Dovetails to assm. boards for raised garden

[Dave]

I just got done making a raised garden, and it was work! The biggest problem was the final assm. of the end pieces to the long pieces with the 4x4 attached with structural screws.

Went to Home Depot and saw the kits and how they use dovetails in the

4x4's and on the end of the boards (see below). I would like to do this as well. My question is how do I route the dovetails on the long end of the boards? A router table wont work for a 6' or longer board. Any ideas?

4"x4"x2' 2"x 10"x10' --------

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Dave,

[Scott Lurndal]

Mallet and Chisel.

[Dave]

Wow, you are hard core! :-)

Dave,

[Scott Lurndal]

Pretty much any handsaw would also work for cutting the tails. Chisel is ideal for the socket.

[Michael]

A coping saw can take care of a lot of the work as well.

[Scott Lurndal]

Well, IIRC, the OP was using construction lumber (e.g. 2-by and 4-by stock), for which the coping saw may not be the best choice. He's not making fine furniture.

[Jerry Osage]

That's the way I would do it - handsaw for the tails.

I would cut the socket on the TS. Cut the angles, then a few straight cuts down the center - then it's chisel time.

If I didn't want the sockets to run the entire length of the 4x4 I would cut some tails on the TS to fill the slots where I didn't want slots

[Keith Nuttle]

I assume these are landscape timbers at least 4 X 4 or 4 X 6 Though with a little more care I believe it could be done on a 2 x 6, etc. May be make a jig for the saw to give additional support that could be quickly clamped to the timber..

I believe the easiest way would be to carefully set your skil saw to a

45 angle. Mark the neck of the dove tail carefully and then cut one side of the dove tail by gone one way through the board, and reverse the saw and come the other way for the other side. Think it through as you could get some anti dovetails.

After the side cuts are made make a series of cuts throught the was area and take the chips out with a chisel.

[Dave]

The materials are 4 of 4x4's for the corner posts, and either 3 of 2"x6" per side, or 2 of 2"x8" per side. The end of each 2"x would have a sliding dovetail - 16 to 24 dovetails! While I don't disagree with the methods proposed here, it is too much time and effort. That is why I asked about the use of routers or other methods. Also, I don't have a table saw, so some of the cuts proposed would lack the accuracy needed.

If you are interested, the plan can be found at:

Design #4

Dave,

[Brewster]

I'd just use a jig saw for the tenon pieces and a large drill but to hog out the sockets then refine the angles with a chisel. Any gaps will fill up with crud in no time at all being used outside 8^)

-BR