Woodworking Techniques for Dovetail Joinery
A course by Helen WelchWoodworker and Head Instructor at the London School of Furniture Making
A course by Helen Welch, Woodworker and Head Instructor at the London School of Furniture Making
Learn woodworking techniques to cut, sand, and assemble wooden pieces with classic dovetail joints
If experience has taught Helen Welch anything, it is that a few good tools and a solid technique will save your day. She started her career as a joiner and later as a guitar maker. But her true passion has always been passing on her extensive knowledge of her trade to students. Thus, in 2013 Helen founded the London School of Furniture, where she has taught ever since.
Now, in this online course, she teaches you a classic woodworking tactic – the dovetail. They are used to create strong, attractive joints for a range of items, including boxes, cabinets, and drawers. The technique is a mark of quality and skill of the maker. As a tool lover at heart, Helen takes you through all the materials you’ll need to get started and how to use them before crafting your dovetailed box. Once you’ve mastered the method, you can bring it to your other furniture-making endeavors!
What will you learn in this online course?
18 lessons & 17 downloads
Tools and Materials
11 minutes, 38 seconds
Marking Systems
2 minutes, 37 seconds
Dovetails 1
14 minutes, 59 seconds
Dovetails 2
12 minutes, 6 seconds
Grooves
3 minutes, 43 seconds
Cutting the Joints 1
16 minutes, 6 seconds
What's included in this course?
To start this course, get to know a bit about your teacher. Helen Welch has decades of experience working as a woodworker, a guitar maker, and an educator. She is passionate about passing on her skills and knowledge – and has opened her own furniture-making school in her native London.
Next, Helen introduces you to the final project – which will be a dovetailed box. She will take you through all the essential materials you need to pull it off, as well as best practices for cutting dovetails and groves.
Then it’s time for your box to start taking shape. You create 4 dovetail parts, sand them off and get assembling. Helen shows you how to make a lid that fits and how to apply the finish to top it off.
Finally, Helen expands on the dovetail technique and explains other ways you can use it in furniture making. You look at a cabinet carcass, examine the construction of its drawers, and then illustrate how scaling up your dovetails can expand your creative possibilities.
What is this course's project?
A dovetailed box with a pivot hinge lid.
Who is this online course for?
This course is for DIY enthusiasts of all levels, from absolute beginners to experienced crafters.
Requirements and materials
Timber, glue, brass rod, finishing products, and other basic woodworking tools and materials.
Reviews
- 2 months ago
Great course. I really liked Helen’s calm and clear teaching style. Her many helpful tips along the way are extremely useful. They give you a solid foundation in this wonderful craft. Plus, her English is very easy to understand. I would definitely recommend this course to anyone.
- 5 months ago
Jestem bardzo zadowolony z poziomu kursu.
- 5 months ago
Excelente curso. Muy bien explicado.
- 8 months ago
very well done, and explained
- 10 months ago
Bel corso! Bravissima Insegnate! Ideale per imparare o ripassare alcune fondamenta della falegnameria!
Helen Welch is a woodworker from London with decades of experience. She started her career as an apprentice carpenter before moving to guitar making. Eventually, she found her passion in teaching. After teaching at the London Metropolitan University, in 2013, Helen founded the London School of Furniture Making. There, she has created a space where both beginners and more experienced makers alike can learn the fundamental skills for success in their woodworking through short but intensive introductory workshops. She’s had the opportunity to take her woodworking expertise to television as well, having served as a judge on Handmade: Britain’s Best Woodworker.
Content
- U1
Introduction
- About Me
- Influences
- U2
Preparation
- Tools and Materials
- Marking Systems
- Dovetails 1
- Dovetails 2
- Grooves
- U3
Making a Dovetailed Box
- Cutting the Joints 1
- Cutting the Joints 2
- Cutting the Joints 3
- Surface Preparation and Assembly
- Making the Lid 1
- Making the Lid 2
- Fitting the Lid
- Surface Preparation of the Lid and Outside Faces 1
- Surface Preparation of the Lid and Outside Faces 2
- U4
Finishing Touches and Other Dovetail Constructions
- Finishing the Box
- Carcase and Drawer Construction and Half-Lap Dovetails
- FP
Final project
- Woodworking Techniques for Dovetail Joinery
What to expect from a Domestika course
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Learn valuable methods and techniques explained by top experts in the creative sector.
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FAQs
Yes, this course is designed for intermediate woodworkers who want to deepen their skills in joinery, handwork techniques, and furniture design, especially focusing on dovetail box construction and advanced craftsmanship.
You'll need quality woodworking tools such as saws, chisels, a marking gauge, plough plane, sanding blocks, and suitable timber like boxwood. The course guides you in selecting essential tools and choosing the right materials for dovetail box construction.
You will learn precise joinery techniques, especially dovetails, how to measure and mark accurately, select and use high-quality tools, work with various materials, and finish wooden boxes professionally, drawing inspiration from modernist furniture and Nakashima design.
Yes, the course provides step-by-step instruction on cutting dovetail joints by hand, including marking, sawing, chiseling, and fitting for strong and visually appealing joinery.
The course teaches you how to select suitable timbers by analyzing properties such as grain, color, and stability, ensuring optimal results for dovetail box construction.
Absolutely. The course places strong emphasis on accurate marking and measuring, teaching techniques to avoid compound errors and ensure precision in joinery projects.
Yes, the course explores combining different materials like wood, glass, and brass for creative, functional designs in box making and studio furniture.