While I was making my new "how to do it" DVDs I was showing how to do this and it occurred to me that I hadn't said too much about this part on the plans and instructions. So... here it is, I think you snake and lizard makers will like this! Scroll clear to the bottom for another pretty good tip for the eyes!

Take a look at the 2 different lizard tails, an old one of mine and one of my newer ones.

Here's another view, you could just sand the old one down, get a shorter tail but better looking.

But this new way enables you to get the length you want on a lizard, snake, gator, whatever. When you draw your rear taper lines on the wood blank, leave a 1/2 inch wide gap on the top, also make the side 1/2" tall rather than clear down.

Notice how wide after the cuts. When you sand the body, just leave it wide till you finish all the puzzle cuts

Okay, down to the last cut, notice how you can get a lot closer to the end.

Now cut and sand to the shape you want, quite a bit nicer, huh?