Dovetail Layout with Dividers, Directors Cut

[@edwardcharles9764]

At last! Someone has explained it as opposed to showing how fast they can do it without marking out at all. Best explanation yet!

[@marcleblanc7021]

This is by far the best explained lay out. Straight to the point, without a bunch of stuff to make it complicated. Thank you so much

[@Hawthorn-nz]

There are really only a handful of decent dovetail vids on KZbin - this is one of them!

[@mr.thomas5186]

This lady is a natural teacher --a gift! Thanks!

[@davidchisholm457]

I feel your explanation of the dovetail layout is the best on You Tube. Helped me tremendously.

[@canecho48]

Probably the best explanation about laying out dovetail I have seen so far,Thanks for the simplicity and straightforward language .

[@NomadMakes]

Best explanation. EVER. Cheers and thanks for sharing.

[@pinkiewerewolf]

Have to watch this video all the way through... then the anvil falls on my head. I watched this a long time ago and I'm not sure that it sank in. This time I think I've got it. LOL Thanks Megan

[@michaelanderson9043]

The most explanatory version of marking out I have seen. Well done.

[@tuckertonmike]

Taking this time to learn to do dovetails. I have seen a lot of videos on using dividers. This is the clearest explanation out there.

[@howardhagadorn9443]

I've watched many dovetail videos on youtube and you're the first one to explain the logic behind it and now I understand. Thank you so much

[@rodfauth1280]

The best explanation I've seen on how to do this.

[@toddharwood2876]

Thank you Megan Fitzpatrick and Popular Woodworking!!! Thank you for explaining this in such a simple method without trying to sell us a bunch of garbage. Too many "other" videos out there are so jammed full of people telling us about some product we cannot live without and learning the simple procedures are completely lost on me. Again, great video!

[@popularwoodworking]

Thanks!

[@melefth]

Yes, we're looking towards Canada!

[@docfluty]

So helpful! Thanks for just getting to it without all the fluff. I finally understand the method.

[@Mr2at]

I often wondered how and why carpenters used dividers to set the layout, both of which you have answered. I've learnt something today. Thank you

[@dlgWoodWork]

This is the best I have seen this explained. Thank you for taking the time to do this Megan.

[@mickjulian7499]

That was not too long. I found that extremely helpful and clear, thank you.

[@chrisc5854]

Thank you for explaining why you measure PAST the half-pin mark! I see other videos of them doing that but none of them explained the fact that you are using that distance to determine your pin size through the rest of the joint. I don’t know in hind sight maybe that should’ve been obvious but it wasn’t so thank you for being the first video out of at least ten videos to explain that part!

[@nickdunbar2967]

Thanks Megan. You;re right. I read about it yesterday but didn't get it. NOW I do.Very clear and easy to understand.

[@jasonsteele9024]

excellent, Chris has talked about this often but I never saw it explained before. I really appreciate it. When you cant afford the exelent classes available these sorts of things rfeally fill in the gaps. Thanks

[@kevinmello9149]

The process makes a lot more sense now that I can actually see it being done. Thank you very much!

[@biffwellington823]

been looking at internet videos for using dividers on dovetails for a good while now, and yours is the simplest explanation I've run across. Let's just say that, after watching, the light bulb went off. Thank you!

[@internaman]

Excellently explained!!! Thanks so much 👍😉

[@thomasmcgeehan9979]

I am just starting out, and I've watched at least 50 videos just on dovetails. ( I'm certainly not claiming to be the brightest bulb in the lamp! :). I have to tell you that this has been the absolute best as far as explaining how to measure. Thank you

[@daddysix3731]

Awesome instruction & explanation! Thanks, Megan!

[@gamcdon]

Best demonstration of dovetail layout yet!!

[@TeamProsperity]

Very nice explanation of dovetail layout, thanks a bunch.

[@kapone3047]

Thank you. Was racking my brains trying to make sense of marking out my dovetails and this explained it perfectly!

[@alexrabinovich5284]

Thank you for a wonderful video. It will change my (woodworking) life.

[@03doubletap]

This is FANTASTIC!!! You shortened my learning curve by 15/16! THANK YOU!!!

[@j.chriswatson6847]

Excellent video. Clear, illustrative, and precise.

[@K8Nicole]

Thank you so much. Seeing and having it explained is all it took. I understand now. 🙂

[@eddieantley8710]

Megan,thank you very very much i have watched so many videos try to get this and after one time with you its all clear grat job , you have the gift

[@davidnorman1500]

I'm a newbie to cutting dovetails and this really helped me. thanks.

[@learnerlearns]

Well Megan, you certainly have patience to describe this process so thoroughly. If someone can't get the idea from this, then they can't get it. Good job!

[@yourcrazycuz]

Very helpful video, great teaching technique. I had just about went to never never land to get pixie dust trying to understand all these other videos...thanks!!!

[@JoshuaDerck]

Thanks So Much for this I have always wondered how this is done, and you did a great job teaching it.

[@watermountainsky]

Thank you for this video, I love the simplicity but effectiveness of dividers! I was trying to use a ruler to layout before and what is so neat is this lets you try out different size tails fast.

[@PaddyMcNubbington]

much better explanation... thank you Megan

[@ikust007]

So well explained. Thank you!

[@o2bsam]

Perfect, thanks Megan.

[@williambranham6249]

NICE. FIRST TIME THAT HAS BEEN EXPLAINED TO ME CLEARLY. THANKS DOC MEBANE NC

[@benchtopwoodworks]

Excellent explaination, thanks for sharing!

[@AntDiesel54]

This is the best dovetail layout video I have seen ! Thank you so much for the great video, please keep making them. And I would really really love to know where you got that dovetail marker from ?

[@waylonwillie111]

Thanks for posting, this was very helpful.

[@MorrMedia1]

very well explained! thank you

[@robertconroy8686]

Thank you Megan--very helpful

[@McGinnsWoodShop]

Great explanation! Thanks

[@vladimirlopez7840]

Best explanation there is.

[@pcproff]

Not longish at all. This was an amazing video thank you!

[@cmspotts]

So, so, SO helpful! Thanks so much.

[@tomeberhard74]

Very nice explanation, thanks.

[@LolitasGarden]

This is much better. Thank you.

[@Offshoreorganbuilder]

Thanks for this upload. Very helpful.

[@MrDieselOnly]

Ma'am, I'm not sure who you are or what your magazine is (but I'll check it out next time I'm at the bookstore)...but that was about the most outstanding and elegant demonstration of laying out dovetails! There are, undoubtedly, a great many folks who appreciate your time and effort to produce this segment. Thank you! Best regards.

[@AntDiesel54]

This is the best dovetail layout video I have seen ! Thank you so much for the great video, please keep making them. And I would really really love to know where you got that dovetail marker from "

[@Goodwithwood69]

I learned something! Thank you!

[@pauds2cents]

Thank you so much for this video!

[@tolikt]

Thanks! Easy and exact!

[@RobertKeeney]

An excellent explanation.

[@meganfitzpatrick8203]

Thanks for the kind words - and apologies for neglecting to check here for comments (I always forget these aren't served only through the Popular WW blog!). That marking gauge is the Precision Dovetail Template from Woodjoy Tools ($29): www.woodjoytools.com/layout/precision-dovetail-template

[@chrisfrazier760]

Clear as glass, Thanks,

[@jakewvincent]

This is so cool!!

[@clemmcguinness1087]

thanks a lot. very informative

[@jrobbins359]

BRILLIANT!

[@redgeminiarts3674]

That was very helpful

[@mmccorm11]

VERY clearly explained - thank you very much for this. I don't have a mentor for learning these skills from and this was the demonstration I needed. A quick question if this is modified for half-blind dovetails: Assuming you were scribing your depth line on those boards when marking the tails. Is the only modification that the tails would be shallower than the thickness of the pin board? Or are there other considerations when layout out half-blind dovetails for, say, drawers?

[@meganfitzpatrick8203]

When I'm cutting half-blinds, I typically do my pins first (which I lay out by eye, and overcut on the baseline). But yes, I suppose you could do the tails first, and simply decide on the baseline then scribe it. (e.g. if my stock was 3/4, I might choose to leave 1/4", so I'd set the gauge for 1/2" to mark the tail baseline). The rest of the steps would be the same on the layout

[@mcneile3]

Now I get it! Thank you!

[@UCMWINGS]

That was much easier to follow!

[@frankhastings8817]

I've been trying to figure this out for a while now, thanks for explaining this on You Tube, written explanations just were not doing it for me.

[@deanlatona6105]

Thanks, you have made this process much easier for the novice tailer. Could you share a source for the marking tool. I have the dividers already.

[@Chris-sx6kc]

very clear !!

[@守培景]

Thank you👍

[@SirHildy]

Thanks that helped a lot

[@4tce981]

Best explaination thnks

[@danieltarcho9324]

Very good project. Tabi squad I use to angles.

[@mickleblade]

loverly description, I was in my shop the other night trying to remember it, I got it wrong....

[@chuckschroeder4710]

Excellent video! In process of building Chris's Dutch Tool Chest with hand tools only -- in an unheated garage 1200 miles from home. Simple Google search on "dovetail layout" and now I understand! Thank you

[@keenanmasterson4757]

Thank you

[@hgohlke]

Good explanation!!

[@knightlylad]

Good explanation thank you.

[@jkgkjgkijk]

You don't need a second divider. Use a combination square and a pencil to strike a line across the end grain, for the half pin width. Stick your pencil in the divider holes to strike the rest.

[@JanusWoodworks]

Slick! Thank you!

[@niadafe]

So smart! thanks

[@tenpennyguy]

6 minute refresher - should have done this before wasting much time with ruler, 10 thumbs, and headscratching.

[@michaelesposito9786]

All I can say is one time listening and watching you I can now go and make Dove Tails. One question, why did you start with the tails when all I hear is start with the pins?

[@bentyreman5769]

makes so much sense now, so then you mark the pins from the tails? or do you lay them out as well using the dividers?

[@popularwoodworking]

Mark the pins from the tails

[@popularwoodworking]

Mark the pins from the tails.

[@williambranham6249]

I HAVE WATCHED OTHER LAYOUT VIDEOS WITH CALIPERS recently. I have noticed that other videos have the full pin twice the width of the half pin. This appears not to be the case here. Am I being too picky or perhaps not understanding?Thanks

[@meganfitzpatrick8203]

It doesn't really matter -- a wider half-pin is less likely to break off if your joint is a little tight and you force it together, but not by much. It's an aesthetic choice: I like them thinner.

[@williambranham6249]

+Megan Fitzpatrick Thanks. They are called half pins simply because they don't have two angled sides and not because of their width in relation to the full pin. Makes sense now

[@larchejacquesclarel9451]

I usually leave a minimum of 5 to 6 mm at each end and then divide the inside accordingly. It is better do the inner parts using the chisel size you have. Megan is right better too wide than too thin :P

[@PIANOSTYLE100]

William Branham how do you lay it out. there are several ways. thanks fellow struggling woodworker

[@williambranham6249]

I am a hobbyist who has watched every video (I think) on youtube as well as a couple of subscription services, Paul Sellers for one. I eyeball most layouts without measuring. No one seems to notice the subtle difference in tail-pin width from one corner to the next. Personally I think the end result looks better than those with precisely measured tail-pins.

[@aaronthomas8834]

Where'd you get that dovetail marker, Megan?

[@anthonygreen1975]

Great please let me know where to get the layout marker

[@johnmcbride6668]

where did you get the gauge you were using to marks your lines?

[@davidwheeler1610]

What brand of divided you like to use

[@enniolima]

Nice

[@DavePawson]

Thanks. Very clear. No mention of chisel width in between tails! Could cause problems.

[@deezynar]

Two schools of thought out there on making dovetails. They will be arguing about which method is better forever.

[@michaelesposito9786]

Watching your video again cause you said tails didn't mean it wasn't the pin board

[@MrNacho1946]

Will you run that by me once again.

[@shannanschisler8485]

I bought plans from Woodglut and did it very quickly.

[@paweljaniak2382]

Nie one Megan only thing the half pins are a bit toooo wide... just my personal preferences. Thanks

[@romeliapolly9631]

I prefer to build with Woodglut plans.