#dovetails

Plans

An antique painted Shaker blanket chest with a lift lid and a drawer below

Expert

Dovetailed Blanket Chest

An heirloom chest with hand-cut through-dovetails, a mitered base, and a breadboard-end lid. Case 36" × 18" × 18".

Time35–60 hours over several weeks
Est. cost$150–$550

Tips

A close-up of a finished through-dovetail joint in light-colored birch

Expert October 7, 2026

Hand-Cut Dovetails: A Practical Workflow

Tails-first layout, sawing to the line, chopping clean baselines, and transferring accurately — a dependable method for through-dovetails.