Thread: Thin edge of the wedge

Have to say this solid lump of a saddle square / dovetail marker is a pretty handy thing to have. The mass/inerita makes that bit harder to shift out of place - the long leg balances neatly on the top and the short leg is just enough to mark around the corner.

it dimensions are based on the my original plywood that was used while- copied that cause thr market was adjusted that one a number of times to make it work better. Bit surprised though at how nice it is to use.

Reminds me of when I purchase a little 50mm square and a small 4 inch double square- didn't realise that they would become 95% of my square usage, cause they are so easy to maneuverer,

Cheers

Dovetail markers have been kicked about on the forum a few times, with people opting for various styles, any of which does the job, but some suit individuals better or are more convenient for certain types of work. I can see that a marker with a bit of heft like yours would make it easier to hold steady whilst scribing the lines. I've got a couple of different types of dovetail markers but the one I use most is this: New marker.jpg

It has a disadvantage in that I can't mark both faces at once, but the width of the stock & brass template are sized for marking out typical drawer sides. I start either side of the board with the full marker width for the first tail, then vary each subsequent tail & pin gap by eye, depending on what I want to end up with. The wide stock helps with holding the marker squarely on the edge and is stable when marking near the outside edges of the board. Might sound a bit crude, but it's very quick, I can lay out a whole set of drawers with subtle (or not-so-subtle) variations in very short order, accurately enough that you'd need a ruler to pick up any errors: Drawer fitting1.jpg

The extra time to mark the square lines off the tails is more than compensated by the quick & easy layout (& I too find a little 10mm square ideal when doing dovetailing)

I also use these for very small work: Brass DT gauges.jpg

They are sized to the proportions for boxes & the like - not so easy to place & hold, but do have the advantage of allowing both lines to be marked at once.

I think it's all about what you prefer & get used to when setting out dovetails - it can be a boring job on a large COD, so any way you find that makes it easier is good in my book!

Cheers,

Hi Ian

Very pretty guides!

Specifically made this particular guide as saw starter, hence the bevel on the short leg. When checking each cut with a with a square post cut there is percentage (not large) that could be better. Decide that it all well to be doing it by eye but ..... I suppose if I made couple hundred draws I could do by feel but thats not going to happen.



Thought someone might comment on join, which is invisible. Experimented with silicon bronze brazing first. Thought the contrasting material would look cool. The finish on the surface was fine, but the lump of steel cooled the little braze pool too fast and under it was porous - not strong enough to survive milling to finish.

Thinking about that when I try again I slow down the feed rate and lower the voltage and see if I build the tiny braze in 2 or more passes.


Suspect the no browny points for effort if I chamfer intermittently the corner of plane and then braze , but it could make a nice looking joint.