Houndstooth Dovetails: Easy Fancy Joinery

Making houndstooth dovetails is easier than you think. I'll show you how! I have a whole series of videos detailing the entire process of building a split top Roubo workbench. Here is the playlist: • Roubo Workbench // Com...
Frank Strazza's Instagram: / strazzafurniture
/ @garynelles

[@garynelles]

What did you like or dislike about this video? Leave me a comment!

[@daveweber1331]

I liked the delivery, no nonsense, just good info. No "ego" getting in the way. 🙂 I likes that the music - if there was any - was not so loud as to drown out the sounds of the tools. I can't thin of anything I disliked.

[@garynelles]

@@daveweber1331 thanks for your feedback Dave. I appreciate it because it helps direct me for when I make future videos.

[@Devon.Martin]

I can’t think of a way to improve these videos. Lighting and audio is clear. Shots are in frame and instructions are easy to follow along. Voice is buttery smooth and woodwork is beautiful. Keep it up 👍

[@garynelles]

Thanks Devon! I appreciate you watching and your feedback!

[@jeffdamon5419]

This is my kind of video. It's all about "how to do this joint". Some folks just get off track yakking about this or that. I'm thinking I would have tried trimming out of the waste using horizontal cuts, with the grain, versus vertical against the grain, and cleaning up using vertical cuts at the inside end . Your technique is one I plant to experiment with. Thanks for this video and your time making it.

[@garynelles]

Hey Jeff. So I thought the same thing originally but after I saw how fast Frank Strazza does houndstooth dovetails using this technique I decided to give it a try. I feel like I had more control using this method and that it went fairly fast too. I obviously could have done them faster if I wasn’t filming but I just take my time and enjoy the process. Thanks for watching and commenting. It really helps the channel!

[@carlson.douglas.w]

Excellent video, Gary! Just the right amounts of detail, with nothing you don't need. You've got a soft, relaxed approach that I'm hoping i can emulate in a few weeks when I attempt to tackle this joint on my Roubo build. Bravo!

[@garynelles]

Atta boy! You can do it! Thanks for watching. Shoot me another comment with any questions and I’ll help you!

[@kfletcher2005]

Thanks for posting this video. I've seen this dovetail design on Matt Estlea's channel, but I never knew what it was even called let alone how to do it. Nice work!!!

[@garynelles]

Thanks for watching and your nice comment. I appreciate it!

[@gpap2020]

Great work Gary. Very inspiring. Wonderful, simple explanation!

[@garynelles]

I’m glad you liked it. Thanks for watching George! I appreciate it!

[@horsetowater]

Great stuff thanks you

[@garynelles]

You’re welcome!

[@charliec1110]

Thanks for sharing tour technique...looks much easier than others I've seen...hopefully I can apply it to my benchtop encap...I'll let you know how it turns out...your Ben looks terrifc...regards, Charlie

[@garynelles]

Hey Charlie. I saw Frank Strazza make the houndstooth dovetails live on his Instagram last year. It really helps. You should check it out. Definitely update me on your progress! Thanks for watching and commenting. I appreciate it!

[@roofermarc1]

Really liked it.

[@garynelles]

Ya, they really aren’t that hard once you just take the plunge and cut them. Thanks for watching Bruno. I appreciate it!

[@horsetowater]

Thanks

[@carlson.douglas.w]

Gary Forgive me if this was covered in the video, but did you end up gluing the houndstooth dovetail? Or leaving it open? Thanks

[@garynelles]

I sure did. Hide glue and sawdust Danielson.

[@carlson.douglas.w]

Gary, one question. For the endcap, that looks like one very thick piece of walnut (16/4?). I rarely see walnut available in that thickness (I'm in Minnesota) at my local hardwood suppliers. Did you buy that at that dimension, or arrive at it some other way? Maybe i should start looking for carving blocks or something like that instead of rough sawn lumber....

[@garynelles]

It was originally 12/4. I live close to three good saw mills. Two of them didn’t have anything thicker than 8/4 or 10/4 (I forget). They could have “ordered” it to be cut before the next batch went into the kiln but that would have added 4-6 weeks to get it. The third mill had 12/4 walnut but in 12’ and 14’ lengths so they cut 12-13” off of one board to give to me and moved the remaining portion of it to the next shorter stack. My advice is to see if someone has 12/4 and just have them cut 13” off of it or ask the mills if they have offcuts in 12/4 sitting in a corner. They often have them so if you ask the person who manages the warehouse and tell them what you need it for and the exact dimensions they may just find it sitting around somewhere. I did this at one of the sawmills and they found me a random offcut but it was after I already obtained the one I ended up using. You could also mail order it. Lots of people have had good luck buying lumber online sight unseen. Message me on instagram when you are done so I can see pics!

[@carlson.douglas.w]

@@garynelles thanks for the great info! Will do!

[@Trungdauvat]

The minor gaps show the authenticity of using hand tools imo

[@garynelles]

Very true indeed.

[@daveweber1331]

Well! I don't plan on making the iconic Roubo, nor can I afford the Benchcrafted hardware, but, I am very tempted to try the dovetails. Seeing you do the Condors for the first time, well, that gives me courage. 🙂 Tillsonburg! That's only an hour or so southwest of me; I'm closer to Arthur/Mount Forest area. Always a good feeling to connect with a fellow Canadian woodworker!

[@garynelles]

Hey Dave. Its cool that we live pretty close. They’re not that hard. They just take patience like all woodworking. You can do it buddy!

[@michaelnicholson572]

Beautiful job. Ironic sub title?

[@garynelles]

Hi Michael. Thanks for the compliment I appreciate it. It is a little ironic because at a first glance houndstooth dovetails seem VERY tough. I think it’s really a case of slow and steady wins the race. Break it down into manageable chunks and you’ll get there. Thanks for watching!

[@keving8682]

Very well done - even more so for the first time! Nice to see another Canadian woodworker using Canadian made tools!

[@garynelles]

Thanks @keving8682. I appreciate your kind words.

[@kenhorner4023]

Gary these are just quite beautiful. I have a question about the deeper portion of the vertical walls of the houndstooth dovetails. The Cosman (or any) dovetail saw, applied diagonally into the houndstooth, only goes so far in before you reach your limit lines on the top and front faces. How do you extend the inner vertical wall cuts all the way to the bottom of the dovetail structure?

[@garynelles]

Hey Ken. Thanks for watching my video and commenting with some kind words. I appreciate it very much. You just simply use the triangular portion of the wall that the saw will cut as a guide. It works surprisingly well.

[@SethsProject]

Came out awesome man!

[@garynelles]

Thanks Seth!

[@canuslupis3343]

Just found your channel, like what you were showing and how you showed it, so i subscribed

[@garynelles]

Thank you. I appreciate your feedback!

[@marrcarrr]

Great job. What were the dimensions of the wood used?

[@garynelles]

Thanks. Maple front laminate is: 1 ½” thick and 4” wide (vertically). Walnut endcap is: 2 ⅞” horizontally and 4” vertically. Hope that helps.

[@fbmiked]

I enjoyed this. Thank you for sharing

[@garynelles]

I’m glad you liked it. Thank you for watching. I appreciate it. It’s people like you who comment that help me stay motivated to make more content.

[@carlson.douglas.w]

Well Gary, i just watched this again and it's so nicely done. I finished my dog hole strip today, so next weekend it will be time to try the houndstooth tails. Your video has me feeling confident. Thanks!

[@garynelles]

Good to hear. Keep me updated on the progress!

[@carlson.douglas.w]

​@@garynelles finished the tops today, well, almost finished. Anyway, houndstooth dt's came out great thanks again for your instruction here on KZbin! I tagged you in a photo on Instagram but i really don't know how that all works very well so might not have done it right. Anyway, thanks again sir!

[@garynelles]

@carlson.douglas.w dude, I just saw the instagram posts you made…. Your dovetails are: kzbin.info/www/bejne/gZmxlqGEYpiqnZosi=aS5Jgp-RrAM6dC7x

[@fredpierce6097]

Who Let The Dogs Out? Nice job! 🐕🦮🐕‍🦺

[@garynelles]

Thanks Fred! Sorry for the late reply. I didn't realize I missed replying!