Hand-cut dovetails vs. router jig, is the time really worth it?
I spent the last 3 Saturdays building two identical walnut drawers, one with a router jig and one with hand-cut dovetails. The machine version took maybe 40 minutes total layout and cutting, the hand-cut one took me close to 6 hours with the coping saw and chisels. Yeah, the hand-cut joints look sharper up close and my client noticed the difference right away, but the price difference for my labor was over $150 per drawer. I'm honestly torn on what to push for the next commission, does the handcrafted look actually justify the cost for your customers? Or are most of them just looking at the final finish and not the joinery at all?