Woodworking
The Anatomy of a Hand-Cut Dovetail
By Marcus Hale · February 20, 2026
Follow one drawer side from marking out to final fit — and skip the three classic mistakes.
The dovetail has held drawers together for three centuries because it tightens under load. We cut ours by hand — no jigs, no shortcuts.
Mark out at a 1:8 angle for hardwoods, saw to the line, and pare in thin passes. The three classic mistakes: rushing the marking, sawing past the baseline, and forcing a fit that wants one more pass of the chisel.
Slow work, but drawers that outlive their makers.
A well-cut dovetail needs no nails and barely any glue. A century from now, someone will open that drawer and feel exactly what you feel today.
