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A little fun with dovetails

I was asked the size of my smallest dovetail chisel. It is a Japanese Iyoroi 1/16” (that's 1.5 mm). And, yes, it does get used …

Shortly before Veritas were about the launch the mini shoulder plane, Rob Lee sent me one for comment. Knowing Rob’s enjoyment of practical jokes – just look at the history of Lee Valley’s April Fools tools – I came up with an idea of my own … to make a box for the shoulder plane, and try and make it look like the shoulder plane was full size.

Of course, those who saw the pictures on the forums no longer would be likely to believe that the box was as large as a full sized shoulder plane, so here is how I made the box ...

First I prepared the 1/8” thick boards by hand .. USA Mesquite and Tasmanian Oak.



Sawing the tails (with the 20 tpi Veritas saw) was not particularly difficult, and the waste was so small that it was removed with a single push on the 1/16” dovetail chisel (seen in the picture after the next). However, transferring the tails to the pin board was another story …



Incidentally, the kerf looks rough because the close-up takes you .. well .. close up, and you see everything enlarged.

It turned out OK …





The box itself came together successfully. I added pieces at each end (just careful marking and planing, then glued), and sawed it apart for a lid.

Here we are ...




Here is the box with the shoulder plane ..




And a last picture for perspective .. 3" x 1 1/4"




Fun, isn’t it?

Regards from Perth

Derek Cohen

December 2009