Dovetail connection. DIY dovetail joint Description of the manufacturing process
How to make a spiked box connection with a hand tool.
Multi-thorn box connections are classic carpentry technologies. They are still used in the production of high-quality furniture. Of course, in our time, simpler and faster methods of assembling boxes are more often used. I myself usually assemble boxes on self-tapping screws, but I will write about this in another article. Here I propose to remember how this was done from time immemorial with a hand tool.
Actually, the questions of making spikes by hand sometimes arise if you don’t have special tools and fixtures at hand. And buying an expensive machine for one-time work does not make sense. True, you must understand in advance that manual work requires care and accuracy.
From the tools you will need a hacksaw-award, a set of chisels, a mallet. For marking a pencil and a metal ruler. The award differs from a regular hacksaw not only with a small tooth, but also with a special “back” overlay on the upper edge of the saw. This overlay provides additional rigidity of a cloth.
Spikes can be made self-gripping, i.e. dovetail or straight. It is better to start with straight lines, dovetail can be used when some experience appears. The details of the box in the photo are from MDF, but this is not the point, the wood blanks are processed in the same way.
1. Let's start with marking the ends of the parts. Drawer slats 100 mm wide. divided into five equal parts. Let's break them into squares 20/20 mm. , then we will combine the ends of the parts and shade the squares with a pencil through one.
That is, a clean square should be located opposite the shaded one. When making spikes, we need to remove the painted areas.
2. For ease of use, the part must be clamped vertically. If you do not have a carpentry workbench, then fix the part with two clamps to the desktop. To do this, clamp a wooden block on the edge of the table with one clamp, and pull the part to the bar with the other.
3. We cut the spikes along the markup, and note that you need to cut not along the line, but so that the marking lines remain on the side of the saw. If the cuts are made exactly along the line, the spikes will be loose and assembly of the box will become a problem. You will have to glue veneer or chips into the gaps, in general, hemorrhoids and poor-quality work. We are sawing out the areas shaded with a pencil, so the saw must be inside the shaded sector. We make cuts to a marking depth, in this case 20 mm.
4. With a chisel or cutter, select the segments between the cuts.
We take the part out of the clamp and lay it flat on the table. With a chisel we align the shoulders between the spikes. In order not to spoil the table, it is better to put a planed board or a piece of plywood under the workpiece. A wooden mallet may be needed, see .
5. When all the spikes are propylene and decorated, we carry out the initial assembly. If during assembly the spikes do not fit into place, it's okay, you need to fit the parts using a chisel or cutter (knife). For a quality assembly, fractions of a millimeter matter, therefore, for an accurate fit, it is better to work the spikes with a file or a large sandpaper on a long bar.
I once had to make not only boxes on spikes, but also knit wooden window frames using hand tools. There, the principles of work are the same, the spikes and lugs were first cut out according to the markings with a saw - an award, and then cut down the excess in the lugs with a chisel.
If you need to make a lot of spiked boxes, then it's better to think about purchasing a power tool. Such spikes can be made with a manual router installed in the “table”, or on a small stationary circular saw with a variable saw height. For both options, you will need to make a device for precise cuts. But it seems to me that making such a device is no more difficult than manually preparing parts for several boxes.
Dovetail connections to the lock can be made in various ways. Some craftsmen are attracted by the decorativeness of the repeating pattern. Performing all varieties of "Dovetail" is an interesting task for any woodworker
Through connection dovetail
Through "dovetail" is a traditional connection for articulation of the ends of boards from the array. It is widely used in drawer designs and furniture making. Electric milling machines and special devices are used for machine production of such joints.
Marking spikes
Set the cutting thickness gauge to the thickness of the wood.
Draw a line of spiked shoulders (“TAILS”) around the end of the spiked piece along all of its edges and on the sides of the socketed piece. Where the risks from the thicknesser can further spoil the appearance of the finished product, use a sharpened pencil and square.
Then mark the nests (or partitions between them). The size and quantity can vary depending on the width of the boards and the type of wood (softwoods require larger and less spaced studs than hardwoods). The appearance of the finished connection can be no less diverse. Tentatively, to give the product a good appearance, the spikes should be of the same size and evenly spaced, but wider than the partitions between the nests.
Start by drawing a line with a pencil across the end of the workpiece at a distance of 6 mm from each edge, then divide and mark the distance between them into an even number of equal parts. Set aside 3 mm on each side of the marks and draw lines across the butt.
Mark the slope of the spikes on the front side with a bevel or dovetail stencil. Mark the excess to avoid confusion later.
thorn cutting
Position the workpiece so that one side of each tenon is vertical. With the help of an award, cut out one of the side vertical edges of each spike. Stay close to the marking line on the out side and take care not to file past the shoulder line.
After reinstalling the workpiece in a vise, cut out the other side edges of the spikes. Place the workpiece in a vise horizontally and cut off the side run-off along the shoulder line. Remove the main excess wood between the spikes with an openwork saw.
Cut off the rest with a chisel or chisel with an oblique cutting edge, working from both sides to the middle to the line of the shoulders.
Nest marking
Rub the end face of the prepared workpiece with chalk and place it vertically in a vise. Lay the piece with the cut tenons in place, checking that the faces of the joint pieces match. Carefully line up the edges and shoulder line of the spikes on the chalked end and mark the shape of the spikes with a scriber or knife, then continue the lines to the shoulders on each side of the socketed blank. Mark the excess with a pencil.
carving nests
Place the workpiece vertically in a vise. Saw to the shoulder line at the angles marked on the spikes. Make a cut in the waste part so that it just touches the marking line. Remove the main part of the waste between the partitions of the nests with an openwork saw, cut the rest evenly to the shoulder line with a chisel or a chisel with a beveled cutting edge. Work from both sides to the center. Clean out the corners by holding the cutter under the corner of the inner edges of the sockets.
Connection assembly
Dovetail joints are made very precisely and only need to be fully assembled once. To check the fit of the parts, assemble the piece dry (without glue) and carefully cut off the excess in places that are too tight. Clean the inside of the parts before gluing.
Apply glue to both halves of the joint and use a hammer and a piece of wood to protect the surface of the product, tightly connect the parts. If you are working with a wide join, tap across the entire width to join the elements evenly. Remove excess glue before it sets. When the glue dries, clean the product with a jointer, working from the edges to the middle, so as not to chip off the end layers.
Dovetail corners
The angle of the dovetail should neither be too steep nor too sloping. Too much dovetail slope produces a weak short fiber at the corners, while too little slope can reduce bond strength. On a piece of wood, mark the bevel and install a bevel solution on it, or use a stencil or template. For hardwoods, the slope should be 1/8, and for softwood, it should be 1/6.
Decorative end-to-end dovetail connection
Graceful and neatly made through connections are pleasing to the eye and are often used in furniture designs. Decorative options are used to emphasize this property and demonstrate the skill of the master.
The design of the connection complies with the basic principles of proportion and disproportion of the elements of the connection. The example shown here uses thinner than normal baffles.
Marking spikes
Along the entire perimeter of the end of the workpiece with spikes, apply a line marking the shoulders with a pencil or very lightly with a thickness gauge.
Continue the lines to the butt and mark the excess.
thorn cutting
Select the waste in the same way as with conventional dovetail through joints, using a tenon and openwork saw. Clean up with a chisel or chisel with an oblique cutting edge, working from the ends to the middle.
Nest marking
Rub the end face of the part with sockets with chalk. With a solution of a cutting thicknesser equal to the length (height) of the small spikes, mark the line of thickness of the small partitions between the sockets at the end. Partitions mark on the detail with spikes using the tip of a saw or scriber. Continue the lines to the shoulder line on each side and mark the excess.
carving nests
Remove the bulk of the waste with an award (tenon) and an openwork saw and trim the shoulders with a chisel or chisel. To cut small partitions to size, press the workpiece on a flat board against a workbench or workbench.
Make a cut across the grain near the shoulder line. Mark the ends of the spikes. Carefully cut off the excess, working along the fibers. Then repeat the operation and stop at the line marking the shoulders (thickness gauge) and the thickness line. Apply glue and assemble the joint as you would a regular dovetail thru-lock.
Through connection beveled dovetail
Sometimes a through dovetail lock is combined with a beveled corner joint so that a chamfer with a figured profile can be made on the edge.
The depth of the bevelled part depends on the chamfer profile.
Marking spikes
Using a thickness gauge, mark a line of shoulders on both sides and the bottom edge of the spiked piece. Draw a bevel line on the top edge. From the top of the end, measure the depth required for the chamfer. Draw a line along the mark across the butt and around to the line of the shoulders. Make a faint mark with a pencil 6mm from the first mark and also 6mm above the bottom edge. Distribute the required number of spikes between these marks. Note the excess.
thorn cutting
Saw through the sides of the spikes and along the bevel depth line and remove the waste with an openwork saw. Trim the shoulder1 with a chisel or bevelled chisel. Leave the excess on the bevel for now.
Nest marking
Draw a light line of shoulders with a thickness gauge on both sides of the socket piece. Mark the bevel line on the top edge. Rub the butt with chalk and mark the nests (partitions) and the bevel on the workpiece with spikes. Apply lines of spikes on the end and on the sides up to the shoulder line, and up to the bevel line - only on the inside. Note the excess.
Through connection with a rebate in the dovetail lock
The manufacture of a box with a dovetail connection, having a bottom inserted into a fold (sample) along the bottom edge of the walls, requires some modification of this corner connection in order to avoid gaps in the lower corners. This is achieved by shifting the position of the cleat shoulder, which closes this gap.
Marking spikes
Use a thickness gauge to mark the shoulders on the sides and across the top edge. Also draw a line of fold depth along the inner edge, across the butt and along the front side to the line of the shoulders with a reims. Mark the inner side of the part with sockets at the same gauge setting.
Reinstall the thickness gauge if required and mark the seam width on the edges of both parts of the joint. Make one pencil mark on the spiked workpiece 6mm below the planned seam depth and another 6mm from the opposite edge. Between these marks, mark the position of the spikes. Draw a line across the intended chamfer edge on the spiked part to match the seam on the slotted part and mark the waste.
Nest marking
Using a thickness gauge, draw a line of shoulders on both sides of the part with sockets. Rub the butt with chalk and mark the nests on the spiked part with a scriber or a sharpened pencil. Note the excess.
Beveled dovetail connection
The design of this dovetail is completely hidden by the bevel and is often referred to as a hidden dovetail or hidden lock. This connection is used for fine work and requires careful and careful execution. The parts to be joined must be of the same thickness and cut to length. Spikes can only be marked by sockets, which are cut out first. Marking and Grooving Set the cutting thickness gauge to the thickness of the workpiece and mark a line of shoulders across the inside, working from the butt.
Using a scriber knife and bevel, mark the bevel on each edge between the thickness gauge line and the outside corner. Set the thickness gauge to the width of the overlap and mark the seam.
Mark the end from the outside, and the depth line of the fold from the end. Cut off the excess seam and smooth the surface with a shoulder planer. Start marking the nests by drawing a line with a thickness gauge (parallel to each edge) from the shoulder line to the overlap. The distance should not exceed 6 mm from the edge.
Mark the width and position of the nests at the end between the lines drawn by the thickness gauge. Make a cardboard template for the dovetail and press it against the side of the overlap so it doesn't move out of position. Continue marking to the shoulder line and mark the excess with a chisel or chisel.
In this case, the saw may cut into the overlap a little. Cut off the excess bevel. Set the workpiece vertically and cut off with a chisel or chisel the main part of the waste from the overlap bevel.
Trim the bevel with a shoulder planer. Use a beveled stop to help guide the planer correctly.
Marking and cutting
Follow the recommendations for making a part with nests up to and including cutting the fold. Place the spiked part on the workbench with the inner side facing up. Place the part with nests vertically so that its inner side is flush with the marking line of the thicknesser. Mark the nests with a scriber (partition). Continue the lines to the butt and mark the excess.
Cut off the excess bevel. Then saw through hundreds of studs and cut the waste between the studs and between the end studs and bevel shoulders. Finally, cut clean and bevel the overlap as you would with the nested part. Test assembly before gluing.
Inclined dovetail connection
This compound is used to make rigid joints. This is not an easy task, as it is difficult to visualize, difficult to mark, and all the edges of the parts are at an angle, which requires careful cutting. The blanks must be of the same thickness and allowed along the length and width. It is necessary to make a drawing in projections, according to which the dimensions of the workpieces are calculated before marking the connection.
Execution of the drawing
Start with a side view of the finished frame joint. Specify the thickness of the wood, and the dotted line - the initial dimensions of the workpiece. Draw a vertical projection (plan) under the side. Then project the side view onto a horizontal plane.
Marking and cutting ends
Cut the blanks to length and width, as shown by the dotted lines in the side view. Set the bevel to the angle of inclination X. Mark this angle on the inside, working from the angle of the connection. Cut off the ends at this angle of inclination. Set the second bevel at the U angle. Mark it on the edges, measuring from the outside.
Connect the marks on the edge to form a guide line for chipping the beveled edge. In fact, the bevel should be checked perpendicular to the edge during the planing process to get the true bevel angle. With the workpiece in the vise with the end in a horizontal position, carefully plan the end bevel on each workpiece.
Marking and cutting connection elements
Mark the spikes on the front side of the spiked part. First measure the thickness of the material on both sides of both blanks, measuring at the beveled ends. Connect the lines on each edge of the spiked part. With a small one attached to the end corner X, mark a line from the inner lower corner along the edge of the spiked part.
Make marks 6mm below the top edge and 6mm above the bottom. Calculate and mark the shape and position of the spikes between these marks. Then, by attaching a cardboard stencil to the square, mark the spikes on the outside.
Mark the slope of the stud ends at the slanted end of the studded part. Use a bevel set at an X angle. Hold the bevel block so that it is located in a parallel plane with respect to the end. Using a square and dovetail stencil, mark the spikes on the inside. Note the excess. Carefully cut out the spikes exactly according to the marked corners. Place the workpiece in the vise at an angle so that it cuts vertically.
Mark the end of the part with nests along the cut out spikes. Rub the end with chalk so that the lines from the scriber are more clearly visible. Lay the spiked part on the end so that the edges and inner shoulders match, and draw around the spikes. Using a bevel set at an X angle, draw parallel lines from each tenon to the line of the shoulders. Mark the excess, then use a saw and a chisel or chisel to carefully remove it according to the markup.
Can be beveled on long edges both before and after gluing. In both cases, use a bevel set at an X angle to check. Sloping sides can create difficulties when gluing. If during assembly you pound the connection with a hammer to fit the elements into place, use a piece of wood as a spacer to protect the parts from damage.
Making a dovetail joint with the old manual method is not only an attempt to touch the past. Such a connection, made beautifully, will give your work an accentuated uniqueness.
Practice and patience will help you achieve the high level of craftsmanship required to make dovetail joints by hand. If your first attempt isn't perfect, don't worry. Everyone in their practice goes through a similar stage of making connections before they acquire the necessary skills.
Start by preparing the tool shown in the photo -( mallet A, chisels B, combined or joiner's square C, marking thicknesser D, adjustable bevel E and fine-toothed saw F. It is also desirable to have a marking knife, ruler and pencil.)
Practice on a medium soft wood such as poplar and make pieces of the same width and thickness. With experience gained, you can try to make a connection on workpieces of different thicknesses. Temporarily mark the sides of the workpieces (front, back, inside, outside, and side) and edges (top, bottom) for the correct orientation of the joints.
First, cut out the spikes and use them to mark the dovetails. In some cases, it makes sense to start by sawing out the dovetails. We offer a detailed description of all steps of this process.
Setting the angle on the bevel
There is an easy way to determine the angle to make the joint correctly. Place a square on the straight edge of the trim and draw a line about 250 mm long in the middle at an angle of 90° to the edge (figure).
Put marks on this line at a distance of 150 and 200 mm from the edge. Now mark the edge 25mm to the right and left of the line. Connect with lines the marks "25" with the marks "150" and "200". Install the bevel on the smaller triangle for softwood and the larger triangle for hardwood, as shown in the photo.
Traditionally, the angle used in a softwood dovetail joint is steeper than the hardwood dovetail because softwood is more susceptible to buckling and shifting when subjected to a load. But the difference is small: 81° (ratio 1:b) - for soft rocks versus 83° (ratio 1:8) - for hard ones.
Marking spikes
The spikes always start from the edges of the part, and the markings for them are applied to the ends, while the dovetails are marked on the plate. Determine the number and placement of spikes as you see fit. For even distribution, calculate how many spikes should be made between the extreme half spikes.
Divide the distance between the extreme half-studs by this number and then mark the centers of the studs at regular intervals at the end of the workpiece from the inside. Determine the width of the narrow edge of the tenons and mark the edge of the workpiece. Avoid making spikes with a narrow edge width of less than 6 mm - this space will not be enough for further work with dovetails.
With a marking thicknesser with a set width that is 0.4 mm greater than the thickness of the blanks, draw a line on both faces and edges of the blanks from the ends, where spikes and later dovetails will be made.
Both faces of the joint will be sanded after assembly. Using a bevel with a marking knife, mark the spikes on the ends of the workpiece, as shown in the photo on the left.
With the help of a square, draw straight lines from the ends of the marking lines at the end to the lines drawn earlier with a thicknesser, as shown in the photo on the right. Shade the areas to be removed.
Sawing thorns
With a thin blade saw (such as a Japanese-style hacksaw), make cuts along the marking lines to the thicknesser lines on both sides. Hold the saw blade strictly perpendicular to the butt and cut slowly to avoid being pulled to the side by the grain of the wood. A small square, set close to the canvas, will help maintain the 90 ° angle until experience allows you to do without it.
Remove excess material with a chisel
With the widest chisel, which is placed between adjacent spikes at the place of their closest approach, make shallow limiting cuts along the line drawn by the thicknesser, as shown in the upper photo on the left. Do not go too deep into the wood - 3 mm is enough to start. Your goal is a flat, straight line.
Carefully remove excess material by lightly tapping the mallet to guide the chisel from the butt side. Repeat these operations until you cut the material to the middle of the thickness of the workpiece. Creating a small V-notch will make it easier to chip off excess wood when removing wood between the tenons. Turn the workpiece over, fix it with a clamp and continue working on the other side.
Cleaning cutouts between spikes
Clean the areas between the spikes with a chisel. To simplify the assembly of the connection, make a small recess at the end in the cutouts between the spikes, as shown in the photo. Now the spikes are ready. Do not subject them to any processing until you make "dovetails"
Dovetail markings
The finished spikes will serve as a template for marking the dovetails. Holding the front blank vertically on the inside of the side board, at its end, align the wide part of the spikes with the marking line drawn by the thicknesser on the second board.
Mark the dovetails with a knife. When the markup is clearly visible, use a square and a knife to draw cut lines at the ends perpendicular to the plate. If necessary, shade the areas to be removed.
Carefully cut out the dovetails
Make cuts at an angle. Unlike other workpieces, where the cuts usually go along the marking line, in this case you need to cut next to it, creating a margin for the possibility of fine-fitting the connection.
Saw and trim shoulders
Starting sawing with an allowance, cut out the shoulders at the edges of the connection. Then clean this area with a chisel until it matches the marking lines.
Removing material between dovetails
This operation is similar to trimming the studs, except that you need to cut off the remaining allowance, approaching the marking line, for an accurate fit. We do not recommend making spikes that are too narrow: they do not leave room for working with a chisel between the dovetails.
Connection fitting
Working slowly and precisely, remove the excess with a chisel almost to the marking line left by the knife. Make trial attempts to connect while you work.
Trim the thinnest layer of material from the dovetails at each fit until the joint comes together with light taps with a mallet. Don't change the spikes.
Gaining experience may take some time, but you will notice the difference between a joint that you can admire and one that has to be patched.
According to the magazine "Wood-Master"
Dovetail, detachable spike connection (trapezoidal grooves), used in mechanical engineering and joinery for reliable fastening of parts to each other. In this material, we will consider the manufacture of devices that facilitate the production of grooves in a tree using a manual milling cutter.
Do-it-yourself wood router accessories
The machine itself is a very ancient invention of mankind, descriptions of the principles of milling appeared in the 16th century, and the prototype of the machine was the invention of Leonardo da Vinci, who proposed rotating a round file to increase the processing of the product, which can be considered the first analogue of a cutter.
And already the American inventor Eli Whitney over the years of his life from 1765 to 1825 brought to mind all the scattered attempts to create a full-fledged machine, for which he is rightfully considered the creator of the first milling machine, although not all scientists agree with this statement.
And since the machine has such ancient roots, there are a great many devices for the manufacture of various parts, it is not possible to describe them all in the light of this material, and therefore we will consider only some of them, in my opinion, the most important and useful.
Universal device for tongue and groove connection
factory plate for making tongue and groove joints
It is used with a router for cutting the corresponding grooves and spikes, it is installed in a vise, and the part is pressed against the device with a clamp. Usually sold in stores.
appearance of the connection
Consider slot milling fixtures
Cut out the top piece, a 18mm plywood table top 40cm long and wide enough to handle the thickest piece you plan to cleat.
Cut two 5x10 cm bars, sawing them the same length as the top. In the future, the bars will play the role of clamping the workpiece and centering it relative to the groove in the tabletop. To prepare the top, draw a line through the center of the top, then cut a groove along the line from one end.
schematic representation of the tooling
note
The notch should be the same width as the copy ring you will be using with your cutter. The notch should be long enough to match the length of the longest slot you are going to cut.
Then mill two adjustment slots perpendicular to the center line. Finally, drill a viewing hole between these two slots. To assemble the entire structure, screw the bolts into the jaws and secure the top to the bars with wing nuts and washers.
To use our equipment, draw a groove on the workpiece and mark the center line on it. Loosen the thumbs and set the blanks between the bars so that the center line connects with the top line of the fixture, check that the edge of the blank is against the edge of the top.
Hold the lambs. Align the router bit with one end of the slot drawing, then mark guide lines on the top surface of the table along the edge of the router base.
How to work with snap-in tongue and groove
Repeat this one more time to mark the lines of the other end. Mill the slot at the bottom, starting the cut by aligning the base of the router with the first auxiliary line, and stop milling when the insert reaches the second auxiliary line.
Let's make a device for making spikes with our own hands
Spike making product
Made of wood and plywood, the jig shown above allows cutting rectangular spikes with two shoulders. The object to be machined is located with the front surface below the jig, while the router moves along the stop from above, removing the excess in two passes.
The piece consists of two parallel base bars, a stopper and a stop, all made from wood the same thickness as the piece, in this case 25x75mm bars, and a top and support made from 18mm plywood.
Base bars should be approximately 400 mm long; cut the top surface of the plywood approximately 200mm x 250mm and screw it to the joists as shown in the picture. Screw the stopper on the ends of the base bars along with the support. Set the stop approximately 25mm from the end of the top surface.
cutting out a thorn with a device
Countersink holes for all screw heads and make sure to make all corners square. Drill an inspection hole in the top surface to accurately place the workpiece exactly on the marking.
In carpentry, there is a fairly large number of connections between parts. One of them is the dovetail. This type of connection can be seen on drawers, chairs and other structures. It is one of the reliable connections. The grooves are made in such a way that if you try to break the connection, they will rest against each other. In order to make a dovetail with your own hands, you will need a minimum of tools and a little experience in carpentry.
Connection types
Depending on the task, the dovetail can be performed in various ways:
- Corner connections.
- Separating.
- through.
- Decorative.
- Bevel connection.
- Through connection with a fold.
All types of connection have their strengths and weaknesses, but, one way or another, they form a reliable connection of two parts. To work, you will need the following tools:
With these tools, you can easily make a connection. If it is possible to use, then there is no need for the listed tools.
Through connection type
This type of connection is widely used in the manufacture of both cabinet and upholstered furniture. It is also called "box".
To begin with, the workpiece must be processed with a planer and remove excess wood. The next step is to mark the nests. Here everything is individual and depends on the width of the board, as well as on the tasks. It is necessary to draw lines across the workpiece at a distance of 6 mm from both edges. Then you need to divide the distance between them into an even number, set aside 3 mm on each side and draw lines across the end.
Now you need to mark the slope of the spikes with a small one. The excess that remains must be marked to avoid confusion in the future.
After marking, you can start cutting the spikes. This can be done with an electric jigsaw. or a regular saw with a fine tooth. For convenience, the workpiece can be clamped in a vise. Using a saw, you need to cut out one edge on each side of the spike. It should be cut carefully, otherwise there will be small gaps that will further spoil the appearance. The same must be done with other side spikes.
Side waste should be cut off from the shoulder line, and excess wood between the spikes can be easily removed with an openwork saw. The residue on both sides can be removed with a chisel or a chisel with an oblique edge.
The cutting of the spikes is finished, and you can start marking and cutting out the nests. With the help of all the same vise, the workpiece should be clamped. The part with spikes must be attached to the workpiece and carefully mark the shape of the spikes.
After marking, carefully cut out the nests along the previously drawn lines. The cut from the main part should be done in such a way that it does not slightly reach the marking line. Carefully cut off part of the waste with an openwork saw. In order for the two parts to sit tightly together, it is necessary to clean the corners with a cutter.
When the two connections are ready, you can begin to dock them. It must be remembered that the connection is collected only once. Before gluing the parts, you need to make sure that they sit tightly together. If there are any irregularities, then they must be removed before gluing.
If everything is tight, then the following manipulations should be performed:
- Two blanks need to be anointed with glue, then connected together.
- Tapping with a wooden mallet, fit the two parts. Excess glue must be removed. Otherwise, after drying, the appearance will be spoiled.
- After drying, the place of gluing the stripping with a grinder on both sides.
- Then check the angle, which should be 1/8 for hardwood and 1/6 for softwood. If the angle is too large, then a short fiber is formed, which can affect the strength of the connection.
All these points also apply to other connection modifications. And they should be done in the same order.
decorative variety
This type of connection is used in places where beauty is needed. Another such connection emphasizes the art of the master. In order to give a decorative look, thin partitions are used. At the end of the workpiece, carefully draw a marking line for the shoulders. Continue the marking line to the end and mark the excess. When cutting the spikes, it is necessary to remove the waste in the same way as for through joints. Stripping must be done from the ends to the middle.
Before fixing, the workpiece must be anointed with chalk for a more rigid fixation. At the end, you need to mark the distance between the small partitions, and then continue all the lines of the spikes to the line of the shoulders, you must not forget about removing the excess. Most of the waste can be removed with a tenon-cutting award, and the shoulders are best trimmed with an openwork saw. To cut small partitions, it is necessary to press the workpiece strongly.
With slow movements along the fibers, make a cross cut next to the shoulder line. The operations must be repeated. After the done manipulations, apply glue and fasten both surfaces together.
Bevel connection
In some cases, it is necessary to combine two types of connection. The depth of the cut in such cases depends on the profile and the chamfer.
Using a thicknesser, mark the shoulder line on both sides. Draw a bevel line on the top edge. At the bottom of the workpiece, you need to mark a certain depth for the chamfer. Draw a line across the butt and up to the shoulder line. From the first mark, put another line 6 mm long. Do the same with the bottom edge. On the resulting marks, mark the required number of spikes. Mark the remaining excess.
Cut the spikes with a jigsaw and fit with fine sandpaper. In this option, the excess is temporarily left. Draw a line of shoulder pads on both sides. On the top edge, make a small mark on the bevel line. On the workpiece, mark the nests for the spikes and leave the bevel on the lower part. After the end of the manipulations, remove all excess.
Seam connection
Quite often used in the manufacture of tables and chairs. At the bottom of the box, a special selection is made, which is called a “fold”, and the bottom of the box is inserted into it. During such a connection, gaps may occur in the corners, which can be removed by moving the shoulder pad.
The markup is slightly different from previous versions. On the sides you need to draw a line along which it will be possible to determine the depth of the fold. The inner side is marked with the same gauge parameters. Below the depth of the fold, mark 6 mm, and put the next mark from the opposite edge. On the resulting marks, mark the desired location of the spikes. Draw a line across the chamfered edge, but at the same time it must fully correspond to the marked fold.
The marking of the nests is done in exactly the same way as in the previous versions, using a finished blank with spikes and drawing accessories.
Another variation of this connection is the beveled connection. In it, all the connection is hidden by a bevel, which adds beauty to the product. Before assembling, the workpiece must be adjusted to the desired size. It should be remembered that nests must be made first, and then spikes. The marking of the spikes is carried out identically to the other option, but with one caveat: between the thickness gauge line and the outer corner, using a special scriber and bevel, a bevel should be marked on each of the edges.
Make sure that there is no more than 6 mm from the shoulder line to the overlap. At the end, between the drawn lines, you need to mark the width and position of the nests. For convenience, you can make a ready-made stencil from plywood, press it against the side walls and continue the marking line, after which all excess is removed. Before gluing two joints, it is necessary to test them. If there are defects, then remove them with a chisel and sandpaper.
Inclined docking
Mainly used for large parts. In terms of complexity, it is in first place. In order to make a tenon groove with your own hands in this type of connection, it will take much more time. The complexity of manufacturing is associated with the peculiarity of the connection, in which all the edges are located at a certain angle. Before marking, the boards must be adjusted to the same width. The drawing for the dovetail connection will greatly facilitate the task.
The drawing should start with a side view, and the thickness and dimensions should also be applied. As for the vertical projection, it can be drawn, like the lateral one. In the same way, design the side view. The figure shows a drawing of a dovetail, the dimensions of which are a certain standard.
The next step is to cut the part to length and width. Set the bevel at point X and transfer this angle to the inside. Cut off the remaining ends. Set another malka at the U corner and place it on the edges. Now we need guide lines, which can be obtained by connecting the marks on the edge.
Carefully cut off the end bevel. On the front side, you should mark the details with spikes. On the beveled ends you need to measure the size of the material. Attach a bevel to point X and mark a line along the edge of the parts. Put 6 mm notches on the top and bottom edges. The position of the spikes can be calculated from these marks.
The slope of the spikes must be marked on the inclined end of the parts. For convenience, you can use the small. Using a stencil and a square, mark the spikes. Mark the remaining excess. When cutting spikes, it is necessary to rely on previously marked corners, after which it is possible to draw and cut nests on the finished workpiece.
All excess is carefully removed at the end of the work. If for some reason the slope does not suit you, then it can be trimmed after gluing or cleaned with a grinder. If you have to knock out the connections with a mallet, then you need to put a piece of the bar, otherwise traces may remain.
Manual frezer
If you constantly have to deal with such compounds and produce them in large quantities, then the manual method will not work. There are stationary machines and which, with the help of a special cutter, can make a certain number of spikes or “tails” in one pass. To save even more time, you can make templates. To create spikes and tails, you must have a cutter.
Before milling, the workpiece should be placed vertically for convenience. Before that, you need to mark the number of tails. When milling, waste will form, which can be easily removed by the router.
In the market or in the store, you can purchase templates with which things will go even faster. To the top of the workpiece, you need to attach and fix the fixture. Then set the desired depth of cut on the router. After milling, all joints are smooth and practically do not require adjustment.
If carpentry work is ahead and a strong and reliable connection of two parts is necessary, then the best option would be a dovetail. With a hand router, even a beginner in carpentry can make spikes and tails. In addition, after assembly, such a connection looks aesthetically pleasing.
