We are still reeling after the crazy launch of our Boxed Set waitlist last week. As soon as we announced the opening, emails started pouring in to sign up. Thank you all so much. We are making progress on batch number one and will be contacting the first folks on the list when it is 100% complete.
Today, Mike and I assembled the first few boxes of this batch. We cut and chopped the pins, fitted the bottoms, and put the glue to them. Working in 9"-wide, 1/2"-thick white pine makes seating dovetails a bit trickier. This material is so flexible that just because one tail is tight, doesn’t at all mean the others are. The best (and easiest) way to overcome this is to employ an abundance of clamps. On thicker or harder material, this is not necessary – sometimes no clamps are needed! – but petite work like this is benefitted by the extra attention.
No matter how many glue-ups a person does, dry-fitting is always good practice, just to make sure everything can be pulled square and tight. I like to systematically remove the clamps from the dry-fit and stack them next to the disassembled box with the jaws open just the right amount to be able to slip back on. This saves headache and panic when the glue’s still wet.
Since we’ve set the dovetails a hair proud of the stock, we’ll be paring them flush so that we don’t mar the fore-planed surfaces. But that’ll be tomorrow. And then more pins, more glue, and more paring.
I bet these things will be piling up before we know it.
– Joshua