Thread: Thank You Derek!

I would have been more than happy to have my early attempts come out like this. Good effort.

Bob

I see through your little ruse. You were so absolutely chuffed with your first go at hand cut dovetails hat you had to post them here but you didn't want to sound like you were showing off!?

Originally Posted by LineLefty

I see through your little ruse. You were so absolutely chuffed with your first go at hand cut dovetails hat you had to post them here but you didn't want to sound like you were showing off!?

Double L, you've got me absolutely wrong. You are doing me an injustice; I am showing off!

It's a good feeling isn't it?
To be able to pull off some slick dovetails by hand

Well done!!!

DPB, with the Veritas Dovetail Guide they recommend a saw with a 0.13mm (0.005") set. did you experience any problems with the LN saw? Has anyone else used the Veritas DT Guide with saws with wider set?

Originally Posted by Slavo

DPB, with the Veritas Dovetail Guide they recommend a saw with a 0.13mm (0.005") set. did you experience any problems with the LN saw? Has anyone else used the Veritas DT Guide with saws with wider set?

Salvo, your question caused me to have a closer look at my LN Saw. Although I was told this saw was a "Tenon Saw" (not a mortise saw as originally stated), I find that the saw is in fact an "LN 15ppi RIP".

Excuse my ignorance here. The width of this LN saw is .027", i.e. the total width of the saw at the teeth. The Veritas is .031". However, I think that set refers to the distance from the wall of the saw that the teeth stand proud. (Sorry about the non-technical terminology.) In fact, the LN is a finer saw, i.e. the distance of the teeth from the side wall of the saw is less, .0035".

It didn't present any problems for me. But I do want to progress to a proper Dovetail Saw. LN do have one in their range, but they are very expensive, so I will likely settle for the Veritas DT saw which I own.

The LN I am using will limit me to cutting DT's in timber up to 19mm. Any deeper, and the top brass stiffener will prevent making cut any deeper. But then, once I become accustom to making this cut, I will likely discard the Veritas saw guide which will mean that I can use the LN for thicker timber.

Hope this makes sense. Please enlighten me about some of the assumptions I've made.

You're on the money DPB, the blade thickness + the set (how far the teeth protrude out from the blade) = the kerf (total width of cut). So your LN with a set of 0.0035" is within what LV recommend.

I have ordered the Veritas DT Guide and have been looking for a backless japanese saw that fits the bill and can cut through blackbutt and sydne blue gum. Your post that the Veritas saw was slow cutting through Tassie Oak got me thinking (always dangerous) that I might need a more suitable saw.

Originally Posted by Slavo

You're on the money DPB, the blade thickness + the set (how far the teeth protrude out from the blade) = the kerf (total width of cut). So your LN with a set of 0.0035" is within what LV recommend.

I have ordered the Veritas DT Guide and have been looking for a backless japanese saw that fits the bill and can cut through blackbutt and sydne blue gum. Your post that the Veritas saw was slow cutting through Tassie Oak got me thinking (always dangerous) that I might need a more suitable saw.

Slavo, I'm only up the road at Gorokan so if you want to come up and try a couple of Japanese saws you will be welcome. Wont be home this Sunday arvo. PM me if you want to come.

Thanks for the invite Termite

Just to clarify a point I made above the set is on both sides so DPBs LN saw is 0.032" thick plus a set on each side of 0.004" giving a 0.04" kerf (0.032 + 0.004 + 0.004) [figures off LN website]

I think the Veritas Dovetail saw has dozuki teeth which are more suited to cross cutting (but they will still rip). The saw I'm using with the Veritas guide is a "Cyokucho" Ryoba (Timbecon RS-611 I think). It has a 0.45mm blade and cuts a 0.6mm kerf and seems to work very well with the Veritas guide. The crosscut teeth don't see a lot of action but the rippers have and they cut fast and smooth in any timber. The blade height tapers toward the handle and at its minimum will still allow a 30mm deep cut. The TPI ranges from about 6-10 (10 closest to the handle gradually getting wider and deeper toward the tip of the blade).

Now a question.
Does the use of a guide still produce a "hand cut" dovetail?

Originally Posted by Dan

Now a question.
Does the use of a guide still produce a "hand cut" dovetail?

The correct definition of a hand cut dovetail is one which is cut with a sharp downward blow with the edge of the hand.

Does the use of a guide still produce a "hand cut" dovetail?

Interesting question. Depends upon your definition of 'hand'. I mean, do you have to use handtools for it to be 'hand cut'? What if you use a bandsaw but follow the lines by eye and guide the timber with your hand? Is that any different to using a handsaw in the dexterity and skill department? Is it less 'machine cut' than using a dovetail jig and a router, or the same?

I suppose the ultimate form of the dovetail is one cut freehand with a handsaw and waste removed with a chisel. Or a sharp downward blow with the edge of the hand

I'm a dovetail virgin. There, I'm out! Question - all the demo's I've seen have the saw cutting near to the markout line; no guide- with the rest pared off with a chisel. How much time if any is saved franging about with the saw guide?

Surely i don't need one of them too?:eek:

Originally Posted by Termite

The correct definition of a hand cut dovetail is one which is cut with a sharp downward blow with the edge of the hand.

I've been using the Sharp Downward blows for about an hour, the joints are awful, and my hand wont stop bleeding..! Am I doing something wrong..? :confused: