Hand-cut dovetails remain the mark of the skilled cabinetmaker and a feature that buyers look for in high-end furniture. Veritas has developed a guide and saw system that lets amateurs achieve professional results. The system also allows the seasoned expert to produce dovetail joints more quickly and with less effort.
The Veritas dovetail guides, which clamp in position, hold the saw at the correct place and the correct angle for a perfect cut. 3/4" rare-earth magnets embedded in the anodized aluminum guide and covered with a layer of low-friction UHMW plastic keep the saw perfectly aligned as you cut. You still have to chop out waste from the tails and pins, but the detailed instructions give you tips on how to do this quickly and accurately.
Clamping capacity of the guides covers material from 1/4" to 1" thick. They come in the traditional ratios of 1:6 and 1:8, for softwood and hardwood respectively; however, as a result of modern glues, there is nothing stopping you from using either ratio on your choice of wood. You can also create an interesting variation by using both in a single joint.
The guides can be used with any backless saw that has approximately 0.005" of tooth set, but work best with the Veritas dovetail saw that has been designed specifically for them. The 2" × 8 1/2" blade has 22 tpi and 0.005" of tooth set. The dozuki tooth form is effective in both crosscuts and rip cuts.
Patented. Guides made in Canada.