A Couple of Dovetail Markers

**derekcohen** · 24th September 2007, 12:18 AM

I've been struggling with flu this weekend but too restless to take it easy for long. It's at times like this that I enjoy a one-day project and I had just enough concentration left for this one.

I have been using a Woodjoy dovetail marker for the past couple of years. It is a very well made and compact marker ... but a little too compact and fiddly to be my ideal marker.

What I wanted was something less complex and more substantial. My first attempt was to make this one out of Jarrah. The ratio is 8:1

This is a great dovetail saddle ... but it lacks bling! Surely that is the First Rule of Dovetail Markers - they must have bling. Soooo ...

A nice piece of Tasmanian Blackwood and a length of brass.... and we have this... Ratio 7:1 (I always wanted a 7:1).

And for proportion, here are the three dovetail saddles together:

Thanks for looking.

Regards from Perth

Derek

**m2c1Iw** · 24th September 2007, 12:44 AM

Derek, nice

but you are going to have to show us how

to cut dovetails like that what did you use a jewelers saw? BTW by way of comparison at the other end of the scale here's my effort from today 1:5 out of ally angle needed something quick for an upper divider.

Cheers Mike

**sumu** · 24th September 2007, 05:48 AM

Aye, very Cool stuff from both.

Derek, both the Bling an No-Bling are way cool. They both shine.

Mike, I have never actually thought of using it like that. I feel kinda bonehead right now

.

Damn me if I do not make a series for myself as well.

Kippis,

sumu

**Poppa** · 24th September 2007, 11:45 AM

Derek, whenever you just knock something up (the Jarrah version), you always make my attempts at making things properly and to a high standard seem pitiful and pathetic. If you weren't such a nice bloke I'd hate you! Back to the shed with me for more practice....

**Knight_of_Ni** · 24th September 2007, 04:12 PM

Derek - beautiful design.

Where do you source your brass and rivets?

What is the process of shaping and joining - just a file/polish job?

Cheers,

Slade

**Caliban** · 24th September 2007, 10:22 PM

Derek
because I too have the flu (again, 3rd time this winter-6 week cycles it seems) I won't tell you that I too hate you.
What is the ratio on those tiny dovetails in the bling one?
Oh, by the bye, nice work you bas@#$d.
Greenie on the way.

**DJ’s Timber** · 24th September 2007, 10:39 PM

Great stuff Derek

**derekcohen** · 25th September 2007, 12:05 AM

Mike, cutting dovetails in Tassie Blackwood is a snap compared to cutting all-Jarrah dovetails. The Jarrah was so hard that no compression was possible. They had to fit exactly. Too small and they have gaps. Too large and they will split. And yes, a jeweler's saw is used to remove the waste.

I think that your ally marker is just great!

Slade, the brass and steel came from Bunnings. The steel rod came from the gardening section.

First cut the brass to shape with a hacksaw and drill it for the rod. Epoxy the brass to the wood, then drill the wood for the rod. The fit is very tight. Grind the lot flush. I used a belt sander and files. Check the angles as you go. I used a deburring wheel to take out the scratches, then polished it up on a cloth wheel with rouge.

Poppa and Caliban - sorry about that

Regards from Perth

Derek

Thread: A Couple of Dovetail Markers

Thread Tools

Search Thread

A Couple of Dovetail Markers

Similar Threads

Evolving a Dovetail Plane

Dovetail Dilemma

Dovetail Dilemma

Dovetail Dilemma

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions