By Hand

On a drawer the Pins are cut on the front and back. The Tails are cut onto the sides. Layout and cut the Pins first.

1. On the insides of all boards scribe a layout line 1/16^th plus the thickness of the wood from the ends. Use a marking gauge.

 

 



2.  

 

3. Start with the Front board (Pins). Stand the board in a vise so that the inside is facing to you. Using a marking gauge set to the dovetail angle (1:7 ratio give or take) draw the pins on the top of the board. Scribe these lines with an awl.

4. 

   All angles from this point will be 90 degrees and will be drawn with a try square.

5. Scribe lines on both sides connecting the pin lines with the layout line. Use a try square to make the line 90 degrees.



6. Using a handsaw cut on waste side of the line down to the layout line.
7. Using a chisel remove waste. Angle cuts slightly away from waste end. Work back and forth, take only about 1/8 inch at a time from each side.
8. Clean all cuts with a chisel.
9. Mark tail cuts by holding pin board on top of the tail board and mark with a knife. Hold the pin board with the inside to the inside of the tail board. Line up the inside of the pins with the layout line on the tail board.
10. Remove waste on tail boards with bandsaw. Trim to fit with chisel.

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