Dovetail Spacing Calculator

Calculate pin and tail spacing for hand-cut dovetail joints based on board width and desired ratio.

Results

Visualization

How It Works

Dovetails are the strongest and most decorative corner joint in woodworking. The "tails" look like a dove's tail and interlock with "pins" on the mating board. A 1:6 slope (about 9.5 degrees) is traditional for softwoods, and 1:8 (about 7 degrees) for hardwoods. The half-pin at each edge prevents the joint from sliding apart and provides a clean look.