nth or Cornice)
showing application of the Dovetail Joint.]

Some workers, when making either of the above joints, prefer to give a
slight bevel to the dovetail, so that it drives tightly into the housing
when put together.

A variation of this type of dovetail is frequently used to joint internal
uprights to the horizontal shelves of writing desks, cabinets, and
bookcases, etc. The dovetailed portion is parallel for about
three-fourths of its width; the remaining part is tapered towards the
front edge and notched away at the face so as to conceal the method of
construction. An illustration of the top portion of a division 14 ins.
wide is shown at Fig. 284, C. The other portion is of course dovetailed
to fit it.

BLIND LAP-DOVETAILING.--At Fig. 285 is shown a type of blind
lap-dovetailing. This makes a good, sound joint, but it has the
disadvantage of showing a small portion of the timber of the front rail
end-way of the grain. Joints of this kind are used for cornices, boxes,
etc., and also for painted furniture.

[Illustration: Fig. 285.--Blind Lap-Dovetailing.]

[Illustration: Fig. 286.--Housed and Mitred Dovetail.]

HOUSED AND MITRED DOVETAIL.--Fig. 286 is another form of
dovetail--commonly called a housed and mitred or rebated and mitred
dovetail. In this instance we see that a small portion is mitred at top
and bottom edges, and when used in plinth or cornice work, or for making
tea-caddies, etc., the edges are (when completing the work) covered
either with the moulding, which is planted on the cornice or plinth, or
with the top and bottom of the box or tea-caddy.

The method of making a housed and mitred dovetail joint is seen in Fig.
286. The ends to be joined are planed up true and square and then
rebated as shown. The dotted lines indicate the portion which has been
worked away. The dovetails are now sawn and pared out in the usual way
and the part denoted by the arrow is afterwards cut away with a chisel
and finally finished to a smooth surface with a rebate plane; the method
of working is shown at Fig. 287, where the dovetail pins are seen with
the waste portions cut away.

[Illustration: Fig. 287.--Working a Housed and Mitred Dovetail Joint.]

Fig. 287 also shows the method of cutting away the mitred part. A
temporary piece of wood is planed to a true mitre and placed underneath
the dovetailed piece to form a template. Both pieces of the timber are
now secured to the bench with a handscrew or cra