They say the dovetail is outdated and it's pointless to use it: I think it's not so
This saying that the dovetail is outdated and its use is currently meaningless, sounded at one of the carpentry festivals. This was explained by the fact that modern wood glue is twice as strong as wood.
The compound has a dovetail, in fact more features than just the strong bond that modern wood glue can provide.
Aesthetics. This connection is just beautiful.
Bonding without clamps. The connection is well suited for structures that are difficult to squeeze for gluing, such as these. (scroll through the gallery)
Or another example.
In difficult weather conditions. The dovetail joint works well for garden furniture. In addition to the fact that such a connection will decorate the product, you can do without glue. As, for example, in the photo below. This is part of a bench that has stood outdoors for over 20 years.
Need a short spike. For various reasons, it may be necessary to make a short spike for the connection, and so that this connection does not come apart under any circumstances. In these cases, the dovetail will provide the necessary connection.
When making light softwood stools, I also decided to use a dovetail. This decision paid off. The first such stool has been in use for over 7 years. Children swayed on it, curtains were hung from it, people weighing more than 100 kg were sitting on it. Moreover, the stool is lightweight and can be dragged even with one hand. (scroll through the gallery)
And then there is the sliding dovetail, which is used in the manufacture of countertops.
Also in slab countertops - these are wide longitudinal cuts of a solid section of the trunk - also often use "butterflies" to connect cracks, and this is the same dovetail.
And a creative approach to the use of this connection gives original solutions for wood products, such as these legs at the table.
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Alexander.
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