You can of course introduce other tools into your workflow. A drill press, routers, table saw — find whatever works best for you.

These days, dovetails are often used as a decorative element. Because, well, they look awesome (check out some pretty sweet dovetails here).

In my opinion, the hardest part is cutting the sides of the pins and tails accurately. Luckily, this is made a lot easier with a good dovetail jig.

Box joints are similar to dovetails in that the edges of boards are connected by multiple interlocking cuts. The difference is that box joints are straight cuts with no angle — so there’s no wedge mechanism locking the joint together.

Surface footage to rpmchart

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The idea of the “strongest” or “best” anything is problematic when it comes to woodworking. Superlatives don’t have a place in the shop.

Surface footage to rpmformula

The advantage of box joints is they’re quick and easy to cut with power tools and a box joint jig. But if you want to make furniture that’ll last thousands of years, maybe go with dovetails.

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Since 6:1 and lower dovetail ratios have a slightly wider wedge shape, they’re often used in softwoods that are more likely to compress under pressure (adding more strength)

That said, I find cutting the tails of your dovetail joint first is easier (and I think the majority of woodworkers would agree with me).

SurfaceFeet per minute Chart

Use the saw to cut the sides of the pins and tails, and the chisel to clear the waste between. A dovetail saw is best — something with crosscut teeth and a rigid back support.

There are a ton of ways to cut dovetail joints with power tools. The problem is these methods involve complex jigs that are either 1) expensive or 2) take a long time to set up.

To tell the difference, look at the sides of the components. The edges of the tails are square to a board’s face (and look like a dove’s tail), while the pins are angled to the board’s face (they look more like end grain trapezoids).

Since the joint only comes apart by sliding the pins into the tails, the idea is to make the pin board the face of the drawer and the tail boards the sides.

Even if the glue fails, the drawer will hold together after repeatedly being pulled out and pushed in. The joint actively resists the pressures put on it.

Because once you understand the mechanics, difficulties, and applications of this joint, you might be more inclined to try cutting a set yourself.

The use of dovetails goes back literally thousands of years. Timber framing, cabinet and chest construction — they were even used by the ancient Egyptians.

Surface footage to rpmconversion chart

But with modern glues, it really comes down to aesthetics. I like 8:1 dovetails because I feel they have a more “hand cut” look. Use whatever angle you like.

100surface footage to rpm

Surface footage to rpmcalculator

When it comes time to trace the tails onto the pin board, you can simply lock the pin board in your vise, lay the tail board on top (a dovetail alignment board makes it easier), and trace away.

But small gaps don’t mean the joint is weak. With glue and a couple tricks of the trade, they’ll still have a ton of holding power and look great.

Well-cut dovetails are capable of attaching boards securely without glue — or if the glue fails. And even semi-ragged dovetails have a lot of holding power.

Surfacefeet per minute Calculator

8:1 and higher ratios have a steeper angle that works well in hardwoods, since these woods aren’t as likely to compress and don’t require as extreme of wedge.

But if you want a fun semi-scientific answer, check out this Bourbon Moth video from my buddy Jason Hibbs. He tests the failing point of a bunch of joinery styles to determine the “strongest” one.

Don’t get me wrong. This is a relatively complex joint that takes time to fit together. But it’s absolutely within the capabilities of anyone who knows how to use a hand saw.

They’re just a really well designed joinery style. And anyone can cut them (though your first couple might look like a 5th grader before braces).

The ratios are derived from a simple rise over run calculation. 1:6 or 6:1 means you move 1 unit of measurement to the side from a starting point and 6 units down. The line between that end point and starting point will be the angle of your tail and pin sides.

Dovetail joints aren’t some incomprehensible sorcery that takes a master craftsman working under a blood moon to execute.

What’s genius about this joint is it can only come together or apart one way — with the pins sliding into the negative space between the tails.

Obviously, the equation is different if you work in a production shop vs do woodworking as a hobby. So figure out what works best for you — and do whatever the heck you want.

My friend Tamar Hannah of 3x3 Custom has a video where she shows how to make a pretty ingenious dovetail jig for the table saw. Definitely worth a watch.

If you want a joint so tight you can’t fit the tip of a knife between the pins and tails — yeah, that takes a lot of skill.

A big part of this is the fact that the joint can only come together one way, which influences how dovetails are used in furniture (more on that in the next FAQ).