Just counted my dovetail pins for the first time in years

I was cleaning up my bench after a big job and found a box of old practice joints from when I started. I sat down and counted them, and I hit over 500 dovetails total. It hit me that I've cut that many just trying to get it right, not even counting the real projects. The first fifty were so rough I almost gave up, but around number 300, my hand just knew the angle. Now I can cut a clean set in maple in about twenty minutes without even thinking. When did you all feel like a specific skill finally clicked for you?

3 comments

3 Comments

janarivera2mo ago

My dovetails still look like a toddler drew them.

patriciam512mo ago

Lol I feel that "toddler drew them" thing. My first try looked like a beaver chewed the wood. I just kept practicing on scrap pine until my hands got the hang of it.

matthewharris2mo ago

Honestly though, does it really matter if they're perfect? As long as the joint holds.