LogoDovetail
Geometric hardwood dining table with eight seats, afternoon shadows cast across poured concrete floor, single orange peel on surface for scale
DovetailEst. 2019 · Portland, OR
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Commission Studio

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// Design Process

Every piece starts as a pencil argument with a protractor.

We sketch directly on kraft paper — angles first, wood second. The geometry is the brief. When the proportions argue back, we know we're close.

67.5°Primary joint angle — splay of leg-to-apron
22.5°Dovetail pin taper — hand-cut, never routed
45°Miter at corner blocks — the hidden geometry
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← for scale
// Layer Two

The wood chooses the angle.

Three species. Three personalities. Each harvested from named forests with documented chain of custody — because the story of the wood is part of the piece.

Close-up of black walnut wood grain showing rich chocolate brown tones

Black Walnut

Juglans nigra

OriginAppalachian Region, USA
ForestSustainably harvested, FSC-certified Pennsylvania woodlots
GrainStraight to wavy

"Chocolate heartwood, fine straight grain, works like a dream under a hand plane."

White ash wood grain showing pale cream tones with pronounced open grain pattern

White Ash

Fraxinus americana

OriginGreat Lakes Region, USA
ForestSelect urban salvage + managed Michigan stands
GrainCoarse, pronounced

"Pale cream to light brown, bold open grain — takes stain like watercolor on cold press."

Hard maple wood surface showing fine close grain and creamy white coloration

Hard Maple

Acer saccharum

OriginVermont & Quebec, North America
ForestCertified sustainable maple syrup co-op thinnings, Vermont
GrainFine, close

"Creamy white to light reddish-brown. Bird's eye figure available. The quiet one that holds everything together."

All species available in natural, oiled, or hand-rubbed wax finish. We do not use polyurethane.

FSC Certified Supply Chain
joint
// Layer Three — Craft

Cut to the degree.
Never routed.

Every dovetail pin is hand-cut with a Japanese pull saw and a bevel-edge chisel. The geometry is a geometry textbook. The execution is a conversation between maker and wood.

exploded
47cuts

Per standard dovetail joint

0.2mm

Tolerance on hand-fit pins

8–12weeks

From commission to delivery

3species

Walnut, ash, maple

The hand is the machine.

Gyokucho 372 Ryoba

Rip and crosscut — the saw that starts every joint

Lie-Nielsen #4 Bench

Flattening and final surface prep before finishing

Blue Spruce Bevel Chisels

Paring the pins to final fit — no mallet, just pressure

Veritas Marking Gauge

Scribing the baseline — the line you never cross

You've seen the sketch, the wood, and the joint. Now let's talk about your piece.

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// Layer Four — Life

The object, fully real.

Geometric walnut dining table in a light-filled modern living room, afternoon sun casting hard shadows across concrete floor, styled with minimal ceramic objects

Commission No. 047

Dining Table, 8-seat

American Black Walnut · Natural Oil

2100 × 950 × 740mm

Delivered · Portland, OR

"This is the table my grandchildren will inherit."

— Margaret H., Portland client, 2025

Walnut coffee table with geometric triangular legs in a styled living room setting

Coffee Table · Ash

No. 031
Maple side table with splayed geometric legs casting afternoon shadows on concrete floor

Side Table · Maple

No. 038
Geometric bookshelf in walnut with triangular joinery details visible

Shelving Unit · Walnut

No. 041

Your piece is already waiting to be drawn.

We take four commissions per quarter. Two spots remain for Q3 2026. The configurator takes twelve minutes. The table lasts a hundred years.

Q3 2026 Commissions2 spots open

2 of 4 quarterly slots filled

Starting investmentFrom $4,800
Lead time8–12 weeks
DeliveryWhite-glove, nationwide
Start Your CommissionBrowse the Workshop Catalog