Gauge lines on dovetails

Paul,

I'm playing along at home with your book and dvd's.

I notice that you're using the marking gauge for laying out mortises but not for scribing the layout for dovetails.

Your thoughts on the use of a marking or cutting gauge for dovetails would be appreciated.

PS I'm having a ball doing this!

Thanks,

Craig

Hello Craig,

I go against the flow and tradition for this. I think gauge lines are dead ugly except on what might b called vernacular pieces. They are basically bruised wood. On the finest hand work I rarely saw marking gauge lines and so I prefer my knifewall method, which eliminates the need for gauges and guarantees crisp, clean-cut shoulder lines. This is the only method I teach and everyone seems to like it once they do it. Many mass manufacturers now go over their machine joints and so too small makers using routers to falsely represent hand made with gauge lines. I don't mind traditionalists continuing the practice but I look for no gauge methods when I look for quality.

Paul