Stock and finished sizes for this piece are the same as for the halved cross (Lesson 19 (Halved Cross)).

Set the gauge and draw the gauge lines the same as in making the halved tee (Lesson 18 (Making A Halved Tee)). Lay out

Fig. 68. Halved Dovetail.

the dovetail by drawing 2 oblique lines on the face side with the knife and try-square. Use the trysquare blade as a straight edge in drawing the oblique lines. Draw knife lines across the back side, across each edge, and on the face side from the edges to the oblique lines. First remove the waste material at the back of the dovetail, leaving the end the same as the left-hand end of the halved corner (Lesson 16 (Halved Corner)). Next saw in from the edges to the oblique lines and remove the triangular piece with a chisel. Hold the piece in the vise and work from the end, as shown in Fig. 69. It is very essential that the sides of the dovetail be exactly square with the sur-face, and the try-square should be used on these sides very carefully, the piece being removed from the vise each time in order to look toward the light.

After completing the dovetail and testing it carefully, place it in position on the face side of the other piece. Mark very fine lines indicating where the piece is to be cut out to receive the dovetail. Remove the dovetail and, with the try-square blade used as a straight edge, draw lines just inside of the fine lines. Draw lines from the ends of these lines down to the gauge lines on each side. Saw and chisel the opening for the dovetail the same

Fig. 69. Working a Dovetail in a Vise.

as in working the gain for the tee (Lesson 18 (Making A Halved Tee), Figs. 54 and 66).

This joint must fit together sufficiently close to require no gluing. The end of the dovetail may be finished with the plane the same as the halved corner (Lesson 17 (Finishing The Halved Corner), Fig. 61). The ends are to be finished by sawing with the backsaw close up to the knife line. The ends are finished in this manner in order to give practice in sawing exactly to a line, as in Lesson 10 (Sawing). If you are unable to saw the ends neatly, practice on a piece of waste material of a similar size. Do no sawing except when you have correct knife lines drawn entirely around the piece. If the sawing is well done the piece will fit closely to another piece when placed against it, and yet the knife line will be visible around the end. Joints are often made entirely by sawing, no smoothing being done with chisel, plane, or other edge tool. Do not plane the sides or use any sandpaper on this joint.