Dovetail Joint

The dovetail joint is one of the hardest if not the hardest woodwork joint to construct and as its name suggests the joint consists of pins that look like dovetails which interlock into slots.

This pin and slot combination gives the joint great strength and aesthetics but it requires good precision and accuracy during the construction of the joint or it may become loose and it can be unattractive.

The pins are glued into the slots and a nail on each pin can be inserted to help keep the dovetail joint strong and square until the glue dries.

These joints are most commonly found on the front of drawers or on boxes such as a wooden tool box because of its great strength and very attractive look if the joint has been well constructed.

There is usually a three pin setup but more or less pins can be used depending on how much strength and aesthetics you want.

Step 1: The first step is to mark a line at the end of the first piece of timber that is as wide as the thickness of your second piece of timber. Make sure to mark this line around all faces and sides of the timber.

Step 2: The next step is marking out the dovetails now there are a few ways of doing this but the easiest and most accurate would be to use a dovetail gauge.

Other methods use calculations and a sliding bevel to create the dovetails which allow you to create more or less of them but also requires greater accuracy or the joint will not work so a dovetail gauge will probably be more suitable.

Step 3: You must now run across each line with a marking knife to make the cut straight and neat.

Only cut the timber which is being removed or you will see deep scratches on the pins that are not being removed. To help you remember which to mark you can put an X on the pins which are going to be removed.

Step 4: Now you must cut your dovetails and there are a few tools that can be used to do this but the two best are a band saw or dovetail saw. When using a band saw make sure to follow the lines and not cut too deep but remember this method requires much more skill and precision.

If you are using a dovetail saw you put your timber in a vice, it can be tilted at an angle to make the cut easier. Now you just use the saw to cut the straight lines and a cooping saw to cut along the bottom edge.

Step 5: Once the dovetails have been cut out you can use a chisel or Stanley knife to clean up the joints or remove some excess timber.

Step 6: Next you will use your dovetails as a template on your second piece of timber.

Secure your second piece of timber in a vice level to the bench and then line up your first piece of timber on top. You should now be able to use the dovetails as a template and mark lines on your second piece of timber.

Step 7: Once the lines have been marked you must mark lines on the faces of the timber which will be as long as the thickness of the timber. These lines should create pins that interlock with the dovetails so they must be very accurate.

Step 8: Cut out the pins using the same methods as in step 4 and once again remove any excess timber from the joint to ensure a perfect fit.

If the joint was marked out accurately you will have tight or very tight interlocking pins. If they are a bit too tight minimal amounts of timber can be removed. Make sure the joint is flush and square before starting the next step.

Step 9: Now you can bond the joint together with glue but always check to see if it is still square. Some nails can be added in the dovetail pins to keep the joint closed and square while it dries.

Tip: If you are making this joint for a drawer make sure that your larger pins or dovetails are at the front or it will look as good. A piece of timber can be stuck on the front to cover the joints if you wish to cover them up.

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Biscuit Joint

Unlike many of the other joints mentioned biscuit joints are one of the less common woodwork joints. This is mainly because there aren't many places where this type of joint is more useful than another type of joint.

As its name suggests biscuit joints are secured with pieces of timber that are in the shape of a biscuit and these pieces of timber help to prevent movement and add strength.

To construct these joints you need to use a tool called a biscuit joiner which is used to cut the biscuit shaped holes in the wood.

This joint is mainly used to join large timber boards together such as the ones you will find on table tops and it is also aesthetically pleasing if the joint is tight. As mentioned above the biscuit shaped pieces of timber help to stop the large timber boards from moving.

Step 1: First get the two pieces of timber you will be joining together and line them up accurately on a bench and then use a pencil to mark some lines on the timber where you are going to make the joints.

Step 2: After you have marked the position of the cuts secure the timber to a bench or in a vice so that it is steady when you cut into the wood. Adjust your biscuit joiner for the size of the biscuits you are using and cut into the timber where you have marked the lines.

Step 3: Check that your boards join together neatly and flush then bond them together with an adhesive and then clamp the timber up.

Tip: You may need to sand your timber if there is a slight unevenness where you have joined the timber together. The best way to do this is with a portable belt sander.

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