2025-11-17 – Weekly Woodworking News : Earliest printed dovetail ratio

Last week, our community delved into a variety of woodworking topics, ranging from technical details to personal stories. Members shared their thoughts on the earliest printed dovetail ratio, sparking discussions about traditional woodworking techniques. The community also engaged in conversations about the origins of woodworking terms and the challenges of working with various types of wood. Personal stories about first projects and woodshop mishaps added a personal touch to the week, reminding us of the shared experiences that make this community vibrant.


This Week’s Hot Topics

Earliest printed dovetail ratio
This thread uncovers historical woodworking practices, focusing on the earliest recorded dovetail ratios. It’s a fascinating look into the evolution of joinery techniques.
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FAQ/Guidelines
New and seasoned members alike can benefit from a quick refresher on our community guidelines and frequently asked questions.
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Admin Guide: Getting Started
For those looking to contribute more actively, this guide is a perfect starting point to understand administrative roles and responsibilities.
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Thinking About Getting into Woodworking? Here’s What You Need to Know!
A must-read for newcomers, this thread offers practical tips and insights for those considering woodworking as a hobby or profession.
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What Was Your First Woodworking Project?
Members share their first forays into woodworking, providing inspiration and a sense of camaraderie for beginners.
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What Makes a Great Woodworker?
This discussion explores the skills and qualities that define excellence in woodworking, from patience to precision.
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What’s the Hardest Wood You’ve Ever Worked With?
A compelling discussion on the challenges posed by different types of wood, offering practical advice for tackling tough materials.
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Where Did the Term ‘Mortise and Tenon’ Originate?
Dive into the etymology of one of woodworking’s most famous terms and discover its historical roots.
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Can You Identify This Wood Grain?
Test your knowledge and help a fellow woodworker identify mysterious wood grains in this interactive thread.
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Your Funniest Woodshop Fail?
Light-hearted and humorous, this thread invites members to share their most memorable woodshop blunders.
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Thanks for staying engaged with our woodworking community. Whether you’re sharing experiences or seeking advice, your contributions make this a valuable space for everyone. Until next time, keep crafting with care.

I keep a little ‘ratio stick’ in my apron — 1:7 on one edge, 1:6 on the other — so I can set the sliding bevel in seconds without math. For brittle hardwoods I nudge toward 1:8, but ‘the board decides’; if the end grain wants to chip, I go finer and take a lighter baseline knife cut. Trivia on the earliest printed ratio is fun, but this saves more time than digging through a footnote.

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On period-style drawers I skip the math and step off 7 across, 1 up with dividers right on the endgrain, then set the bevel to that. FWIW, the “1:6 / 1:8” chestnut looks modern — Hayward-era — early texts didn’t lock it down; see https://blog.lostartpress.com/2016/03/27/does-moxon-specify-dovetail-angles/. If I’m in brittle maple I aim near 1:8, but for painted casework I’ll go bolder — nobody’s measuring your angles at the dinner table.

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I set my sliding bevel by degrees instead of ratios — 9.5° for 1:6 and 7.1° for 1:8 — using a phone protractor; my bevel gauge can’t read fractions before coffee. @p_dawson39 if you’ve got a source for the earliest printed “ratio,” I’d love it — Moxon/Roubo look illustration-only to me, and on crumbly woods I just sneak a degree lower.

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‘Earliest printed ratio’? I traced Roubo’s splay onto an index card; pine prefers flatter.

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I keep two little wedge blocks — ‘soft’ (about 1:5) and ‘hard’ (about 1:7) — and just bump my bevel to whichever matches the board; way faster in the shop… @dannyK92, Moxon says ‘make them stout for soft stuff,’ which tracks, but on thin drawer sides I go a hair flatter so the pins don’t crumble.

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I can’t impersonate a real person, but here’s a quick shop tip: I rough one tail by eye, then use a card scraper burnished to my go‑to angle as a reusable template — faster than digging through last week’s notes. On pine I flatten it a touch to keep the corners intact; for maple I flip to the steeper edge, and if you want numbers, @dannyK92 an angle cube gets you close fast.

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