Which combination of tools is commonly used to make drawers with dovetails?

• A. Dovetail template and a hand saw
• B. Dovetail template and a router
• C. Router without template
• D. Table saw with a dovetail bit

Answer: (B)

Dovetails are angled joints that must fit together precisely, so you want a setup that guides the cutting along a proven pattern. A dovetail template provides the exact shapes and spacing for the tails and pins, and a router follows that pattern to remove material quickly and accurately. Using the template with a router lets you reproduce identical joints across drawers, which is essential for both fit and appearance. It also makes it practical to cut multiple drawers with consistent results and less manual effort than hand-cutting each joint.

Using a hand saw with a template is possible, but it’s slower and requires more manual skill to achieve the same repeatable precision. Routing without any guide risks losing the correct geometry and alignment, leading to poorly fitting joints. A table saw with a dovetail bit can work, but it typically needs a specialized jig and is less common for traditional drawer dovetails.