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    Finessing the Fit of Case Dovetails

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

    By Matt Wajda Feb 14, 2017

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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: Hand-Cut Dovetails: Tails Second Next: Cutting Joinery for the Toolbox Case

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    Comments

    1. jimp849 | Feb 15, 2017 01:21pm | #1

      Copy. Paste. Test. Fix. Test. Users hate being testers and should not have to be.
      This is one of the best, if not the best, video workshop you guys have done. Thanks for bringing it to us.

    2. User avater
      David263 | Feb 15, 2017 03:17pm | #2

      To Matt, Ben, and the rest of the guys at FWW: This is a great video series and here is what I think it is. Very limited editing. I get to see Matt deal with some of the things I run into in real life...and how he got past it. There are an infinite amount of little things that over editing leaves out and us wondering what we are doing wrong. I don't think anyone would complain if you even did less editing. And Matt... refreshingly... doesn't over talk... he stays on subject! Thanks for this series.

    3. wildhorse820 | Feb 15, 2017 10:46pm | #3

      Everybody makes mistakes, but that's behind us. A big thanks for the video, its the best on this subject I have ever seen, and can't wait for the rest of the series. More like this would be a great learning tool.

    4. User avater
      levilunde | Feb 15, 2017 10:49pm | #4

      I agree with david263, I feel like I've had numerous forehead slap moments watching this video series. You know, the "why the heck didn't I think to do it that way!" moments? Spot on guys, great job!

    5. user-5451253 | Feb 16, 2017 09:07pm | #5

      The camera work has been excellent - nice tight cropped shots of Matt's concise work. This has been an excellent series and I appreciate the quality instruction you both are providing. Thanks!

    6. Kevin_Almeyda | Feb 17, 2017 06:50am | #6

      Loving this series. Production, especially the editing, and instruction are all top notch. Still going to cut my tails first though :)

    7. User avater
      HMV3841 | Feb 19, 2017 07:46pm | #7

      I was fortunate enough to have had a private session with an instructor from NBSS and chase the smudge is a recurring theme. Great video series, hope it remains on the website for a long time for repeated reminders of how to...

    8. jabe | Feb 20, 2017 05:54pm | #8

      Excellent visual and commentary!! A great learning video! Please more of the same
      Jabe

    9. user-6606174 | Feb 21, 2017 10:55am | #9

      Great series! Is the plans somewhere on the site? Want to try to build the toolbox and plans with measurement would be nice:)

      1. User avater FWW Editor
        BenStrano | Feb 21, 2017 02:55pm | #10

        The plans are still in production.

    10. User avater
      ChasStanford | Mar 02, 2017 03:19pm | #11

      With tails first (marked with a knife) you'd just pare the pins very slightly concave leaving the arrises untouched (what you see when the joint closes) and the case would go together after one paring pass. When he wiggles the pin board, it looks like the baseline is being moved backward a bit. Cold hide glue acts as a bit of a lubricant too. Much, much easier to pare pins than it is tails, one hopes for obvious reasons (hint: the wide open spaces in which you have to work).

    11. WoodStack | Apr 30, 2018 06:11pm | #12

      Awesome series. Ben a quick suggestion... work out a way to have workshop videos autoplay the next episode. Then i can just sit back and enjoy the uninterrupted show on my apple tv. Maybe there is already a way?

      1. User avater FWW Editor
        BenStrano | May 01, 2018 08:20am | #13

        We've been talking about such things.

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