# Magnetic dovetail cutting guides



## Ray Newman (Mar 9, 2009)

Colleagues: on another board there was a thread about magnetic dovetail guides for hand cutting dovetails. ‘Sorta’ caught my curiosity ‘bout the gizmos.

Mentioned in the thread were guides from Highland Hardware and Lee Valley:

David Barron Magnetic Dovetail Saw Guide
Veritas® Dovetail Saw Guide System - Lee Valley Tools

Of course, the videos make it look easy to cut dovetails with one of these. 

Has anyone here cut dovetails with one and how did it work out?


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

no...
didn't even know the existed till now...


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## Ray Newman (Mar 9, 2009)

Stick, that’s at least two us. 

Interesting concept if it works. I can see it being especially handy for small projects or one-of when a dovetail jig would take too much time to set up, do test cuts, etc.

In the past, several times I tried to hand cut dovetails, the results were way less than satisfactory. In my case, I think the back of the wheelchair interferes with the line up and swing of the saw.


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## DesertRatTom (Jul 3, 2012)

I like the looks of that for hand cut dovetails. I'd like to try that out before popping for fifty bucks. I imagine this is a very low volume tool and very expensive to have made, so the price isn't bad, if it does the job. I love watching guys who can do hand cut dovetails as if they were nothing.


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## vindaloo (May 30, 2009)

You could always make your own

*Make a magnetic dovetail guide*


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## Ray Newman (Mar 9, 2009)

Vindaloo: thanks for the link!


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## old55 (Aug 11, 2013)

Thanks Angie.


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## MikeMa (Jul 27, 2006)

I tried a shop made one a couple times. It honestly got in the way more than it helped. For learning to hand cut dovetails, your best bet is to practice, and make lots of book-ends. You will be surprised at how quick you get used to holding the saw at the correct angle to follow your layout lines.

Lets assume you are cutting Tails first. (Though this works if cutting pins first as well) The real secret to cutting hand-cut dovetails isn't being real precise on the initial cuts of the tails. The most important thing is to not go too far down (which these guides won't prevent anyway). When transferring the cut lines from the tail board to the pin board, use pencil. When cutting the pins, make sure you leave the pencil line, even if you are off, make sure you are off in a way that leaves the pencil lines. Once you have cleared out the waste material, you can use chisels to fine tune the cut, down to the pencil line. As long as the pencil line is there, you will have a good fit.


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## Bodger96 (Mar 18, 2014)

I have used the Lee Valley one and I made up some home made ones to show my students that they did not need to spend the money. I also let them know that just like sharpening guide you really don't need it.

Regards Bob


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## Oberon_1 (Nov 14, 2015)

I don't know. Maybe guides give some folks more confidence. (There is also another, cheaper guide by "Katz Moses"). Anyway, as mentioned above, my real problem with hand cut dovetails, was not the angled cut, as much as waste removal and cutting the bottom line. I rarely got a nice, leveled line for all the tails. And of course, no guide helps with that. 
Another difficulty I encountered, was making accurate markings with the pencil. The saw-blade kerf, as well as pencil width, were my obstacles when cutting nice looking dovetails.


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## DesertRatTom (Jul 3, 2012)

Ran across a Paul Sellers video on how he hand-cuts dovetails. This is the first of two parts, the second will show up at the end of the first. He cuts the basic lines on a matching piece of material to the final piece. This becomes a template for the other pieces, for both pins and tails. Long video, but you see the whole thing. The man has SHARP tools!


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## Robert Starkey (Aug 26, 2016)

I have the Lee Valley unit. The saw is made with very fine teeth. It takes a while to cut a single side of a dove tail, slow cutting. The saw does not harm the sheet of film between the strong magnet and the blade of the saw. Still I have not got a good looking dovetail. I have gone back to looking at Incra and Porter Cable dovetail jigs.


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

Welcome to the forum Robert and thanks for your input.


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

Welcome to your new 2nd home Robert...


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## DesertRatTom (Jul 3, 2012)

@Robert Starkey Hi Robert, glad you've joined the fun. Consider one of the router table top jigs. The older jigs that use a freehand router are tricky. I have and like the Sommerfeld Katey Jig, but there are several others. Here's a link. Others will be along to suggest the others, I am sure


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## tomp913 (Mar 7, 2014)

A little off-topic but I have become a big fan of the Japanese pull-style saws. I bought this saw and magnetic guide https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000U6T0GO/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 after I sold my radial arm saw, mostly for quick cuts while I was in the middle of a project. I was surprised at how accurately it cuts, and the included saw cuts fast and leaves a very smooth finish.


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## DesertRatTom (Jul 3, 2012)

@tomp913 I have a Dozuki pull saw, about 14 inches long with a stiffener on top, and replaceable blades that I really love to use. Very accurate and surgically sharp. Have to be careful about bringing it to a stop in time because it cuts as a knife through butter. I use it to cut off overhanging splines on mitered corners. Never seems to nick the surrounding wood.


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