Veritas Dovetail Markers

The 1:6 marker suits softwood, where a shallower slope resists splitting along the grain, while the 1:8 marker suits hardwood, where a steeper angle isn't needed for strength and gives a slightly finer look. These Veritas dovetail markers come as set of two, so you always have the ratio suited to the material on hand.

Hold the marker so the ledge rides flush along the reference face, then scribe along the angled edge to mark the slope. Flip the marker over to lay out the mirror-image slope on the other side of the joint.

Yes, a single 14° marker (approximating a 1:4 ratio) is available separately; it gives a stronger material interlock and a slightly more exaggerated dovetail joint than the 1:6 or 1:8 ratios in this pair.

They're made from anodized aluminum, which keeps each marker light in the hand and resistant to the dings and corrosion that a softer metal would pick up in regular shop use.