beginner 11 steps
How To Make A Dovetail Box
A great project to develop accuracy, with multiple dovetails to cut. You'll gain experience working on a slightly larger scale than the chisel tray, planing wider boards and longer roundovers, as well as insetting hinges.
Required Materials
For this course you will need:
- Ends (x2): ½” x 3 ½” x 5” (13mm x 89mm x 127mm)
- Sides (x2): ½” x 3 ½” x 11” (13mm x 89mm x 279mm)
- Lid/Base (x2): ⅝” x 5 ¾” x 11 ¾” (16mm x 146mm x 298mm)
If you don’t have such wide stock, we will show you how to glue up two boards together.
Tools:
- Pencil
- Steel Rule / Tape
- Dovetail Saw
- Chisel ¼” (6mm), ½” (13mm), ¾” (19mm) [Optional — 1” (25mm)]
- Chisel Hammer
- Plane
- Square
- Handsaw
- Knife
- Gauge
- Screwdriver
- Square Awl (can use a nail and steel hammer if you don’t have one)
- #80 Scraper (optional)
- Sash Clamps
- Dovetail Template
Hardware and Materials:
- 2 x 1 ½” (38mm) long hinges with corresponding screws
- Abrasive Paper 240 grit
- Glue
- Shellac and Hake Brush
- Steel Wool
- Wax