Dovetails by Hand - Easy Splayed Dovetails

[@captbuscemi]

Amazing video as always. Also: I love how Rob asks to start a segment over again and ask for another take, but leaves the first take in anyway 😊. Low-fi, no-nonsense, incredibly authentic KZbin at its best.

[@dougfairburn2037]

I like your style of teaching and when the dovetails came out...all I said was WOW!!!

[@tcsyme]

I can't tell you how many times I have watched Rob cut dovetails, but it never gets old. Thanks for the tips on this variation. ~Thayer

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

You Bet

[@1deerndingo]

I wasaway on a trip when you did this very informative video. I use a mirror over the other side so I saw to the line on the back.

[@tommccurnin524]

As Always, a Great Teacher Thanks for the time and expense in making this video. Another way of marking the depth of the board and the pin and tail depth is to make a shop made jig at the splay angle, which is what, 8° I think by gluing and screwing to scrap pieces together with that obtuse angle which would be 98° and to add a nail as a scribe tool. I made mine slightly longer that the 3/4 stock, so 27/32" was the location of the nail to allow me to have the pins and tails a little proud. This can be found at Fine Woodworking January February 1990 "Building a Moravian Footstool" by David Ray Pine

[@MassiveReactive]

That saw correction technique is such a eureka thing for me! Thanks for that and the rest of this video Rob!

[@RichSobocinski]

Whoa, Rob! Watching this with my first cup of coffee this morning and all that shuffling of the boards at the table saw at the beginning had me thinking you were going to ask me which cup the pea was under! 😊🎩

[@joshuaholt6866]

Man, I tried this with a 2-in thick piece of oak and walnut for a very high-end and appealing stool. Let's just say it was more than I bargained for on my first splayed dovetail attempt

[@marianbujnak1909]

Rob, your presentations are always great, all topics are step by step very well prepared. I like them.

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

Glad you liked it

[@JamesWilliams-en3os]

Aha! The gold nugget of this excellent lesson starts at at 4:55 and runs through 6:45 or so. I watched through to the end, then reviewed to find this section to be sure I understand this. Excellent video, Rob! I’ll be using this technique soon.

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

Glad you found it usefull

[@andrewbrown8148]

Ladies & gentlemen, welcome to the Advanced Course~!! Very nice, Rob~! I'm going to have to give this a try. I really like the look of that little stool. Thanks for the great demonstration~!!

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

Yes do it, and send us some pics at [e-mail] and we will post them to our customer gallery

[@michaelwalling8281]

Your dovetail process is a game-changer. Thanks so much for making dovetails possible for me. I wanted to share one of my hacks: when striving for tail cuts that are at a perfect 90* I place a small square in front of the tailboard on the table. Looking at my saw blade and lining it up with the square gives me almost perfect 90s every time. I hope you approve.

[@garyhome7101]

Seems straight forward. Just need to keep in mind the angle as you proceed through the steps. Thanks for another great demonstration!

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

Thanks for watching

[@darrenwolfe1660]

I have been wanting to build some stools for my boys for a while now this way and now I can figure out how to do it. Thanks for the video.

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

Glad to help

[@daveweber1331]

Really enjoyed this one. Thanks, Rob, Jake, & team!

[@JamesWilliams-en3os]

The quality of these Cosman videos is off the charts. Great team effort.

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

Wow, appreciate the comment. Thnaks for watching

[@laurencelance586]

What a great project! This is a winner for both practice, a bit of a twist in thinking and work plus it produces a useful result. And the bonus is that it can be made from cut offs! One more thing. The offset tool is an excellent idea. As we get older and our eyes and maybe hand coordination isn't what it once was, this is a great way to get the offset necessary for the joint. Well done!

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

Well thankyou for watching and commenting

[@kainemeshkin6662]

I need one of those saw kerf offset blocks!

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

They are coming soon...2-6 weeks

[@sueb4154]

Love it, love it, love it! And you always make it look so easy. Thank you for that well explained solution, to what might be a baffling feat!

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

Try it one or two times and you will get it

[@123hurst3]

Thank you Rob. I always had difficulty cutting a gage line (I splay 10 degrees with 1.125 thickness stock) with a standard diameter cutter on my Tite Mark. I ordered a set of cutters from you to specifically to get the 5/8" cutter and solve my problem.

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

You will be much happier with the larger cutters

[@leehaelters6182]

Users of a standard design of cutting gauge always have the option to extend the knife a trifle!

[@jimmysiniawski7391]

The only addition would be the through tennon you just taught with the wedges in the center would add a great deal to insure it would stay tight Most of us would get on it a it would collapse making a good funniest home video Rob you make it all look so easy Thanks

[@TheToddbart]

Lot of great tips from the dovetail King!

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@EMWoodworking]

👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 very nice. Thank you for sharing.

[@davidbriggs5778]

Rob, Thank you for sharing your knowledge. You have addressed so many questions in this video.

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

Glad it was helpful

[@andybogart2503]

Your precision is amazing - you make it look so easy!

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

Just give it a couple of practices and you will be matching me - really

[@מעייןהמלבלבתחייםםםם]

Thanks!! Well explained!!! You are a great teacher!!;

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

What video should we do next?

[@מעייןהמלבלבתחייםםםם]

@@RobCosmanWoodworking l actually donet know. I new to woodworking ( 4 year) and just in the last year i have started to work 90 percent of the time with hand tools , i am a weekend woodworker ( when i dont work on weekends) , so it is new filled to me, so each video that you are posting it's like a "gold mine" for me, because im new im sometimes don't know what to ask, and usually i am teaching my self ( it's an hoby) because I don't have any pressure on me, so for me your content that you release is like an encyclopaedia. Second im appreciate your purple heart project!!! Because i am from Israel i know how important it can be for veterans a specially the veteran's that are having post traumatic stress.

[@delgoldthorpe4005]

Nice job Rob....simple and effective and well explained as always.

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

Thanks for wTching

[@snackonevil]

This is great! (Outtake at 1:23)

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

Frick was suppose to edit that out...Oh well

[@frankhill9527]

You make it look so easy! I will need to head to the shop and practice.

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

You can do it!

[@John-hq6em]

Perfect timing, I have been wondering how to do this. Thank you!

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

Glad it was helpful!

[@craigbowman1656]

Thanks Rob, as always, you did a great job.

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

Thnaks for watching and commenting

[@MultiWarrior63]

Thanks Rob, will have to practice this one mate. Good job.

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

Send us a picture of your splayed dovetals at [e-mail]

[@MultiWarrior63]

@@RobCosmanWoodworking Will do Rob, It might be a while though mate off my feet with ulsers just now.

[@lynxg4641]

Another excellent tutorial Rob, thanks - beautiful crisp joint. Been watching your videos for the last week or two and I think I've found my first project to try. Curious how come in most dovetail pieces you cut such small tails, guessing it's aesthetically pleasing to you? For me, the size you used on this is more what I prefer, also adds a bit more strength if I'm not wrong. Also, would you consider this strong enough for a step stool, or would you add a stringer lower down to keep it from splaying in case some exceptionally large person or object was placed on it?

[@jimmccoy3438]

Great video Rob. My wife has been asking for a couple stools so she can have one in the kitchen and in the master closet. If one doesn’t have access to a table saw how would you cut the sloped ends. Doesn’t seem like you could use a shooting board unless you were to make some kind of a cradle to hold the wood at the proper angle. Is there an easier way? I definitely want to get one of those offset blocks when they come out. Thanks to you and your whole team. Best videos on the net.

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

Hi Jim, saw the bulk of the material them shoot to finish. Like you said, a simple cradle to hold the board. Don’t forget to chisel a slight chamfer on the far side to prevent tear out.

[@1947wdx]

A few years ago I made a series of boxes to hold yarn, magazines or other items. The sides and ends were splayed out such that the top of the box was wider and longer then the bottom. Getting the dovetails to look right took a bit of time. The angle of the splay in this case compounds the angle of the dovetail so you actually have to increase the normal angle on one side and decrease it on the other. I would love to see your take on such a joint.

[@leehaelters6182]

Hopper cuts! So elegant when you layout the pins correctly, as you do!

[@garthwebster6433]

Awesome, Rob. Thanks so much. Maybe someday you could teach us compound mitre dovetails.

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

Its on the to do list. We have found out I cannot do a bunch of videos of the same subject matter right in a row or we drop in views

[@sixstarauto]

I dug through the web site, cannot find that blade offset tool! Take me money ROB!

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

coming soon, tough when you have to let part of the process go outside our shop.

[@WimpeeChuck]

The quickest and easiest way I've found to get the pin board perfectly plumb is to set a small gunsmith level across the top of the board. Using the level also will compensate for any problem with the floor or bench not being level.

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

YEs thats a good way. I use to do that but I prefer a combo square on the edge and I can use the bubble level of the combo square...both methods work great

[@leehaelters6182]

James Krenov years ago mentioned sighting over the top of the board to a window sill or some other such feature, as a tool-less expedient.

[@chadhanson3431]

Beautiful

[@smtitmas]

Great video. its much easier to understand now that ive seen a demonstration. and speaking of angled dovetails, how about angled the other way where the end grain of the two joining boards are not at 90 degrees to their edges?

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

That would be the same procedure as in this video, just chang ethe angle, if I understand what you aresuggesting

[@smtitmas]

@@RobCosmanWoodworking I want make a Square box with four sides but instead of the side being at 90° to the bottom I want them to be splayed out a few degrees towards the top. I hope I'm describing it adequately.

[@JamesSmith-su3oz]

Rob, thankyou for this video. This subject is not coverd very mutch and it should be.

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

Glad you liked it...Try it and send us a pic

[@QuadDoc]

Hey Rob, I’ve been asking, on the streams, how to do angled dovetails for a flag display and I think Frick is afraid to ask it out loud. 😂 I’ve been trying a bunch of different ways but with NO luck. My grandfather is a WWII Vet who just passed away and I have a few Veterans in my ward that passed away recently that I’d Love to build displays for as well. YET, There are NO videos or any publications I have found about 45 degree dovetails. Can you make a video or let me know what you think about this please!

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

I will tell Luther to add it to the video list

[@QuadDoc]

@@RobCosmanWoodworking Thank you Rob!

[@johnburens3395]

Haha, I don't know if I'm ready for this yet. Maybe I'll give it a try.

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

I promise its very straight forward. Try it

[@dennisbracci9212]

Awesome job. Love watching you cut dovetails. Can this be done with a dovetail jig?

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

Dont know, only jig I have is at the end of my arm! :)

[@grousehaven9756]

Not with a regular jig. They are set at 90 degrees. If a factory needed a jig for splayed dovetails, i don't see why it couldn't be done. I believe the Keller jig will do it. However, unless you are into production, the skills that are learned cutting dovetails by hand, can be applied to every aspect of woodworking.

[@juandavidmejia]

Thanks!!! Great, as usual!!

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

Thanks for watching

[@wymanwinn]

saw offset block....when will it be available? GREAT video....!!!

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

Maybe 2-6 weeks. Make sure you are subscribed to our newsletter, thats where we will announce it

[@danielgeng2306]

Ok, is the offset available for purchase or still a prototype????

[@J.A.Smith2397]

Love what ya do n how ya do it! Intriguing topic!

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

Thanks for watching

[@munic.carpinteria144]

Hello Rob ! No hay opcion para subtitulos en castellano ? Thank you

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

Gracias

[@garybadger325]

At 11:26 in your video, you used an offset block to locate the tail board to mark the pin board. I looked at your online store and could not find the offset block. I would like to buy one but do not know where to find it. I would prefer that over trying to use a marking gauge to locate the tail board for marking. I use your dovetail marking knife to locate the saw kerf and love the results. Thanks for your videos.

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

HI Gary, very soon! We are almost in production.

[@garybadger325]

@@RobCosmanWoodworking Thanks, l want one when it is available.

[@kenjohnsen8566]

Will you be offering for sale the brass saw blade offset/spacer or did you just make one for your use? Looks like the easy way to go.

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

Very soon and improved, that was a prototype.

[@kenjohnsen8566]

@@RobCosmanWoodworking Looking forward to it

[@setdown2]

Nicely done... Stay safe up there...😁

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

Ditto to you

[@Blue60]

Hi Rob, can you give a talk on the offset tool you use, Cheers

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

Its in development, rpobably ready for sael in 2 to 6 weeks

[@DanielFlores-os9fr]

Great job and great video, thanks a lot for sharing! Just one question, wonder why you apply glue only on the long grain sides?

[@Joshleslie871]

That is how wood grain binds itself naturally in the tree. I like to think if had to glue a straw to a surface the end of the straw would provide very little gluing surface whereas the side of the straw would provide significantly more. That is why a joined panel will often break along its natural grain before the glue joint

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

John doe says it very well. Only long grain provides holding power

[@markryan3995]

Rob, is the offset block on your website. Thanks!

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

Not yet 2-6 weeks away

[@Borescoped]

Rob, I’m pretty sure I subscribed to the newsletter, but don’t remember ever recieving it. Do I need to try re signing up for it?

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

Check your junk folder, if nothing then re sign.

[@1337pimpable]

sorry that the question is not related to the video but any ideas why WoodRiver planes are out of stock and when are they getting restocked ?

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

Demand and soon I hope. Date for 5 1/2 just got pushed to July from Early June.

[@coreycollins5702]

Are the brass cubes on line too.

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

Not yet. 2 to 6 weeks

[@bobd.]

Rob, for us beginners to splayed dovetails do you think would it be helpful to cut a third piece at 8 degrees that could then be used as a guide for the chisel when chopping. Or is that a bad habit to get started.

[@hisxxx2]

Rob used the ( cleared first) sides as a angle guide, you can also use the already set sliding T bevel, no need to sacrifice another piece of wood.

[@bobd.]

@@hisxxx2 Thanks Rob.

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

You could make a guide if you wish, but You should be fine if you watch the edge and you really want to slightly undercut when chiseling so a 9 degree guide , if you use one would be better

[@panos3051]

@@hisxxx2 You don't really sacrifice anything, because such guide blocks aren't necessarily one-offs: you will probably need them again!

[@panos3051]

@Bob D. Maybe you don't need such guides at Rob's level, but otherwise they are an established technique, shown in textbooks such as Joyce/Peters' Technique of Furniture Making. And Japanese carpenters use them all the time: check Takami Kawai's "Suikoushya" channel (or Dorian Bracht's japanese-influenced "joint venture" channel).

[@robbeckner6098]

I don’t see the offset block on your website, will those be available soon?

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

2-6 weeks. When its ready we will announce in a flyer so make sure you are subscribed to our newsletter

[@dominicdiclemente8877]

@@RobCosmanWoodworking Is there text on the block to mark what side does what ? For example, "Left of line - Tails" ?

[@J.A.Smith2397]

And what's going on with the lil circle with 2 screws on the end of your mallet, a spot for extra weight?

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

Nope, thats just how we get a strong connection between the head and the handle

[@NoTengoIdeaGuey]

Can't imagine the Philistines those 6 thumbs down people are.

[@brianmiller6304]

Tried this once. Complete fail. Thanks for the demo. NOW, once you get the new tool announcement up for the offset block get on that small dovetail saw! I passed on a really nice antique one (Spear and Jackson) because I want one of yours. I tried a fine tooth round handled one from a decent maker but it just didn't cut it...pun. I have four various Cosman saws and they are all superb.

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

Wow. Thanks so much. Offset marker is soon, the small dovetail saw is still in development

[@woodworks2123]

What's going on Rob. Matt estlea just smashed your dovetail speed record. Your not gna let him make you look like a chump are you? And with your saw Cmon man get doing some stretches and get your record back.

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

In the works! I'll send him my return address for the saw as a warm up!