it half-way
through the timber. The drawer side is now turned over, the operation
repeated, and the core pushed out. Care must be exercised whilst cutting
away the core to ensure the chisel being held nearly perpendicular; if
too much lead (or bevel) be given, a faulty and undercut dovetail will be
the result. Undercut dovetails prevent a proper grip of the glue; they
give a weak joint, and often cause the face of the drawer side to be
splintered whilst driving up the joint. If it be necessary to ease one or
two shavings from off the drawer side whilst fitting the completed drawer
in the carcase, the joint will show a greater gap as each succeeding
shaving is removed.

In common work, especially in soft timbers, many workers allow the pins
of a drawer back to run through the sides about 1/16 in. and hammer down
the pins of the dovetail. This is called "bishoping the dovetails," and
is unnecessary if the work be properly made and fitted.

An alternative method of dovetailing is that of cutting the dovetails
first, as shown at Fig. 283. Four or six drawer sides are placed in the
vice and the dovetails are sawn at one operation. A little lead (or
bevel) from front to back is given whilst sawing, and if this method be
used care must be taken to see that the parts of the drawer sides which
will be on the inside of the completed drawer are towards the worker, or
the lead will be given to the dovetails in the wrong direction.

[Illustration: Fig. 283.--Cutting several Dovetails at once.]

After sawing the dovetails in this manner the sides are placed in their
respective positions on the drawer fronts or backs, and marked with a
pounce-bag or by using the saw-blade method. The pins are then cut in the
usual way, care being taken that the saw kerf be on the outside of the
marks, otherwise the pins will finish too slack to engage with the tails.

FRAME DOVETAILS.--Fig. 284 is a sketch of a constructional frame such as
is used for building up a cornice or plinth. At the joint marked A an
edge barefaced dovetail is shown. From the separated sketches of the
joint (B) it will be seen that the dovetail can be put together either
from the top or the bottom of the framing as all its edges are parallel;
glue is relied upon to hold it in position. The centre stretcher rail at
Fig. 284 is similar, except that in this case it is a complete dovetail
in place of a barefaced one.

[Illustration: Fig. 284.--Constructional Frame (as for Pli