Dovetail Layout Calculator

Lay out pin and tail spacing, slope ratio, and baseline depth for hand-cut dovetails.

Across the end grain
Narrowest visible part of each pin
1:6 softwood · 1:8 hardwood · 1:12 decorative

At face (widest extent)

Tail width1 5/16"Wide part, at board face
Pin width3/16"Narrow part, at board face
Half-pin at edges1/8"Each corner

At baseline (depth = 3/4")

Tail narrows to1 1/8"Tight against pin shoulders
Pin widens to3/8"At baseline depth
Bevel angle7.1°1:8 slope — set sliding bevel

Tail board face — dark = tail, light = pin/half-pin

Mark the baseline at 3/4" on both boards. Set a sliding bevel to 7.1°. Cut tails first, then scribe pins from the tail board directly — never transfer measurements for pins.

How the layout works

The board is divided into N equal sections. Each section holds one tail plus one pin width, giving a spacing of W ÷ N. Half-pins sit at each edge, each half the width of a full pin.

The slope controls how steeply the sides of the tails angle in. A 1:8 ratio (hardwood standard) means 1 unit of rise for every 8 units of run — set a sliding bevel to the calculated angle, or use a dedicated dovetail marker.

  • 1:5 — aggressive slope, decorative / softwood boxes
  • 1:6 — softwood furniture standard
  • 1:8 — hardwood standard, most common
  • 1:12 — subtle slope, dense exotics

Always cut tails first, then scribe the pins directly from the tail board — never transfer measurements. This ensures a perfect fit regardless of small saw deviations.