Fig. 287.—Working a Housed and Mitred Dovetail Joint.
[Fig. 287] also shows the method of cutting away the mitred part. A temporary piece of wood is planed to a true mitre and placed underneath the dovetailed piece to form a template. Both pieces of the timber are now secured to the bench with a handscrew or cramp; the template A will form a guide for the chisel and rebate plane and allow a sharp edge or arris to be worked on the mitre.
A Secret Mitred Dovetail joint is illustrated at [Fig. 288]; it is used in all the better class of cabinet and box work. [Fig. 288] shows the pieces separated; note the mitre at the top and bottom edge.
Fig. 288.—Secret Mitre Dovetailing.
Fig. 289.—Dovetailed Keys for Wide Surfaces.
Dovetail Keying.—[Fig. 289] is a method used to prevent wide boards such as signboards, wide and shaped pediments, etc., from casting or warping. It is called dovetail keying. Beyond calling attention to the fact that the angles at the edges of the keys, where they are bevelled, should be at or about 75 degrees, nothing further need be said, as the drawing is self-explanatory. Angle dovetail keying is shown at [Figs. 290 and 291].