Reprinted with permission from MLS Machinery, Inc.
Dovetailers come basically in two different categories, you have a French dovetail and the traditional dovetail, which you often see in high end furniture specifically in the drawers of these pieces. A traditional dovetail looks like an interlocking puzzle part where you have a male and a female section which fit together attaching the front of the drawer to the sides.
French dovetails are dovetails that go the full length, E.G. a drawer the male on the sides of the drawer interlock into the full length cut out on the drawer front that is the female. French dovetails are normally made on a machine called a double end tenoner, which is a category to be discussed later.
There are specific machines that are used to make dovetails. Brookman makes a 9, 15 and 21 spindle dovetailer. These machines make the male and the female at the same time so that a perfect match will be created each time. Dodds and Tyler are examples of machines that make French dovetailing machines.
Many drawers today in mass production are drilled and doweled. There are high speed machines that are hopper feed and will drill the face and edge at the same time as well as glue and insert the dowel.
Louver Groover Machines are designed to make louver windows and doors. They cut the slots in the sides of the frames so that the louvers fit into the frame itself. These could possibly be under the category of Door (and window) Manufacturing Machines. Many louvers today are drilled and a pin inserted into the louver itself.
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