Oh dovetail my dovetail, you're so strenghthy and good
you're my absolute favorite, to cut in to wood
I'll cut out the tails, and then on to the pins
for the other way round, 'tis a capital sin
I'll fix them right up, with a chisel I'll pare
they're now mostly square, I’ll call good enough
This dovetail joint thing, who said it's so tough
good golly I'm sunk, my saw it did swerve
the line is all gone, it's a major mishap
perhaps now some sawdust, to fill in the gap
to by lots of tools, to banish the slow
these tools are not ready? I'm so mad I'll spit
don't give me that line, they're only a kit (2)
dry clamping's for kids, I never screw up
I'm only half clamped, there's tons to do yet
but it's 8 minutes later, and the glue it has set
ten mallet whacks later, both sides of it meet
but a fissure has formed, some call it a crack
of course the solution, is to paint the thing black!
you've kicked my behind, and you’ve made me look dumb
I've struggled the struggle, I've seen highs and lows
but next time for sure, I'll use dominoes
<<A few notes that might clarify things for the non-CFC crowd>>
(1) The Center for Furniture Craftsmanship is just down the road from Lie-Neilsen Toolworks.
(2) Peter Korn has a saying that when you buy a tool it's not really a tool but more of tool kit--it must be tuned up before it's a tool