How to Make Dovetail Wood Joints

Tail Piece

• 1

  Mark the depth of the joint by putting the ends of the wood at a 90 degree angle to each other. Use a pencil to mark the depth.

• 2

  Use a try square and a marking knife to score the depth line all the way around the board. This will cut the surface fibers and make a clean cut easier to achieve.

• 3

  Use a dovetail template and a pencil to mark the outline of the dovetails.

• 4

  Place the wood in a vise and cut along the vertical lines with a dovetail or tenon saw.

• 5

  Cut away the waste wood along the horizontal lines with a coping saw.

• 6

  Correct any imperfections by placing the wood in a G clamp and using a chisel and mallet to cut away the excess.

Socket Piece

• 7

  Clamp the wood for the socket piece in a vise. Using the finished tail piece as a template, trace the shape of the pins onto the socket piece with a pencil.

• 8

  Score the wood as you did for the tail piece, using a try square and marking knife.

• 9

  Cut the vertical lines with a dovetail or tenon saw.

• 10

  Cut away the waste wood with a coping saw.

• 11

  Clean the cuts with a chisel and mallet if necessary.

Joining the Pieces

• 12

  Put the joint together without glue to test the accuracy of your cuts. Make any necessary adjustments with the chisel to get a snug fit.

• 13

  Join the two pieces together with wood glue applied to the cut edges. Clamp it and allow the glue to dry.

• 14

  Finish the joint by sanding off any excess glue that has squeezed out.