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    Dovetailed Toolbox Case Needs Careful Layout

    Dovetails for a toolbox must be strong, but for an heirloom box they also should be attractive. Learn some tricks and techniques for nailing the layout.

    By Matt Wajda Jan 31, 2017

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    In this video workshop you’ll get a taste of what it’s like at the North Bennet Street School. So sit back, grab a notebook, and learn how to build a toolbox, the North Bennet Street way.


    In this episode, Matt Wajada guides you through the dovetailed case layout.

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    Videos in the Series

    • All About the North Bennet Street Toolbox

      January 24, 2017

      For many, the toolbox serves as a badge of honor, but for the instructors at the school, the toolbox is an important teaching tool that covers an array of hand-tool and machine techniques.

    • The History of the North Bennet Street Toolbox

      January 24, 2017

      For some it is a place to put your tools, but for the students of North Bennet Street School, their toolbox is a badge of honor.

    • Panel glue-ups using a spring joint

      Easy Way to Glue up Panels

      January 24, 2017

      Learn how to use a simple spring joint to glue up boards and how to place your clamps to ensure a flat panel.

    • covetailed case layout 16x9

      Dovetailed Toolbox Case Needs Careful Layout

      January 31, 2017

      Dovetails for a toolbox must be strong, but for an heirloom box they also should be attractive. Learn some tricks and techniques for nailing the layout.

    • Hand-cut dovetails part 1 - Pins First

      Hand-Cut Dovetails: Pins First

      February 7, 2017

      Discover the pins-first approach to dovetails that the North Bennet Street School is known for. Learn proper sawing technique and how to efficiently and effectively chisel out the waste.

    • Hand-cut dovetails

      Hand-Cut Dovetails: Tails Second

      February 14, 2017

      After cutting the pins, learn how to transfer and cut the tails of the dovetail joint, the North Bennet way.

    • Finessing the Fit of the Dovetails

      Finessing the Fit of Case Dovetails

      February 14, 2017

      How to creep up to the perfect dovetail fit using a method called "chasing the smudge."

    • case assembly 16x9

      Cutting Joinery for the Toolbox Case

      February 21, 2017

      Stopped dadoes and rabbets are cut by machine and fitted with hand tools.

    • Gluing Up the Case

      Gluing Up a Toolbox Case

      February 28, 2017

      With the North Bennet Street Toolbox, lots of parts have to come together perfectly, so you may need an extra pair of hands to tackle this daunting glue-up.

    • case dividers 16x9

      Making Dividers for the Toobox

      March 7, 2017

      The dividers are joined using bridle joints and mortise and tenons cut perfectly on the tablesaw.

    • The Internal Elements

      How to Attach Dividers to the Case

      March 14, 2017

      Learn an efficient method of fitting dividers to a case and a simple method of installing drawer runners.

    • How to Make Dovetailed Drawer Partitions: Dado First

      March 14, 2017

      Learn how to cut a dado by hand for the drawer partition.

    • In this episode, Matt finishes the dovetailed partition, and glues in the dividers finishing off the internal structural elements

      How to Make Dovetailed Drawer Partitions: Dovetail Second

      March 14, 2017

      Learn how to cut, fit, and glue up the dovetail joint for the drawer partitions.

    • toolbox drawer layout 16x9

      Laying Out Dovetail Joinery for the Drawers

      March 21, 2017

      Tips and tricks for fitting a drawer perfectly and getting the layout spot-on for the half-blind and through dovetails.

    • Half-Blind Dovetailed Drawers

      Cutting Half-Blind Dovetails for Drawers

      March 28, 2017

      Learn how to cut and fit half-blind dovetails the North Bennet Street way.

    • Drawer Fitting 16x9

      How to Fit Drawers

      April 4, 2017

      Learn how to fit an assembled drawer perfectly to its case opening.

    • Frame and Panel Door - Sizing the frame

      Cutting Joinery for a Frame-and-Panel Door

      April 11, 2017

      The door frame is assembled with machine-cut mortise and tenon joinery.

    • Raised Panel 16x9

      Make a Raised Panel for a Door

      April 11, 2017

      How to cut a raised panel on the tablesaw using a clever jig that ensures safety and accuracy.

    • Door Assembly

      How to Assemble a Raised-Panel Door

      April 11, 2017

      Prefinish the panel, cut the mortise for the lock, and then glue it all together.

    • adding hardware to toolbox 16x9

      How to Hang the Door and Add a Lockset

      April 18, 2017

      Learn how to fit a door, add hinges, and install a lockset that works perfectly.

    • The Back Panel

      How to Make a Shiplapped Back Panel

      April 25, 2017

      Tips and techniques for making an elegant, traditional cabinet back.

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    Previous: Easy Way to Glue up Panels Next: Hand-Cut Dovetails: Pins First

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    Comments

    1. robbo41 | Feb 01, 2017 08:15am | #1

      Really unfortunate jump at about 5:30 from pin board to tail board. Presenter is marking the pin board, shot jumps to what looks like a close-up of what the viewer assumes is still the pin board and the presenter announces he is working on the tail board, with no "I am now going to mark the tail board" statement between. A quick edit should fix that.

    2. Rcaneday | Feb 01, 2017 10:04am | #2

      That's it??

    3. jveetee | Feb 01, 2017 10:47am | #3

      Matt does a great job demonstrating. No BS and superfluous “entertainment” or silly “jokes” that ruin most woodworking videos by making them run on to insufferable length and pointless distraction. Very professional. Thanks. Also, for me, I see no disconnect between the pin and tailboard as the process is the same for all -- save the end markings. I do wish the entire marking procedure was in this one episode. Does seem abrupt.

    4. User avater
      David263 | Feb 01, 2017 02:46pm | #4

      I'm really enjoying Matt W's videos.... but really guys.... can you roll them out a little bit faster than this?

    5. WoodGuyMatt | Feb 01, 2017 07:41pm | #5

      Thanks for putting together a great series gentlemen! This is great content and edited well. Of course I'd like them released faster, but as the description suggested this is an in depth series. THANKS!

    6. User avater
      ctsjr | Feb 02, 2017 11:42am | #6

      The video doesn't show the layout, only the marking of the baselines. You've got more to show with regard to layout.

    7. user-5889717 | Feb 02, 2017 12:23pm | #7

      Who is the maker of your marking gauge?

    8. stanleyhuber | Feb 02, 2017 05:19pm | #8

      I am really excited about this video. But, if it is 6 hours long as was stated, I hope it is released more quickly than a 6 min video each week. There will be no real continuity and will have to repeat older episodes before watching new one. I expect to learn so much that I hope it can come faster.

      1. User avater FWW Editor
        BenStrano | Feb 03, 2017 03:04pm | #10

        I apologize to everyone for the shortness of this video. I should have uploaded it with week one. Rest assured. From here on out they get much longer. Some weeks will be over an hour long. Everyone is right though. I dropped the ball this week. Totally my fault.

    9. User avater
      RUUP4IT | Feb 02, 2017 06:42pm | #9

      I waited a whole week just for that! Your videos need more. C'mon. Very disappointed.

    10. user-5624081 | Feb 04, 2017 07:43am | #11

      I have found that an apology is better served with the fix in hand...rather than just useless words.

    11. Gallantheis | Feb 04, 2017 07:40pm | #12

      Aside from the short length of this video, I found the editing made it very confusing to understand which board (tails or pins) Matt was working on.

    12. eschumer | Feb 04, 2017 10:37pm | #13

      Despite the shortness of the two videos, I found that Matt has crammed a lot of valuable information into a short amount of time. I really like your teaching style, Very professional. I know I will have to watch these episodes a few times each to glean all the valuable pearls. Thanks and keep up the good work.

    13. colinlye | Feb 07, 2017 05:21am | #14

      ON FEB THE 2ND A QUESTION WA SASKED ON THE MAKER OF THE CUTTING GUAGE. I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW AS WELL.

    14. DJB67 | Feb 12, 2017 03:58pm | #15

      Well thought out and well presented. Matt is a born teacher.

    15. User avater
      CT_Engineer | Feb 26, 2018 05:27pm | #16

      Read previous comments. It appears they all pertain to the roll-out of this video series. I did not have to suffer through that and so, I find this video series to be just excellent! Well thought out, well made, highly professional and extremely informative. Now that the full series is available to subscribers most of the earlier comments are spurious.

    16. BeeryMR | Dec 29, 2020 01:41am | #17

      I seriously question the assignment of pins and tails. As this casework is oriented, it would be mechanically stronger to have the tails on the side boards. Where is the stress most likely? In the top or bottom moving vertically. It is not in the sides moving horizontally. If this is indicative of the quality of decision making, I'm not going to make it through these videos.

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