Architectural Woodworking

You are not logged in. [ Login ] Why log in
(NOTE: Login is not required to post)

Hoffman Dovetail Keys For Moulding

12/14/21       
gary

Hoping to get feedback from anyone using the Hoffman Dovetail Key machine on their bolection moulding for paneled doors ? Looks promising.
Thank you !

12/15/21       #2: Hoffman Dovetail Keys For Moulding ...
Joe Calhoon

I’ve use one for years for both large bolection and small glass beads on doors and windows. It’s a good way to go and keeps the moldings tight. Makes finishing easier for beads on the glass side. And great for joining curves to straight.
I put a Instagram link that shows the process.


View higher quality, full size image (2852 X 3803)


View higher quality, full size image (2800 X 3734)


View higher quality, full size image (2772 X 3696)

https://www.instagram.com/p/CBtp68wD4DS/?utm_medium=copy_link

12/15/21       #3: Hoffman Dovetail Keys For Moulding ...
gary

Joe: Knowing that you use it for those applications says a lot.
Thank you for your input and Merry Christmas up in those mountains !
Gary G.

12/15/21       #4: Hoffman Dovetail Keys For Moulding ...
james e mcgrew  Member

Website: mcgrewwoodwork.com

I have had one for decade plus and have used it far mroe than i expected, recently it earned a new motor !

12/15/21       #5: Hoffman Dovetail Keys For Moulding ...
Fred Frehner

Hi Gary,
We have used them for years as well, everything from mitered hotel mirror frames to bolection moldings on exterior doors.
Key is to have a clean accurate cut on your miters. The Hoffman key won't pull a miter joint together that was cut on a saw with the blade not cutting at 90 deg..

12/15/21       #6: Hoffman Dovetail Keys For Moulding ...
David R Sochar Member

Website: http://www.acornwoodworks.com

Well, I am in the minority - I have never used one.

I am a firm believer in reinforced miter joints, though. Many of our molds are too large and thick to use one (or 2, or 3) of the keys. We typically cut a kerf (or 2, or 3) across the joint and add a well fit spline.

If I had to find fault, I would say I don't like the way any glue would be pushed out of the joint as the key is driven in. Or, I have even heard that there is no glue needed. Arrggghhh! That would prevent sleep for a good long time.


View higher quality, full size image (2592 X 1944)

12/16/21       #7: Hoffman Dovetail Keys For Moulding ...
Joe Calhoon

I don’t think I have ever encountered a door situation where the Hoffman dovetail was not strong enough. My applied moulding always sits on a ledge, not the panel which further adds to the strength. Even on furniture doors. The biggest advantage to the dovetail is clamping of the joint is automatic. Glue does not push out to the finish side through the dovetail joint.


View higher quality, full size image (3030 X 2272)


View higher quality, full size image (3774 X 2830)


View higher quality, full size image (2680 X 3573)

12/16/21       #8: Hoffman Dovetail Keys For Moulding ...
Joe Calhoon

I could not imagine trying to put a complex glazing bead together and clamping with splines like the one in the picture below.
When I feel the need for a spline on a larger mitered frame I usually dovetail the back then cut the groove for the spline with a simple shaper jig.


View higher quality, full size image (2946 X 3929)


View higher quality, full size image (3854 X 2890)

12/16/21       #9: Hoffman Dovetail Keys For Moulding ...
David R Sochar Member

Joe's method of seating the moldings on a 'landing' is one thing that goes a long way to making a superior product. The land gives more glue surface and also reinforces any miter.

We like to assemble our mitered frames with glued and clamped corners. My days as a picture framer solidified the methods we use to clamp moldings. I can see the Hoffman key coming in handy for that.

12/19/21       #10: Hoffman Dovetail Keys For Moulding ...
pat gilbert

The Hoffman for this application works great, but really only this application

12/23/21       #11: Hoffman Dovetail Keys For Moulding ...
BH Davis  Member

Website: http://www.bhdavis.net

Pat,
Are you saying you wouldn't use the Hoffman for unsupported joints? Can you explain further if I'm understanding that correctly?

I have a Hoffman and rarely use it. Not that I don't trust it, just that I never seem to come up with something to do with it. I bought it thinking it would be helpful with the curved mouldings but it really never got used for those. So in the end I brought it home and didn't include it in the sale of the business.

BH Davis

12/23/21       #12: Hoffman Dovetail Keys For Moulding ...
pat gilbert

Mine was the one that tilts. I intended to use it on bevel mitered corners on columns that we did a lot of back then.

It worked ok if you marked out the index lines first but that would be too time consuming. The idea was to set it up with indexing pins.

The problem was that we had to index off the ends which doubled any error in pin locations (as the sides had to be flipped around to join them) and since the Hoffman indexing pins were poorly made it became impossible to line up the dovetail cuts.

We went back to using packing tape

The only thing I found it useful for was the picture frame type mitered moldings above.

Not much bang for the buck

12/23/21       #13: Hoffman Dovetail Keys For Moulding ...
Joe Calhoon

Mitered moulding corners large and small is about all it gets used for in my shop. Nice for window work and doors with glass beads. I did try it on a face frame once. It works but a lot better ways to do that. I do know a shop that uses one for small decorative boxes with mitered corners. They have a system in Germany where large dovetails are used to put windows together with mitered corners using long lengths of moulder scantlings vs the traditional slot and tenon method. I don’t think that ever took off.
Segmented curved parts can be done many ways but are usually fingerjointed here. I could see where the dovetail could work on some of these but prefer finger joints. The Hofmann excels at joining curve moulding to straight though.


View higher quality, full size image (2860 X 3814)


Post a Response
  • Notify me of responses to this thread
  • Subscribe to email updates on this Forum
  • To receive email notification of additions to this forum thread,
    enter your name and email address, and then click the
    "Keep Me Posted" button below.

    Please Note: If you have posted a message or response,
    do not submit this request ... you are already signed up
    to receive notification!

    Your Name:
    E-Mail Address:
    Enter the correct numbers into the field below:
     

    Date of your Birth:



    Return to top of page

    Buy & Sell Exchanges | Forums | Galleries | Site Map

    FORUM GUIDELINES: Please review the guidelines below before posting at WOODWEB's Interactive Message Boards (return to top)

  • WOODWEB is a professional industrial woodworking site. Hobbyist and homeowner woodworking questions are inappropriate.
  • Messages should be kept reasonably short and on topic, relating to the focus of the forum. Responses should relate to the original question.
  • A valid email return address must be included with each message.
  • Advertising is inappropriate. The only exceptions are the Classified Ads Exchange, Machinery Exchange, Lumber Exchange, and Job Opportunities and Services Exchange. When posting listings in these areas, review the posting instructions carefully.
  • Subject lines may be edited for length and clarity.
  • "Cross posting" is not permitted. Choose the best forum for your question, and post your question at one forum only.
  • Messages requesting private responses will be removed - Forums are designed to provide information and assistance for all of our visitors. Private response requests are appropriate at WOODWEB's Exchanges and Job Opportunities and Services.
  • Messages that accuse businesses or individuals of alleged negative actions or behavior are inappropriate since WOODWEB is unable to verify or substantiate the claims.
  • Posts with the intent of soliciting answers to surveys are not appropriate. Contact WOODWEB for more information on initiating a survey.
  • Excessive forum participation by an individual upsets the balance of a healthy forum atmosphere. Individuals who excessively post responses containing marginal content will be considered repeat forum abusers.
  • Responses that initiate or support inappropriate and off-topic discussion of general politics detract from the professional woodworking focus of WOODWEB, and will be removed.
  • Participants are encouraged to use their real name when posting. Intentionally using another persons name is prohibited, and posts of this nature will be removed at WOODWEB's discretion.
  • Comments, questions, or criticisms regarding Forum policies should be directed to WOODWEB's Systems Administrator
    (return to top).

    Carefully review your message before clicking on the "Send Message" button - you will not be able to revise the message once it has been sent.

    You will be notified of responses to the message(s) you posted via email. Be sure to enter your email address correctly.

    WOODWEB's forums are a highly regarded resource for professional woodworkers. Messages and responses that are crafted in a professional and civil manner strengthen this resource. Messages that do not reflect a professional tone reduce the value of our forums.

    Messages are inappropriate when their content: is deemed libelous in nature or is based on rumor, fails to meet basic standards of decorum, contains blatant advertising or inappropriate emphasis on self promotion (return to top).

    Libel:   Posts which defame an individual or organization, or employ a tone which can be viewed as malicious in nature. Words, pictures, or cartoons which expose a person or organization to public hatred, shame, disgrace, or ridicule, or induce an ill opinion of a person or organization, are libelous.

    Improper Decorum:   Posts which are profane, inciting, disrespectful or uncivil in tone, or maliciously worded. This also includes the venting of unsubstantiated opinions. Such messages do little to illuminate a given topic, and often have the opposite effect. Constructive criticism is acceptable (return to top).

    Advertising:   The purpose of WOODWEB Forums is to provide answers, not an advertising venue. Companies participating in a Forum discussion should provide specific answers to posted questions. WOODWEB suggests that businesses include an appropriately crafted signature in order to identify their company. A well meaning post that seems to be on-topic but contains a product reference may do your business more harm than good in the Forum environment. Forum users may perceive your references to specific products as unsolicited advertising (spam) and consciously avoid your web site or services. A well-crafted signature is an appropriate way to advertise your services that will not offend potential customers. Signatures should be limited to 4-6 lines, and may contain information that identifies the type of business you're in, your URL and email address (return to top).

    Repeated Forum Abuse: Forum participants who repeatedly fail to follow WOODWEB's Forum Guidelines may encounter difficulty when attempting to post messages.

    There are often situations when the original message asks for opinions: "What is the best widget for my type of shop?". To a certain extent, the person posting the message is responsible for including specific questions within the message. An open ended question (like the one above) invites responses that may read as sales pitches. WOODWEB suggests that companies responding to such a question provide detailed and substantive replies rather than responses that read as a one-sided product promotion. It has been WOODWEB's experience that substantive responses are held in higher regard by our readers (return to top).

    The staff of WOODWEB assume no responsibility for the accuracy, content, or outcome of any posting transmitted at WOODWEB's Message Boards. Participants should undertake the use of machinery, materials and methods discussed at WOODWEB's Message Boards after considerate evaluation, and at their own risk. WOODWEB reserves the right to delete any messages it deems inappropriate. (return to top)


  • Forum Posting Help
    Your Name The name you enter in this field will be the name that appears with your post or response (return to form).
    Your Website Personal or business website links must point to the author's website. Inappropriate links will be removed without notice, and at WOODWEB's sole discretion. WOODWEB reserves the right to delete any messages with links it deems inappropriate. (return to form)
    E-Mail Address Your e-mail address will not be publicly viewable. Forum participants will be able to contact you using a contact link (included with your post) that is substituted for your actual address. You must include a valid email address in this field. (return to form)
    Subject Subject may be edited for length and clarity. Subject lines should provide an indication of the content of your post. (return to form)
    Thread Related Link and Image Guidelines Thread Related Links posted at WOODWEB's Forums and Exchanges should point to locations that provide supporting information for the topic being discussed in the current message thread. The purpose of WOODWEB Forums is to provide answers, not to serve as an advertising venue. A Thread Related Link that directs visitors to an area with inappropriate content will be removed. WOODWEB reserves the right to delete any messages with links or images it deems inappropriate. (return to form)
    Thread Related File Uploads Thread Related Files posted at WOODWEB's Forums and Exchanges should provide supporting information for the topic being discussed in the current message thread. Video Files: acceptable video formats are: .MOV .AVI .WMV .MPEG .MPG .MP4 (Image Upload Tips)   If you encounter any difficulty when uploading video files, E-mail WOODWEB for assistance. The purpose of WOODWEB Forums is to provide answers, not to serve as an advertising venue. A Thread Related File that contains inappropriate content will be removed, and uploaded files that are not directly related to the message thread will be removed. WOODWEB reserves the right to delete any messages with links, files, or images it deems inappropriate. (return to form)
    Doucet Machinery
    Sponsors

    Become a Sponsor today!