Dovetails in Development
Cason t -
Hello!
Throughout the week, I made some progress on creating the chessboard. I started by purchasing an 8ft 2×4 from Home Depot. With my mentor’s help, we cut the wood into 2ft boards to form the border of the prototype.
She introduced me to tools I could use to make dovetails, including a hammer & chisel, and several saws. Although most of the saws she gave me were too dull to cut the wood efficiently, I gained a clearer understanding of which tools I’ll need for the project and received valuable insights on making dovetails.
While using the chisel, the wood often split further than intended because the dull saws couldn’t make guiding cuts. This is because the chisel was going along the grain. Another thing I learned with the chisel is that it also dents the wood going across the grain, which can make it look messy. Recently, I purchased a coping saw, which allowed me to complete a very rough dovetail. However, some inaccuracies in measurements and poor cuts from dull tools made the joint loose. Despite this, the joint maintained its shape, which shows potential for the final design, using the new coping saw. I plan to create another dovetail to refine my technique.
My mentor and I also discussed using clay for the chess pieces. She suggested air-dry clay since it doesn’t require a kiln and is better for sculpting. Additionally, she recommended it because I can paint the pieces instead of glazing them for color. When I work on the pieces, I’ll follow her advice.
I have quite the workout ahead of me sawing all of the wood.
The first image is my first attempt at a dovetail and the second is the coping saw I purchased.
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