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One consideration when designing the layout of a through dovetail is the slope or angle of the pins and tails. While tradition dictates using a dovetail ratio of 1:6 or 9° slope for softwood applications and 1:8 or 7° slope for hardwood, the exact ratio or slope used is largely unimportant, as long as angle extremes are avoided. Some makers prefer the pronounced 14° angle produced by a 1:4 ratio, especially when working in thinner stock, as it not only provides stronger material interlock than traditional ratio angles, but produces a slightly exaggerated dovetail joint that many find attractive. The 14° angle is also a close match to that typically found on popular 18th century American period furniture.
Each of these 14° guides is designed to approximate a 1:4 ratio.
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