Sliding dovetails for cabinet constuction?

Drugstore Cowboy

Current project is a tall narrow cabinet 66"Hx25"Wx13"D
It will have a combination of fixed shelves and narrow drawers.

TYPICALLY I have always just cut straight stop dadoes for the shelves etc and secured them with either finish nails or countersunk screws concealed with plugs.

Have a notion (a wild hair?) this time to use sliding dovetails instead of dadoes.
My thinking is that this will provide a tight joint between the shelves and the sides without the need for any kind of 'mechanical' fastener in the sides. The dovetails will be stopped in the front and closed off in the back by the cabinet back.

I've used sliding dovetails for other purposes so know I am making more work for myself than using simple straight dadoes -
My question is --
Is it just TOTAL 'Tim Taylor' overkill?
Or more to the point -- is there a reason I am overlooking that it would be a BAD idea?

OH - if it matters -
Material for both the sides and shelves is pine with some sound knots.
'off the shelf' 1x12 w 2x2 trim

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fibertech

I think your idea is very workable. If I recall, Bob and Rick have had episodes where they made shelves using this technique. This would be a perfect example of repetitive joints. Let us know how it comes out. -Derek

curiousgeorge

Not a bad idea at all, Cowboy. In fact it will make for more secure shelves.

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George
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Drugstore Cowboy

Well - since you asked.
Here are the 'jigs' I used - all made from scrap on hand.

Don't remember which magazine I stole the double-railed jig idea from but it did make life simple being sure the slots on each side were algned correctly.
To help line it up -- I routed a groove in each end then cut a 'tounge' on a piece of scrap and used that to mark the edges of the board.
Then all I had to do was line thes marks up with my location marks --

I'm sure there are more -- graceful ways to have achieved this - but ...
Given the limits of my budget and my skills -- I am pleased that -
So far -- everything is sliding together nicely.

And yes -- I need to change the date display on my camera -
Having the day of the month first -- is confusing. JUST realized I had done this.

Attached Images

	femalejig.jpg (75.9 KB, 163 views)
	malejig.jpg (93.3 KB, 106 views)
	dryfit.jpg (90.2 KB, 97 views)

harrysin

It's looking great Cowboy, tell me, do you send a straight cutter through first to make life easy for the dovetail bit?

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Harry

The best advice that I can give a newcomer to routing is, learn to use the router mounted, this can be as simple as a board held in a vice, with the router firmly attached and a simple fence held with clamps, and when he/she feels competant and confident in it's use and is familiar with all aspects of safety, THEN, and only then proceed to learn how to use the router hand held. This is MY opinion, and may or may not coincide with that of the forum management, but is based on a lifetime of woodworking.


http://members.dodo.com.au/~sharry02/

Drugstore Cowboy

Actually -- I do remember reading that hint on here and thinking what a great idea.
Sad to admit -- it had totally slipped my foggy mind this weekend -- and I fell back into old habits.
Fortunately I had a good sharp bit and it was fairly soft pine.

Joe Lyddon

Here are some links that may help... looks like you've already done it... sorry.

http://www.woodworkstuff.net/woodidxslide.html

Looks like you figured it out! Looks good!

Drugstore Cowboy

NOTHING to be sorry about :-)

There are some great suggestions at both of those links.
Have bookmarked them both for future reference.

One thing I have learned is in working with both computers and wood --
no matter how much you know -- there is always SOMEONE out there who has thought of something you haven't yet.
In my case -- a LOT of someone(s)

That's the great thing about a forum like this.

And -- Thanks -

Joe Lyddon

Hey, my whole website is an attempt to collect such things as that...
It was easier & better than trying to keep track of bookmarks!
http://www.woodworkstuff.net/
I think you will like it!

Drugstore Cowboy

You think correctly :-)
GREAT site -- can see I will be spending quality time there -