Yes, the hand cut dovetail joint is still alive and well. Oh sure — in today’s world of power tools and gadgets, many woodworkers and production shops use jigs combined with routers, bandsaws, tablesaws, or purpose-built dovetailing machines to enable quick and repeatable results. But there remain very good reasons to cut dovetails by hand and many advocates who continue to practice this traditional skill.

No matter what your experience level (whether you’ve tried making dovetails by hand in the past or you are interested in learning something new) there are secrets to getting easier and better results. In this complete two part tutorial, I introduce to you Cabinetmaker Craig Vandall Stevens’s systematic approach. In this “Part One” video, Craig masterfully reveals his logical and precise steps to cutting elegant dovetail pins, quickly and efficiently. You’ll learn how to layout the pins using a marking gauge and bevel jig; saw cut to the lines; and cleanly chop out the waste with a chisel — all with minimal risk and trouble. Master the handmade dovetail. (9.5 Minute Woodworking Video – Part 1 of 2)

For part two in this dovetailing series go to: How to Hand Cut Precision Dovetails: The Tails (Part 2 of 2)

Precisely cut handmade dovetails are a thing of beauty and a mark of true craftsmanship. But achieving a perfect joint only comes from careful attention to the process. One key step is the chopping away of waste wood between the saw kerfs. Typically, this is accomplished with a sharp chisel and skilled hands, but there are tricks to increasing your accuracy.

Master cabinetmaker Craig Vandall Stevens is exacting in how he cuts dovetails — and the results show. He achieves his high level of precision partly by using a simply-made, but carefully thought out, chopping block guide. Made from Hickory, this guide provides an accurate 90 degree vertical reference face for aligning the chisel. You can make this block and learn how to use it in just a few minutes. So why not give Craig’s method a try? (5 Minute Woodworking Video)

Award winning artisan, Don Leman, shares his thoughts on the specialized art of segmented woodturning. Mr. Leman is a formally trained industrial designer who has also spent years restoring antique clocks and their mechanisms. With “segmenting”, Mr. Leman has found the perfect outlet for his talents and inclinations – a pursuit that requires an extraordinary capacity for the fine details in things. The conception of the final object must be precisely planned before the first piece of wood is cut. This suits Mr. Leman, whose technical knowledge of geometry and angles is complimented by his ability to artfully fuse sweeping curves and tones into the objects he shapes. (5.5 Minute Video)