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HOW TO BUILD A DOVETAIL DESK WITH WOODWORKING HAND TOOLS (PART FOURTEEN)

By Joshua Farnsworth

In this part of the traditional dovetail desk build video, I attach the desk top with traditional cut nails. Sometimes I also use dowels to attach the top, which is also a great option.

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I cut my southern yellow pine board to overhang the desk by 1/2-inch on the sides and rear, but you can modify this to your liking.

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In my egg beater drill I used a drill bit that was just smaller than my fine finish cut nails. I purchased my cut nails from Tremont (click here… I used Stock #CE4 1-1/2″ length). Be sure that the nail head runs with the grain to prevent splitting. Also, it’s a good idea to not insert the nail too close to the edge of the board. Why are cut nails better than wire nails? You can read this good article from Joel at Tools for Working Wood.

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Be sure to set the nails far enough below the wood’s surface so that your smoothing plane won’t hit the nail. That would be bad.

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In the next two videos I’ll show how to cut breadboard ends to create the hinged lid of the desk. Click here to go back to part 1, if you want to follow me as I build a historic hinged-top desk. Below you’ll find photos and the list of tools that I used to build this desk.

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WOODWORKING HAND TOOLS THAT I USED:

Even though I have a helpful hand tool buying guide (here), I’m still often asked for a list of and links to the tools that I use in my videos, so here is a list of tools that I used in this series of videos on desk building (I also included tools that I used in steps that weren’t covered in the videos):

SPECIALTY:

WORKBENCH:

HAND PLANES:

SAWS:

CHISELS:

MARKING & MEASURING:

MALLETS & HAMMERS:

 

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  1. Build a Dovetail Desk with Hand Tools – Part 1: Dovetail Carcass
  2. Build a Dovetail Desk with Hand Tools – Part 2: Legs
  3. How to Chop Mortises {Part 3 of “Build a Dovetail Desk with Hand Tools”}
  4. How to Clean Mortises {Part 4 of “Build a Dovetail Desk with Hand Tools”}
  5. How to Layout Tenons {Part 5 of “Build a Dovetail Desk with Hand Tools”}
  6. How to Cut Tenon Shoulders {Part 6 of “Build a Dovetail Desk with Hand Tools”}
  7. How to Cut Tenon Cheeks {Part 7 of “Build a Dovetail Desk with Hand Tools”}
  8. How to Square Tenon Cheeks {Part 8 of “Build a Dovetail Desk with Hand Tools”}
  9. How to Fit a Mortise & Tenon {Part 9 of “Build a Dovetail Desk with Hand Tools”}
  10. How to Drawbore Mortise and Tenon Joints {Part 10 of “Build a Dovetail Desk with Hand Tools”}
  11. How to Make Pegs for Drawboring Mortise & Tenon {Part 11 of “Build a Dovetail Desk with Hand Tools”}
  12. How to Make a Through Mortise & Tenon {Part 12 of “Build a Dovetail Desk with Hand Tools”}
  13. How to Attach a Desk Top {Part 13 of “Build a Dovetail Desk with Hand Tools”}
  14. How to Use Traditional Cut Nails {Part 14 of “Build a Dovetail Desk with Hand Tools”}
  15. How to Make Breadboard Ends {Part 15 of “Build a Dovetail Desk with Hand Tools”}
  16. How to Make Breadboard Ends {Part 16 of “Build a Dovetail Desk with Hand Tools”}
  17. The Completed Dovetail Desk! {Part 17 of “Build a Dovetail Desk with Hand Tools”}