After finishing up the Asian Cabinet, I was not quite ready to embark on another major project immediately. What to do? Well, while in Montana, working with Todd Clippinger on the Shaker Style Bench for Charity, I helped assemble the drawer boxes. The dovetails on these boxes looked quite smart, and I decided that I should add more dovetails to my own projects. The problem is that since I have not done a lot of dovetails I am usually reluctant to use them. It is easy to make a mess of dovetails, and a major project usually has enough challenges already. If only I had a little more experience with dovetails, if only I had a little more practice..... practice!
What an idea. Practice. Something that comes highly recommended but that I rarely take the time to do. And since I am not quite prepared to start that next major project, what an ideal time. It is also a great oppertunity to turn some of those scraps that, for whatever reason, I cannot seem to let go of and turn them into something useful.
For the first dovetail box, I chose to use a small piece of Pearwood from a tree that I acquired in September of 2009. After re-sawing the stock and cutting it into length, I started to setup my Leigh dovetail jig. It was at this point that I learned that the bits that come with the jig only works for stock from 1/2” thick to 3/4” thick. Already, deciding to practice, is paying off. Yeah, it was a little annoying to discover that I did not have all the bits that I need, but it was much better to discover this during practice than to discover it in the middle of a project. Off to the web I went to get the needed bits. In fact, I picked up a whole set of bits to cover all the sizes and styles of dovetails I would be interested in making.
The second (set of) boxes I made were made from a single piece of 8/4 stock of Red Oak that my buddy RJ Gall left me. These boxes are made from really thin stock, under 1/4". I wanted to see how thin I could go on a box without compromising the strength. I also made the dimensions of these boxes such that they are perfect for fitting on the shelf right under my workbench, on the cabinet underneath. I store all the measuring tools that I use constantly in one, and store marking/cutting items (marking knives, exact-o knives, scissors, etc.) in the other.
The third and final practice box is made from some leftover Butternut that has been sitting around for a few years. It is left over from the Black and White Shelf that I did so long ago. I had forgotten how beautiful Butternut is, and it is even more spectacular when finished with the lacquer that I now use for almost all my furniture finishing. I also tried out a variation on a theme that I learned from Todd Clippinger. Todd likes to pin his dovetails from the top (and bottom?) to form a joint that is locked in both directions. My variation accomplishes the same locking, but I put mine on the side of the box. I am sure that the strength of either approach is the same, and that the difference is simply one of aesthetic preference.
What an idea. Practice. Something that comes highly recommended but that I rarely take the time to do. And since I am not quite prepared to start that next major project, what an ideal time. It is also a great oppertunity to turn some of those scraps that, for whatever reason, I cannot seem to let go of and turn them into something useful.
For the first dovetail box, I chose to use a small piece of Pearwood from a tree that I acquired in September of 2009. After re-sawing the stock and cutting it into length, I started to setup my Leigh dovetail jig. It was at this point that I learned that the bits that come with the jig only works for stock from 1/2” thick to 3/4” thick. Already, deciding to practice, is paying off. Yeah, it was a little annoying to discover that I did not have all the bits that I need, but it was much better to discover this during practice than to discover it in the middle of a project. Off to the web I went to get the needed bits. In fact, I picked up a whole set of bits to cover all the sizes and styles of dovetails I would be interested in making. 
The second (set of) boxes I made were made from a single piece of 8/4 stock of Red Oak that my buddy RJ Gall left me. These boxes are made from really thin stock, under 1/4". I wanted to see how thin I could go on a box without compromising the strength. I also made the dimensions of these boxes such that they are perfect for fitting on the shelf right under my workbench, on the cabinet underneath. I store all the measuring tools that I use constantly in one, and store marking/cutting items (marking knives, exact-o knives, scissors, etc.) in the other.
The third and final practice box is made from some leftover Butternut that has been sitting around for a few years. It is left over from the Black and White Shelf that I did so long ago. I had forgotten how beautiful Butternut is, and it is even more spectacular when finished with the lacquer that I now use for almost all my furniture finishing. I also tried out a variation on a theme that I learned from Todd Clippinger. Todd likes to pin his dovetails from the top (and bottom?) to form a joint that is locked in both directions. My variation accomplishes the same locking, but I put mine on the side of the box. I am sure that the strength of either approach is the same, and that the difference is simply one of aesthetic preference.
From left to right: 5/16" thick Pearwood; (2) 7/32" Red Oak; 3/8" thick Butternut with Claro Walnut pins.
So what is next? Well I was planning to make more practice boxes; I still want to experiment with some asymmetric dovetail patterns. So why did I stop? Well, one thing led to another. While making these boxes I got a whole bunch of ideas for some (wooden) hand planes and other tools specifically aimed at making box-making easier. Of course, when I finish the tools, I will have to try them out on some more practive boxes. LOL ;-)
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