Best Joint

Re: Best Joint

Mark Mandell - Gone Round In New Jersey

Dove Tails

Dowels

Lock-miter Router

Dominoes

Re: Best Joint

John McGaw

What does "modern" mean in your context? Is the top going to be flush with the sides or is it to overhang? I don't usually do modern but in the few cases where I have needed flushness I actually have gone with the miter option to get that waterfall effect. No splines in my case unless you consider biscuits to be short splines.

Re: Best Joint

Jack Guzman from Maine

Or you could dovetail or rabbet two strips into the top of the sides. One front and one back. Then just secure your top to these strips with screws from underneath.

Re: Best Joint

Yonak

Aren't blocks usually used for this ?

Re: Best Joint

William Duffield

Before Ikea, the traditional way to join a cabinet (box) was to dovetail the corners. Before Krenov, the dovetails were hidden. This is typically done one of several ways: If the cabinet top is above eye height, then the sides of upper through dovetails would be hidden with applied moldings. Half blind upper dovetails are a non-issue. Upper half blind dovetails below eye level could be hidden beneath an applied top board. Lower dovetails can also be half blind or hidden behind moldings.There are many other options for hiding them, including mitered full blind dovetails. You might want to consult one of several traditional books on the subject. I usually start with a recommendation of Bill Hylton's "Illustrated Cabinetmaking."

Re: Best Joint

Yonak

William, certainly, you know more about this than me but, are you saying Bill Hylton recommends using dovetails to attach the top of a cabinet to the rest of the case, somehow ? Can you briefly say how this works, without having to get the book, for the uninitiated, like me ? How does this work if the top extends beyond the sides, like in a dresser ?

Re: Best Joint

William Duffield

You build the case first, and then just screw the fancy top to the top board of the case.

Re: Best Joint

Yonak

OK, I'm still not understanding, William .. I'm dense. Where does the dovetail come in ?

Re: Best Joint

AZ in Colorado Springs

Use a secondary wood between the upper ends of the sides. Spans all the way from the outside of the left side to the out side of the right side (a through dovetail). The "top" goes on top of that, extending beyond the sides, and to the front if you like.

books *LINK*

John in NM

Jeffrey Greene's book is a good one for giving you an idea of period styles, as well as construction & finishing methods. There should be an example in there of what William is talking about if its still not clear.

I also like Franklin Gottshall's books from Dover Press, but they are rather old reprints so the pictures and methods aren't what we're accustomed to these days. He had great plans though they are pretty small in reprint. SAPFM used to sell full size reprints, but I don't think they do now.

Of course period may not be your thing, but its worth looking through Greene's book if you can find it in the library. Even if you don't build period furniture, its handy to know some of the methods used.


Jeffrey Greene's book

Insufficient information; traditional construction

Bill Tindall, E.Tn.

Without telling us what the top is to look like a recommendation can not be provided. For a top that overhangs, the traditional way of doing this kind of construction has stood the test of time for several centuries. Your build a box with a top PIC 1, or partial top PIC 2, using some secondary wood. This top is attached with half blind dovetails. The show top is screwed to this "false" top. The advantage of a full top is that it keeps the case sides flat, but adds weight. But for a frame and panel side the partial top is used. A partial top can be used if there is no concern about the sides staying flat.





If, however, the top does not overhang I do not see any attractive way to construct the case without a mitered joint. If the sides stick up above the top the top could be dadoed into the side. The male part of this joint should have a shoulder to add rigidity.

Greene's book

Bill Tindall, E.Tn.

I have found it to be a valuable reference for Period Construction techniques.

Re: The 420 Joint 

Re: books

William Duffield

I have Jeffrey Greene's, Norm Vandal's, and at least one of Franklin Gotschall's books too. They are also great reference sources. The only reasons I usually recommend Bill Hylton's book first is because it shows a wider variety of construction techniques and because it's diagrams are more generalized for furniture types without boxing you in with specific dimensions for specific pieces. The other mentioned books are specific to reproducing high end antiques (found in the finest colonial homes) while Hilton's book also addresses more vernacular styles. It's also usually a bit cheaper than the others, but all these books are very inexpensive on the used market. TANSTAAFL

Hylton, Illustrated Cabinetmaking, <$5,

Greene, "American Furniture of the 18th Century : History, Technique, and Structure" < $15

Vandal, "Queen Anne Furniture: History, Design and Construction", <$12

Gotschall wrote several books on making furniture: "Reproducing Antique Furniture", "Making Furniture Masterpieces", and "Making Early American and Country Furniture" and "Masterpiece Furniture Making". These run between $10 and $30 on Amazon and AbeBooks.

Re: Best Joint

Howie

Thanks for all your help!!!1

THanks for All Your Help