VIDEO: Half-Blind Dovetails – Cutting the Pins

VIDEO: Half-Blind Dovetails – Cutting the Pins

In this episode of Hand Cutting Dovetails series, Ernie shows you his favorite methods of sawing and chiseling out the pins for half-blind dovetail joints when building drawers. He includes several tips and tricks that will help you cleanly and accurately cut out the pins.

The dovetail may be the most iconic joint in woodworking. It is the perfect marriage of form and function – both strong and attractive. In this series, Ernie Conover clearly demonstrates how to lay out, cut, and assemble the most popular types of dovetail joints.

Watch: How to Lay Out Pins for Half-Blind Dovetails

Watch more videos from the Hand Cutting Dovetails Series:

Hand-Cut Dovetail Series Episode Listing:

1. Introduction: Why hand cut dovetails? A brief history of the joint.

2. Tools for Making Dovetails

3. Through Dovetails – Layout

4. Through Dovetails – Making the Pins – Sawing

5. Through Dovetails – Making the Pins – Chiseling the Waste

6. Through Dovetails – Transferring the Layout

7. Through Dovetails – Sawing the Tail Boards

8. Through Dovetails – Trial Fit, Gluing, and Clamping

9.  Through Dovetails – Modifying Pin Widths and Layouts for Box Lids and Drawers

10. Half-Blind Dovetails – Overview

11. Half-Blind Dovetails – Layout Pins

12. Half-Blind Dovetails – Sawing and Chiseling the Pins

13. Half-Blind Dovetails – Transferring the Pin Layout to the Tail Boards

14. Half-Blind Dovetails – Gluing and Clamping

15. Full-Blind (Secret) Dovetails

16. Repairing Dovetail Joints

17. Conclusion – Additional Tips and Methods

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