection of what looks right than strength. I like to use a variety of angles - it comes down to the thickness of the wood and the length of the dovetail. I favour skinny dovetails for show, so some precision is needed.

A recent drawer (in bloody sepature, from a mad friend - god this stuff was difficult to plane without tearout!!!):



That angle is 1:7 and the thickness of the front is about 40mm.

One of the reasons that I post example of what I do is to encourage others to make their own. Here is a dovetail marker in wood (1:8). Mine is dovetailed but yours does not need to be.



The reason I made the brass markers was because I had requests for copies of my brass infilled marker, and it is just too timeconsuming to make. I would have to charge Colen Clenton prices (and I don't do this to make money) ...



So I figured that the brass ones would be easier. Wrong! They are time consiming because you are shaping 3-D. Give it a go yourself and discover this. Try aluminium section or wood. I will make some more in a couple of months time, but at present I am up to my eyeballs in projects (I only do this stuff between projects).

Here are the brass ones alongside the LN marker ...







Regards from Perth

Derek

Originally Posted by Wood Borer

Which trick is that, sounds interesting?

See the woodworking magazine blog here, 100% accurate line transfers everytime, its seems.

Thanks for sharing your examples and thoughts Derek. You do inspire many many people on this and many other forums. Your work and ideas are always food for thought. So keep the examples coming and congrats on the website. Many great ideas anf tutorials there.
Kevin

i love the talk trick. where can i buy brass plate?

Thanks for that Thumbsucker. It is always a challenge to see marks in dark timbers like redgum.

Have a greenie.

Derek mentions Frank Klausz. His dvd "Dovetail a Drawer" is worth every cent if you can't borrow a copy. Taunton Press publish it.
Jim

i have these ones they are awesome this type allows you to mark 2 faces of the dovetail without moving it

bryan




Veritas® Dovetail Saddle Markers

For quick, accurate marking of dovetails, a dovetail marker is the best tool available.
Our dovetail saddle markers are precision machined at 1:6 and 1:8 angles, the traditional angles for softwood and hardwood dovetails respectively. The long legs ensure accurate registration. Also, much like the Veritas saddle square they are based on, they allow a continuous line to be transferred around the corner, so the straight and angled lines can be scribed at the same time, ensuring perfect alignment. The inside corner is relieved to ensure flush seating even on saw whiskers. Made from anodized aluminum, these markers are light and durable, and will never mark your work. Available individually or as a pair. Made in Canada.
Dovetail Saddle Markers, pair

Very interesting...


I now have in my possession a hunk of brass. I thinking something like the Dovetail Master or dereks original dovetail marker.

Originally Posted by weisyboy

i love the talk trick. where can i buy brass plate?

George Weston & Sons. Murrarrie.

Cheers,

Well I now have my mit's on an AWR Dovetail Master. It's a pretty nice little tool and not too hard to put together

I have a set of Veritas markers that I find convenient to use.

As noted above the angle of the tails is not critical, it is using the tails to mark the pins that must be done with great care.

A useful aid I have found for dovetails is a cheap 2X magnifier on a stand from the local hardware shop. This really helps keep the saw cut on the scribed line.

Good luck,

Bob