Thread: Dovetails - What goes to the front of the piece?

My idea of dovetails consist of 90mm framing gun nails put in at an angle to each other.

Wmhahahahahaha

Al

It depends on the oiece I think.
If you want the mechanical advantage of dovetails on a drawer, there's only one way you can have them. The dovetails are cut on the drawer sides and the pins on the front and back panels. Therefore, the ends of the dovetails are showing on the front.

If it's something like a jewellery box which doesn't need that mechanical aspect and the dovetails are just for a nice looking joint, I still follow the same pattern. Dovetails cut on the long sides, pins on the ends. But since a jewellery box usually has the long side being the front (i.e. opposite to a drawer), the pins would be at the front. Maybe I should change it around when doing these ?
I prefer ends of the dovetails showing.

That is an age old question without an answer.
Do what looks best on the piece.

On a drawer, the tails are cut on the sides to benefit from their shape. On a small box, it doesn't matter from a strength point of view, and as echnidna says, do what you reckon looks best on the piece. On a large box with handles on the sides, there may be some advantage to having the tails on the back & front.

BUT, if you are doing half-blind dovetails, the tails always go on the side.

I can't add anything to what Alex said, but my copy of Joyce has a pic of a chest of drawers with through d/t's instead of half blinds so of course the end of the tails are on the front of the drawer.

Very nice piece of work actually as all of the d/t's are obviously hand cut.

I sure wish I had half that cabinet maker's (a bloke called Alan Peters) skill level.

See Joyce, pp 201.

I agree with Echnidna.

Originally Posted by AlexS

BUT, if you are doing half-blind dovetails, the tails always go on the side.

Unless your are making a feature of an end

Originally Posted by dai sensei

Unless your are making a feature of an end

Oooer! Ahhh! [Insert vacuous expressions of wonderment here.]

Thinking of making a dovetailed box Wendy?

Like Alex said, if there has to be mechanical strength then there is no choice otherwise I do what I feel like on the day.

Thanks for the comments.

Echidna - sorry, I didn't realise it was an age-old question, especially as I am such a beginner when it comes to dovetails.


Woodborer - yeah, I guess you wouldn't be wrong in thinking I'm thinking of dovetailing a box, or two, or more

cheers
Wendy

I know what the question means but it is badly worded.

In fact I didn't read it correctly. I just voted for the wrong thing.

depending on the project, of course, i might even consider using half-blind dovetails to leave a smooth surface on the front and still retain the strength of a dovetail joint. like a drawerfront etc

OK, I'm closing this thread. I've got more than one opinion which is what I wanted.

CarryPine - you are so right, that's one of the worst questions I've ever devised

Ah well.

cheers
Wendy

Sometimes the dovetails in a box are different sizes and spacings for decorative effect. In that case you put the pin ends to the front displaying the dovetails. IMHO
Cheers