I am a power tool woodworker, and I love my Porter Cable 4216 Dovetail Jig. However, I am fascinated by and have immense respect for hand tool woodworkers. Seems like there is a very steep learning curve, and learning to sharpen properly is the first thing to learn.
I bought one of those Crown Gent's Saws. Haven't been able to get it to cut a marshmallow, much less wood. Yours looks well sharpened. And I gotta say, I really like the way mitred dovetails look. Makes the box appear so much more refined. Excellent.
Man, every time I watch your content it sets a new standard of editing and voiceover. I have adhd and the seamless procedure and skill at work is like therapy for a busy mind. Better than meditation. What would say are the essential hand tools needed to transition between power tools and hand tool construction. I’m actually considering selling most of my power tools and focusing on sticking with a simpler shop setup. Thanks for the excellent content.
"NO BACK UP BLOCK CAUSE IM A FRICKEN DAREDEVIL" had me rolling lol! Great video though, really enjoyed how much detail you include and all the time you spent making the video! Thanks
Great tip about not pairing the outside unless you are absolutely sure. I am just having difficulty remembering the last time I was absolutely sure....
Very satisfying watching the mitered dovetails come together. Beautiful work and I really like the narration. Glad I'm not the only one cussing at myself in the shop!
Frank, thank you for investing all the time and effort it takes to make your videos. It's really inspiring to see the results that can be achieved in a small hand tool shop. Perhaps you could share some details about the construction of your workbench in the future? Thanks again, keep up the great work!
Good video… one thing you didn’t show; how you do the second part of hinging? I have difficulty getting the top or door straight, but most video’s don’t show the specifics of attaching the hinges accurately. Maybe it’s just me, but I would love a whole video on it. Thanks
Man that’s a beautiful box. Everything I love about woodworking: skill with hand tools and joinery, hand-cut dovetails, solid cherry, and Tried & True finish. Great work. I strongly recommend you try their “varnish oil” as opposed to the “original” or “danish oil” versions. At least with cherry. I have never seen any other product bring out the grain, add a soft sheen, and protect against water/food/acidic hand-oils, etc. I need to try the liquid hide glue. Again, beautiful job. You made it look easy like a pro. Peace from CA.
If you haven’t already done it, you should try traditional hot hide glue that you mix with water and heat up. It really tells you how good your work is. It doesn’t fill gaps at all, and has a short open time, but is completely reversible. You can use a baby bottle warmer to heat it, way cheaper than a “specialized “ warmer and works just as well. Great work man!
thank you. i am awe-struck by the beauty of your work and the outcome of your combined efforts. i can see how having better tools helps the process. Merry Christmas and blessings to you, all those you love, and to all those who love you.
The box turned out well lad 😁 most of my work is small boxes..... today I cut the dovetails on a small box for my brother to house his new Mitotoyo depth gauge (probably spelled wrong 🤷♂️😂) Front and back are Cherry, sides are Sapele, and the lid and bottom will be veneered with a Pomelle Sapele 🤙 On my next box I might try a lid like yours...... it looks good 😁 I may also give hide glue a go
Thanks man! The next real furniture level piece that I make for myself I will record on here and use the arm R seal! But man I really do love that tried and true. So easy to use and the varnish oil.... Even the end grain feels like glass (though probably more due to burnishing the wood than the finish)
Very nice project; good job! BTW when I started building my bench this winter I copied your plank top and I really like it. Can you tell me what brand end or dog Vise you have? Thank you for sharing.
Good idea I have wrestled between trying that and changing to a twin screw vise if/when I make a new bench. More interested in better clamping pressure for wide boards than extra height. What's your thoughts there?
@@FranksWorkbench Trust me. The pressure of the moxon vise, is enough for all your tasks. They can be used if necessary, and hidden when they are not needed. And height, however, is the decisive factor. You can figure it out when your back hurts.
Just came upon your channel. Hot damn it's a joy to watch you work. Please keep at it. It's also a welcome experience to hear your thoughts and narration on your process. So again, thanks for sharing.
That came out great! I've been making a bees wax and walnut oil polish for a while, and its good for cutting boards and wood utensils as well. Works great. Thanks!
@@FranksWorkbench That's exactly what I do, because I also use it for kitchen stuff, I want to be sure its food grade and doesn't have any driers in it like BLO.
Dovetails are a structure not a decoration. Should be at the sides not front and back of the box. Refer to drawer construction, where the dovetails resist the grain movement of the bottom. I learned this when I started in 1967.
@@FranksWorkbench yeah, I basically do groves first, then make the rabbet on the tail side the depth of the grove. I did one with a saw and another with a router.
Really nice video, Frank. Oh, and welcome to the coping saw club! Makes life easier, doesn’t it 👍 I really enjoyed the video and it was great to see all the techniques you used. I’m currently making (slowly making) a cherry dovetail box, but it’s not anywhere close to the size of box you’ve made. Plus, I haven’t quite gotten to grips with the callipers for dovetail spacing just yet either. I normally just use a rule and do it by eye - I’ll definitely give it a go though. Anyway, keep up the great work and the mitres fit is superbly done... and all by hand too... no pairing block. Hats off to you Sir!
@@FranksWorkbench. Thanks so much Frank. And a Fret Saw is one of the first things I bought with my dovetail making kit, as soon as I saw a video of someone using it. The box is going okay, but it’s been a while since I’ve made one, so a few mistakes have crept in (gaps). I have a left side to make, as well as the bottom and a the top, so not too much to go. May I pick your brains, please? With regards to choosing the size of hinges for the thickness of timber, do you have any tips, please? Thanks 🙏
Not sure of any hard rules for hinge sizes. I'd say at least half and preferably 75% the thickness of the wood should be covered by the hinge leaf. These were 1" hinges and we're a little too small for my liking but had to choose between that and a 3" which was too big.
I do stopped grooves with a combination of a Record No. 43 plough plane, router plane, and chisel just to finish the ends of the groove. Mostly this is because I am incredibly intimidated at the prospect of making a mitered dovetail.
Ill have to try that sometime! Check out a video from rob cosman showing a few ways to hide the groove... he cuts a plug that was literally 100% invisible. I really want to try that too. Seems simple enough but probably not as easy as he makes it look lol.
@@FranksWorkbench It'll pass casual inspection but I just woodwork for a hobby so I don't mind spending more time on a more robust but complicated method. The technique I described was from Chris Schwartz, I think there's a video on here. The shorter length plough plane the better, unless you're using very long boards. Honestly, I think your miter method is more elegant.
Frank, just stumbled across your channel and am very impressed. I am really getting into hybrid woodworking and am building my arsenal. Which plow plane are you using?
Awesome man that is exciting! It's a record 044. These a safe bet to buy vintage and work well without headaches. New option is veritas but they cost a pretty penny.
Luban/Queshang do a basic but good #43. Unsure if you get them in USA but workshop heaven in the UK do them. Bonus is the Veritas blades from their small plow blade also fit the Luban No 43 perfectly. The Luban blades are not the best but do the job. I found the 3 mm blade chipped a lot in certain timbers and that is why I got the Veritas 1/8 and 1/4 inch blades as that is what most grooves are anyway :)
@@FranksWorkbench Thank you...very glad I found your channel. I am in North Texas, also...would love to come hang and learn from you...I am 55 year old newbie. Great stuff!
Frank, how thick is your lid? Or how thick was your stock before planing the lid? Making a box like yours and want to do the lid the same way you did yours. Thanks.
Top - 5/8" Sides - 3/4" Bottom 1/4" Oops sorry those are the dimensions for the walnut box vid. I think this lid was 3/4 to 7/8" thick and planed the bevel down to about 3/8" at the edges
Thanks Tim! It was a gift so not sure on the retailer but the brand is Sterling Toolworks. If you like a dovetail saddle marker like that where you mark the tail line and end grain line simultaneously, can't go wrong with Lee Valley /Veritas saddle marker @ ~ $15.
It's a veritas inset vice. Highly recommend! Very cheap and easy to install compared to a traditional tail vise and was a huge upgrade from the planing stop and doe's foot that I used for a long time prior.
