Rising Dovetails
Donald Pierson
>Several weeks ago I watched an episode of Woodwright�s Shop where Roy demonstrated a �rising dovetail� joint. I found it interesting and wrote a windows program that prints out templates (patterns) for the joint. Here is a pictorial of my first joint using the templates. The wood is a scrap piece of 2x2 that is roughly 1.4 by 1.4. Image One shows the two pieces with the templates glued on. Image Two shows cutting the bottom slope of the dovetail finger. Image Three is the two joint ends after cutting off the finger bottom. Image Four shows the first of four remaining cuts of the finger.
Image Five is the first cut on the socket end of the joint. One more saw cut and then chiseling out of the socket tunnel. Image Six shows the starting of the dovetail finger into the bottom of the socket tunnel. Image Seven shows the assembled joint. Image Eight shows two more test practice joints using scraps of walnut, cherry, and ebony. They were � and 5/8 pieces of wood and more of a challenge than the larger 2x2 joint.
