How to Layout Dovetails with Equal Pins | Paul Sellers

[@Ham68229]

For those that give this a thumbs down, obviously don't know anything about dovetails. Difficult to beat someone who's been doing this for 50+ yrs. Great video as always, cheers :)

[@richardherbert1375]

"I am going to strike a line..." and then you chose a two inch division on your compass. What you didn't say, was that you deliberately chose a distance (8") easily divisible by 4 when you struck the line. I had to go back and check! Brilliant, as always.

[@randomscandinavian6094]

When I learned this method, from another Paul Sellers video, he didn’t use a compass but simply marked a pencil dot at each increment on the ruler. Which I think is easier. I have used his method several times with great success. Although it took me a while to not confuse the number of tails with the number of pins. You mark out the center of the pins but the divisible number you chose to use reflect the final number of tails and not the pins. If that explanation makes any sense. I get confused easily by things like that.

[@cliffordduhh45]

@@randomscandinavian6094 I think it’s making more sense to me now. Do you remember the title of the other video where he used the ruler method?

[@randomscandinavian6094]

I saw the other video on Woodworking Masterclasses. It’s one of the free ones but you do need to register and log in: woodworkingmasterclasses.com/videos/sizing-dovetails/

[@malcolmsmith5903]

@@cliffordduhh45 I think it was called something like How to Size Dovetails which covered numbers of tails, size of pins n tails for board width/purpose and marking out.

[@davidtimperley4241]

Simple What more do you need. and I say that with over 40yrs experience of working with wood. Thank you Paul I have a project that requires a set of 5 draws and will be using this method. Many thanks for all your straight forward information and help.

[@malcolmsmith5903]

I like these simple straightforward process/skill videos. Pulling out the metal dovetail guide too has reminded me I have one I rescued from my father's rust bucket that I need to clean off now. (As well as the machinists squares and needle files in the wooden tube/holder to be salvaged).

[@WeedMIC]

When you had the ruler between the two half inch marks, all you needed to do was angle the ruler until exactly five inches was visible (0 on one line - 5 on the other), then just mark the 1 2 3 4. Saves a lot of steps for the pin centres.

[@2adamast]

As always here is room for alternatives. But with measures on an angled ruler the markings will most likely be shifted. Another is a two compass method with one on pin width and the other stepped in on width minus one pin

[@ErikZ2e]

it's a joy watching you eyeball things or skip straight edges and still have great results. I feel like I can barely keep things accurate doing them with all the extra tools/guides. Guess I have a lot of practicing to do!

[@alexisgarridotecnologia]

This technic shown corresponds to an appplication of the Thales theorem. I used to teach it to my students as soon as we start to work with wood at the school´s workshop. Best regards from Alicante, Spain.

[@mattevans-koch9353]

Thank you Paul for another handy technique for laying out joints. This method also works very well for layouts for spindles, stairs and anything you want to have uniform spacing within a given distance.

[@TermiteUSA]

Thank you Paul. Stay well.

[@johncarey9149]

Starting life as a draughtsman on the drawing board, I've lost count of the times I've used that angled line of easily divisible length to divide something into equal segments. KISS at its best.

[@hypnoraythompson5824]

As usual Paul a very informative video. Thank you.

[@swkohnle08]

Thank you Paul. That is absolutely brilliant.

[@stuartosborne6263]

Simple but genius, thankyou for sharing Paul.

[@Fletcher91]

This master casually free-handing plumb lines

[@malcolmsmith5903]

true. And it's a good skill to develop: it needn't be overly precise. The advantage is you don't need to obsess about truing up the ends - after all the next critical dimension (following your face side, face edge, 2nd parallel edge) are your shoulder lines, imo.

[@cttoh09]

That is great. Great use of simple geometry and math.

[@ikust007]

As usual ... a splendid explanation.

[@alanwilliamson2259]

Thankyou very much for this. I made my first ever dovetail today using your layout technique and they worked very well. Bit dodgy looking in some bits but i need to do better work on saw & chisel.

[@MCsCreations]

Really interesting, Paul! 😃 Thanks a lot for the tip! Stay safe there with your family! 🖖😊

[@ramingr]

Thales's theorem in action! Geometry is fun!

[@EddyW01]

Just wish I could remember this next time I do dovetails :)

[@thomasarussellsr]

Almost too brilliant to be so simple. Thanks for the tip.

[@kostasradulescu3261]

Great idea! I'll try this today. I have a box (no lid) with some rotted ends on the dovetail. I will cut them off, and use this vey method. Thank you!

[@maks_golovkin]

Cool idea

[@KevOXO]

I remember being shown that method of breaking an edge down, way back in tech-drawing and wondering if I would use it. The answer was many times, a few times when I didn't actually have a ruler handy, now (once my dovetails stop looking like cornflakes) I have another use.

[@MrMarkpeggy]

Thanks for sharing your great video with us Paul.

[@jimcarr7881]

I wasn't sure about the positioning of that angled line between the two quarter inch lines?

[@jamesb43]

The positioning isn’t important. It’s the length (8 inches, easily divided into equal segments). The point is to divide the board up equally between the two 1/4 inch “margins”.

[@malcolmsmith5903]

If you mean the line between the initial marking of the outer pins then there is no set angle. The idea is to set your rule so that the distance is equally divided (whole number) by the number of tails you want. e.g. if you want 4 tails your rule should be angled to have 0 and 8 " on the lines then mark up every 2" for the centre of the pins.

[@nagranoth_]

You pick whatever length that's easily divisible on your ruler, the angle itself is a side effect. In his example Paul used 8 inch because he wanted to make 5 pins / 4 tails, that's easily divisible in 2 inch increments. So he put the ruler at such an angle the 0 inch and 8 inch are exactly on the outside lines, no idea what the angle is and it doesn't matter. If he wanted 5 tails he could've used 0 and 10 inch and use 2 inch steps, or he could use 0 and 5 inch and use 1 inch steps. The reason to angle the ruler is that you can often use easier increments than if you measured it straight across. If your board is 6,25 inch wide and you want to have 7 pins... that's no fun calculating the distance between pins, nor reading it on your ruler. Angling your ruler and just picking whatever steps are easy removes all calculations and makes it easier to mark your centers. Using a bit more length means you can get a bit more accurate, but only to the point where you're transferring that line equally accurate (and using a pencil, you're not very accurate to begin with)

[@craigmouldey2339]

@@nagranoth_ You could be a teacher! Now, I have a question. Why did he measure 1/4" in from each edge? Why not 1/8, 3/8 or 1/2"?

[@nagranoth_]

@@craigmouldey2339 because he wanted 1/2 inch pins. The lines he draws are the centers of the pins, you then measure 1/4 inch from each side. But if you start at the edge of the board you miss the outer half, so you'd end up with 1/4 inch half pins on the outside. Which by the way is the way it's normally done, but he specifically made this video because he doesn't like the half pins on the outside (they're weaker) and wanted to show how he gets to full pins on the outside.

[@glennmcqueen9475]

How bout a Hawaiian shirt for Christmas Paul? It would go with your locks. Take care everyone

[@SKarlsson]

He'll get to it. Give it a little time. (^_^) Thanks Paul, Aloha, and Mele Kalikimaka from Lahaina, Maui.

[@bchrubas]

Like you said - Perfect and simple 👍

[@projectwood7221]

Dovetails are so rewarding

[@Mpafanai46]

Paul us the best! i like simple tools

[@Offshoreorganbuilder]

Thanks for this: very useful and practical, as ever. On a related question, why is it that in many/most of the cabinet-made dovetails of the past, the pins are reduced to almost nothing? Is it just for appearance, or is there some practical reason? Very tiny pins must surely make a weaker joint, though one strong enough for its purpose, I suppose.

[@malcolmsmith5903]

I think it's just aesthetics/appearance, showing off, and it's more an 'english style' iirc. But it's also probably one of the reasons for this video since Paul is essentially saying from the outset he prefers 'half pins' (fractious) not to be half.

[@Offshoreorganbuilder]

@@malcolmsmith5903 Thanks: I can see what you mean.

[@malcolmsmith5903]

@@Offshoreorganbuilder I'm no expert and in fact usually my outer pins are double sized because for most of my boxes/planters whether half the pins are recessed in dadoes/grooves in the base. Specifically on sizes mine are dictated by chisel widths.

[@connorleon]

It reduces exposed endgrain on halfblinds, which reduces moisture absorption and therefore wood movement

[@leehaelters6182]

@@connorleon, I think that you are barking up the wrong tree.

[@ScottBarrett-r6o]

Hiya Paul loving ur book still 5.000 plans love itand how do I get one of them bull rebates please imon the cross halving joint at college scored a 9 on dovetail nice iv bout a Chinese double blade rough rip at one end fine dovetail and mortice and tennon😊😊😊

[@laurencegoedar462]

Great instructions! But I still favor my all wooden home made warm dovetail marker.

[@russcorbett3923]

Awesome !!! Thank You !!!

[@kgbaddley]

The same method as Charles H Hayward, the doyen of English craftsmen, including equal pins and tails for strength; brilliant indeed.

[@tonybailey4058]

Thank you sir.

[@zTribalstylerz]

Thanks!

[@zigazalar599]

Hello, could u please make a video how to sharpen a corner chisel.

[@johneriksen5504]

What measurement did you use on the ruler on the diagonal?

[@georgescott6967]

Do you always use the same number of pins, or does it vary with the width of the board?

[@jamesb43]

He does vary it according to width. He has an older video on it. Edit: found it: kzbin.info/www/bejne/bGiye4uZes1norM

[@georgescott6967]

@@jamesb43 thank you, that covered it well - another interesting video.

[@walterrider9600]

thank you

[@Juan-gn8nm]

Good evening! I have a question, and I leave it on this video because it is the most recent. I have purchased a moving fillister plane online recently, and when it arrived I noticed something quite odd: the sole, and of course de moving fence attached to it, were at an angle with the outer face of the plane, not at 90 degrees, as if the plane was built to cut shaves in a sort of dovetail-like fashion. I do not know if this is the end of the plane (namely, to make inclined rabbets), or if it is a design to somehow improve the performance of the plane. I must add that the knick that´s supposed to function as a cutting edge for the cross-grain is paralel to te body of the plane, and consecuently at an angle with the sole, as is the depth fence.

[@craigmouldey2339]

What degree angle is that little dovetail template?

[@mm9773]

They’re usually 1:6 (9.5º) for softwood and 1:8 (7.1º) for hardwood. Although if I ever make my own template, I’ll almost certainly just make a single one with a 1:7 ratio.

[@Ham68229]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/aoO1ZZ6kh9B3l5o

[@cassia_cries]

Love this. Also very into the longer hair 😘

[@gaz1967]

Just measure the two inch from the ruler in this instance, no need for the compass.

[@sunilmajevadia3865]

Hi from Didcot

[@standakubista416]

👍

[@KelikakuCoutin]

Thanks for the great content. Keep up the good work. בס״ד

[@ikust007]

Question: I don’t get the 1/4 from the sides...? Why? Related to the qt of desired # pins?ah ok... got it ... : he moved 1/4 each on each side of the middle marks of the pins...

[@daw00t]

I want one of those metal dovetail templates. Would you sell them please? :)

[@davidbutler9323]

I had GPT-4 summarize into step-by-step instructions the transcript of this video, here is how it did: 1. Make a mark 1/4-inch in from the outside edge of the board. 2. Make another mark 1/4-inch in from the opposite side of the board. 3. Pull a line along the edge of the board between the two marks, using your finger as a guide. 4. Turn the board around and repeat the process on the opposite side. 5. Divide the distance between the two 1/4-inch marks into four equal sections. 6. Strike a line at each division point, using a straight edge if needed. 7. Place tape over the board if you want to avoid marring the surface. 8. Set a pair of dividers or a pencil and compass to the 2-inch mark. 9. Starting from the 1/4-inch mark from the edge, make a mark at each division point. 10. Use a combination square or your fingers to extend lines from the division points to the top corner of the board. These lines represent the center of the pins. 11. Measure 1/4-inch in from the center lines and mark the point on the board. 12. Place a dovetail template on the board, lining up with the marks. 13. Draw lines along the template to create the dovetails, skipping every other line. 14. Flip the template over and repeat the process for the remaining lines.

[@ronaldkearn3322]

boring!

[@tom120ali]

And you're a bore.

[@rosshollinger8097]

I'm sorry you feel that way. By way of clarity, I am not in any way affiliated with or represent Mr. Sellers. I am, however, a long-time subscriber. Mr. Sellers has dedicated his life to sharing his 55+ years of woodworking and craftsmanship to those of us who aspire to be half as good as he. He has had pieces of furniture commissioned by and sitting in the White House. I would invite you to look at a few more of his videos and see if you don't come away with a different point of view. If not, we'll part friends and I would recommend something much more lively and fast-paced, such as David Charlesworth's channel. Mr. Charlesworth is also a very fine craftsman who has a much different form of presentation.

[@stuartosborne6263]

@Ronald Kearn No this video is about marking out dovetails, for boring you need the brace and bit video, you're welcome.

[@mm9773]

I think this video counts as “housekeeping”: Paul has definitely shown this technique before, but it’s nice to have a singular video you can link to.