When you have finished cutting the dovetails into the box, you are going to cut the top off of the box to make the lid. Up until now we have just had a box. In Pictures #29 and #30 you can see that I have made the front and back cuts.
Be sure you have your saw set at the correct distance from the fence so that you cut between the first two dovetails.
Picture #29
Picture #30
In Picture #31 notice that there is a sliver of wood that is the width of the saw blade in the cut to hold it open. If you do not do this, the box will close up on the ends onto the saw blade when you make the side cuts.
Picture #31
Picture #32 shows that you now have a box with a top, a drawer cavity, and holes for the dovetail wedges.
Picture #32
Wedges for the Mock Dovetails
The next step is to cut the wedges from a piece of wood to put in the dovetail holes that you cut in the box. This is done on the table saw and
you must be very careful.If you cannot hook your little finger over the fence so that you do not accidentally move your hand into the path of the saw blade while you are cutting then, at a minimum, keep two fingers on the fence. You can see this in Picture #33, below.
Picture #33
Picture #34 shows you that I have cut one side of the wedge and shows you the angle of the saw blade before I begin cutting the other edge. (I will move the fence back in before I begin my cut.) Notice that you only need to cut one long wedge. You will then cut the small individual dovetail wedges from that piece.
Picture #34
Picture #35 shows you a sample wedge.
Picture #35
Insert and glue your wedges into the routed dovetail holes.
Picture #36
Up until now, the box has just been loosely held together. The wedges are placed with glue, and they will provide the box the strength and stability that it needs.
Picture #37
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