I'm going to learn to do this...

There was a time when one of the things a gentleman learned was how to cut dovetails for making drawers and other joints. Anybody that knows me will tell you that I'm no gentleman, but hand cutting dovetail joints is something that I have wanted to learn for a long, long time.

With some of the upcoming projects that the little bride is dreaming up for me, I guess now is the time. This is my third try. First attempt was crazy backwards and mixed up and nothing matched up. Second attempt was a mirror image of what I needed and the joint would not hold up. This is a picture of my third attempt and while not elegant or pretty, it is tight and effective and I think I'm on the right track.

Hand cut dovetail joint. (click the picture to make it bigger)

Miter Saw Bench

(remember, click the pictures to make them bigger...)

As I've mentioned before, when we moved in we just threw everything into the shop and have never gone back to try and sort it out. Sure, working on projects can be a challenge when it's like this, but we've dealt with it one way or another. But with the new projects that the little bride is coming up with, bookshelves, kitchen cabinets, etc. I figure I'm going to have to organize and configure it as a "cabinet shop."

My first project towards that end is to clear some floor space and build a miter saw bench. I just figure this will pay dividends when it comes to production cutting. So this weekend we did just that. I built the framework last weekend and had the local home center rip a couple of sheets of 3/4" mdf in half for me. Today I put the top together. I think it's going to work out well.





























Next project: my woodworking bench.