How to Make a Dovetail Joint Fit Tightly

There's nothing like incorporating the beauty and elegance of hand-cut dovetails into your woodworking. It's a joint to be proud of, but it's also a joint that can make you want to pull out your hair. With a few simple tips, you can ensure a clean, tight fit, every time.

Things You'll Need

• 1/2-inch chisel

Instructions

1. Cut your dovetail pins on the outside of your layout line. This leaves a small amount of wood that you can slowly pare away to make a tight fit.

2. Rub a pencil on both sides of the pin. Insert the pin into the tail socket using just hand pressure until it's snug.

3. Pull the pin board back out, and note where the pencil markings have rubbed off.

4. Pare away these areas with a 1/2-inch chisel. Pare very lightly so as not to remove too much material. Insert the pin board into the tail socket to check the fit.

5. Repeat these steps until the pin inserts snugly into the tail socket without any gaps.

Tips & Warnings

• If you end up with a slight gap, simply put a dab of wood glue on the gap, and gently tap the dovetail with a small peen hammer. This will spread the dovetail out to fill the gap seamlessly.

References

• Popular Woodworking: Your First Hand-Cut Dovetails
• WoodTreks: How to Hand Cut Precision Dovetails: The Pins